Ellen DeGeneres receives Mark Twain prize in DC

Congratulations to Ellen DeGeneres who was presented with the 15th annual Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in Washington DC last night.

“I never could have imagined my life would end up this way. …I only thought I’d be a positive gay comedian wearing parachute pants,” Ellen said while accepting the award.

Jimmy Kimmel kicked the presentation off by saying. “In 1998, I mustered the courage to come out of the closet, despite the fact that I am not gay.” He called DeGeneres the “original Modern Family.” He also noted that the Mark Twain Prize honors “people that have spent one season or less as a judge on American Idol.”

Among the stars on hand to support DeGeneres were wife Portia de Rossi, Sean Hayes, Jane Lynch, Kristin Chenoweth, and John Krasinski.

De Rossi told reporters on the red carpet: “I am very, very proud of Ellen. She’s not only the funniest person I know, but she’s such a good person.”