Ellen's Commencement Speech

In her own inimitable style, Ellen Degeneres delivered what will likely go down as one of the best commencement speeches of all time. Not because of it's heady rhetoric or political grandstanding, but for it's humanity. Well, that and the fact that she tells the 2009 graduating class of Tulane that when they grow up, most of them will be gay.

Ellen's speech touches on the small shared truths of all our lives which often get lost in the overly-constructed oratory of commencement speechifying. Her mix of vulnerability and humor enables her to speak of tragedy (losing a girlfriend in a car crash at 19) and failure (losing her career after coming out) in a way relevant not only to 22 year olds, but to anyone who has loved, struggled, or lived with a secret. So basically everyone on this planet, straight or gay.

She tells her audience that at 22 years old, the graduates don't yet know themselves (case in point: she tells them that at her age, she was dating men), reassures them that that's OK, and that of course, life will be full of struggle and surprises. But coming from Ellen, a person with no agenda, political or otherwise, her perspective is relevant, her story is inspirational, and her geniuness is palpable. And the jokes are good too.