Ellen DeGeneres Remembers Donna Summer

[jasey]

http://i.imgur.com/TPpAS.png


Ellen DeGeneres is actually terrible based on the image she gives out. I have always found her grating but this just takes it all to case. Out of all the celebrity tweets about Donna Summer's passing, Ellen's was the most crass. She noted that because she died, "I even used one of her songs in my show that airs today." She didn't just do it, she 'even' did it. You know, like she is going out of her way.

Ellen features at least one song per episode on her talk show. Every show. She has filmed over 1 500 episodes which all feature this minimum of one track. Some feature two and some even feature three from my experience watching her parade of fake smiles. Of course, the songs are never in full unless it is a musical guest performance which is quite rare for the program. Anyways, it's fair to say she has had at least 2 000 unique songs on her show over it's span of eleven seasons.

Thank you, Ellen, for your generousity. You are so kind to bequeath the honour of playing a thirty second clip of a genre-topping legend's song during the dancing opening segment of your daytime chatterfest. I am sure no one can do a greater honour to Ms. Summer than to play her music while the camera pans over the middle aged audience looking for the 'funniest' dancers to feature in slow motion replay.

Seriously, Ellen is just beyond any kindness in her tribute! There have been about five hundred different Billboard number one songs within America in the past thirty-five years — which is about the duration from when Summer began her musical career. Ellen has featured quadruple that number of songs on her show. Since Donna Summer is dead now, though, maybe it is appropriate for Ellen to play something Donna sang instead of 'Sorry For Party Rocking' by LMFAO. Do you feel her golden heart yet?

Ellen really knows how to put her overwhelming amount of daily screen time to its best use. For example, Ellen once dedicated the greater part of two episodes to mope about a dog that was mistakenly given to her for a short period of time and had to be legally taken away. She took the time to cry on air in a carefully-filmed emotional break and halted production of the whole show for half a week to 'compose herself' afterwards. Thousands of family pets that have been dedicated members of a family group for, you know, longer than a week or two die each day. Perhaps this means Ellen should halt production on her show indefinitely to compose herself over that tragedy.

Two episodes (with Ellen crying included) for one dog would mean that for a thousand companion animals that have been with a family or individual for longer than ten years - as opposed to a couple of weeks - that subsequently die means two thousand episodes and a damned lot of whining for people other than herself. Those pets would die before lunchtime on any given day in America alone. I guess Ellen will be on television until she herself dies should she choose to take that route! Alternatively, perhaps she should spend the time to condemn each and every person who believes in breaching a written contract like she did only to have her fans send death threats to her opponent as was the case in Ellen's 'puppygate' scandal. Puppies are too cute to resist!

After I think about this, maybe that would take too much time away from the six year old and eight year old Ellen likes to have on her show to sing or scream pop and rap songs. They have appeared in large segments and interviews over time. Ellen, so smitten with their youth and British accents, has featured them in no less than two dozen episodes. This amounts to six hours of screen time by the most pessimistic guess. That's totally fair, though. It's not like obsessively using children under eight for ratings and YouTube views in exchange for a couple of plastic tiaras is a bit off or anything, right?

I guess I have changed my mind after thinking about this. With hours of toddlers miming to rap songs about cocaine (carefully edited with different lyrics for the rating council, of course) and all that time needed to cry and scream over an animal you want but legally can't have because it is contractually obligated to a certain person entrusted with taking care of it, I suppose the thirty seconds of Donna Summer is more than enough to make her memory last.

It almost wasn't, though. Thank heavens that Ellen remembered to include the air date for this episode so we don't forget to watch.

Moved by Lee (Forum Moderator): From 'Discuss Anything' as it's better suited here.

[dbgtz]

Ellen DeGeneres is annoying.

[jasey]

Ellen DeGeneres is annoying.

Oh my days, I agree with you fully!

[GommeInc]

The article is weirdly written, they dislike her but at the same like her for playing a song (like anyone would say no to the opportunity anyway, she is being overplayed at the moment, like most artists who have recently passed).

That said, she is annoying. I switch off whenever she's talking. Thankfully I only ever see her whenever someone posts a YouTube clip of some low-rate celebrity who can only appear on her show.

