Ellen DeGeneres shares past with Tulane University graduates, then she dances through the crowd

Whenever I feel really frustrated that people like Bill O’Reilly or Carrie Prejean get so much attention for their bigoted views, my faith in people is restored by someone like Ellen DeGeneres who is all about love, and not hate. And, she’s got a great sense of humor!

Over the weekend, Ellen was the commencement speaker at Tulane University in her hometown of New Orleans and greeted the robe-clad grads with this line: “Look at you. Usually when you’re wearing a robe at 10 in the morning, it means you’ve given up.”

Then there was this joke: “When you’re older, most of you will be gay.”

And this one: “Follow your passion. Stay true to yourself. Never follow anyone else’s path – unless you’re in the woods, and you’re lost, then by all means you should follow that.”

Ellen – joined on stage by the fabulous Harry Connick Jr. and Tulane President Scott Cowan, also shared with the graduates much of her life story including the girlfriend she had as a teenager who was killed in a car accident. She also talks about coming out and – listen up O’Reilly and Prejean and all you other haters – about living your life with integrity.

After her speech, Ellen danced through the audience bringing the graduates and their families to their feet.

I don’t remember who spoke at my college graduation but it’s a safe bet that anyone in the Tulane University Class of 2009 will never forget who spoke at theirs.