DeGeneres Honored for Her Humor and More at Kennedy Center

As President Obama and Mitt Romney rumbled over foreign policy in the final presidential debate on Monday night, it was all laughs at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington as Ellen DeGeneres received the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

Friends and contemporaries of Ms. DeGeneres celebrated the comedian and daytime talk-show host for breaking ground for comedians and lesbians and gay men in American culture. Ms. DeGeneres, 54, became the 15th recipient of the award; previous winners include Will Ferrell, Tina Fey and Bill Cosby.

Ms. DeGeneres said she was grateful that her career was nothing like what she expected it to be. “I just thought I'd be a closeted gay comedian wearing parachute pants,” she said. (She blamed Sinbad for the pants.)

Instead, she has won dozens of awards for her work in film and television, including Daytime Emmy Awards, People's Choice Awards and a Peabody Award.

In a two-hour show that Ms. DeGeneres said had enough gay presenters to be a Bravo special, celebrities including Jimmy Kimmel and Lily Tomlin, who herself received the award in 2003, praised Ms. Ellen's comedic talent and personal bravery.

Jane Lynch, the star of the Fox series “Glee,” credited Ms. DeGeneres with helping to change American attitudes towards gay men and lesbians.

“I'm pretty darn sure I could not have the career I have, that I could not live as openly as I've lived, if it hadn't been for you,” she said. “You really took one for the team.”

The Twain prize, a bronze bust of the writer, is given by the Kennedy Center to “people who have had an impact on American society in ways similar to” Mark Twain, the organization said.

“I've never read Mark Twain,” Ms. DeGeneres confessed. “But to be fair, he's never seen my HBO specials.”

Ms. DeGeneres began her career as a comedy club emcee in her hometown, New Orl eans. After she performed on the “Tonight” show in 1986, Johnny Carson summoned her to his desk for a chat. It was the first time he had done that for a female comedian.

She later turned to acting, landing sitcoms and starring in “Ellen” on ABC from 1994 to 1998. She revealed that she was a lesbian on the show in 1997, in front of 46 million viewers. But as the show delved into issues of being gay and coming out, viewers turned away. It was canceled the following year.

In 2003, Ms. DeGeneres began “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.” Now in its 10th season, the show is hugely popular and nationally syndicated on NBCUniversal stations. President Obama and Michelle Obama have each appeared on it.

The actor John Leguizamo marveled at the spectacle of a lesbian being honored at a venue dedicated to a liberal president and broadcast on the publicly funded network. “It's like the Tea Party's worst nightmare,” he said.

Ms. DeGeneres also chimed in wit h a sly jab at Mr. Romney, who has said he would end public financing for PBS.

“Thanks to everyone at PBS,” she said. “I'm so happy to be a part of your farewell season.”

“Yes, we knew there was a debate tonight, “ said David M. Rubenstein, the chairman of the Kennedy Center. He said the selection of Ms. DeGeneres for the Twain prize sent ticket sales “through the roof” and boosted sponsorship for the awards program, which raised $1.5 million for arts education programs. The ceremony will be broadcast by PBS on Oct. 30 at 8 p.m. Eastern time.