Championed by late-night TV legend Johnny Carson, DeGeneres initially came to prominence as a stand-up comedian, making numerous appearances on The Tonight Show in the 1980s before landing her own eponymous sitcom in 1994. Although there was a lot of gossip surrounding DeGeneres' sexual orientation, she was silent on the subject until 1997, when she---and her small-screen alter ego---came out, along with her then-lover Anne Heche. The episode sparked controversy and kicked open the closet door for lesbian actresses, though the series was canceled the next season. After a handful of poorly received movies and a short-lived second sitcom (The Ellen Show), DeGeneres found her niche when she began hosting a hugely successful daytime talk show in 2003. Around that time, she also started dating small-screen siren Portia de Rossi, whom she married in 2008 after the overturn of the gay marriage ban in California. DeGeneres' affable nature and widespread appeal have led to several high-profile hosting gigs, including the Emmys, the Grammys and the Academy Awards, as well as a spot on the American Idol judging panel, which she joined in 2010, filling the seat left vacant by Paula Abdul.