[jasey]

The article is weirdly written, they dislike her but at the same like her for playing a song (like anyone would say no to the opportunity anyway, she is being overplayed at the moment, like most artists who have recently passed).

That said, she is annoying. I switch off whenever she's talking. Thankfully I only ever see her whenever someone posts a YouTube clip of some low-rate celebrity who can only appear on her show.

I don't think it was written praising Ellen for playing Donna Summer or anything else. It basically condemns her for tweeting that she 'even decided' to play Donna Summer in remembrance (for thirty seconds) when she plays at least one song five times a week. Sometimes multiple. This totals four times the number of number ones in America since Summer started singing.

For the eighth most successful female recording artist in Billboard history who dies before retirement age (of cancer), this seems like shameless self-promotion by the 'Queen of Nice' - DeGeneres. The tune-in time at the end of the tweet was just acid on the cut. Other celebrities just expressed a fond memory or a nice message but Ellen was on a high horse about it and shameless. Really, it would be minor for most celebrities but it is a total hypocritical move by Ellen based on the values she trumps.

[Logandyer45]

I used to not like Ellen until I watched some of her clips and what not on YouTube. Here are a couple.

1)She reunited the family that's car flipped into the river in Utah with the people whom saved them.
2)She helped a school in Cali and ALSO got Justin Beiber to perform for them.

I like her shows now, I also love her little funny segments like the dance dares and the "In Your FACEbook"

[Phil]

I don't think she meant to imply that she was going out of her way? Didn't read the whole article but that's what I have to say for the first part.

I love Ellen lol

[jasey]

I used to not like Ellen until I watched some of her clips and what not on YouTube. Here are a couple.

She reunited the family that's car flipped into the river in Utah with the people whom saved them.
She helped a school in Cali and ALSO got Justin Beiber to perform for them.

I like her shows now, I also love her little funny segments like the dance dares and the "In Your FACEbook"

I'd like to think that the better people are the ones who reunite families and help schools not for the sake of ratings and paycheques but just because it is helping thing to do. Ellen had a large career before she ever became America's 'Queen of Nice' and you didn't once hear about her doing crazy things like that. It is a branded and targeted effort — all of these lovely things she does — created by herself and the producers. I mean, don't get me wrong, it's great that her show isn't all celebrity gossip. I just find this tweet in particular telling as to how much she means the nice things she does. As I mentioned, she never seemed to have such a golden heart until it was broadcast all across the world. You're sheltered to think she would do the same without the talk show. The tweet shows her real attitude.


I don't think she meant to imply that she was going out of her way? Didn't read the whole article but that's what I have to say for the first part.

I love Ellen lol

Alright, so you are openly biased and you didn't read the full thing but commented anyways. I can't say I take that seriously.

[Grig]

Put a plug on it. This forum will find anything to moan about. Ellen has a superb show and genuinely cares about what she talks about.

[Absently]

I really enjoy Ellen, but I don't think everything that she says should be taken so serious. A lot of her tweets are generally a joke (the ones I've seen anyway).

[Phil]

Alright, so you are openly biased and you didn't read the full thing but commented anyways. I can't say I take that seriously.

Okay, just readd the whole thing, still don't see the problem? I think the writer is just being a bit picky about things he/she doesn't like (Sophia Grace & Rosie). Don't see anything wrong with anything he 'faulted' her on?

[jasey]

Okay, just readd the whole thing, still don't see the problem? I think the writer is just being a bit picky about things he/she doesn't like (Sophia Grace & Rosie). Don't see anything wrong with anything he 'faulted' her on?

If you don't see anything wrong with the inordinate amount of time Ellen puts aside for 'cute' things like puppies and little girls in tutus and has the gall to 'even decide to put a song' by the late defacto Queen of Disco on her show for thirty seconds then I question where your priorities are from my personal point of view. Either way, fair play and I respect your view.

[Phil]

If you don't see anything wrong with the inordinate amount of time Ellen puts aside for 'cute' things like puppies and little girls in tutus and has the gall to 'even decide to put a song' by the late defacto Queen of Disco on her show for thirty seconds then I question where your priorities are from my personal point of view. Either way, fair play and I respect your view.

Oh sorry fair enough I do see where you're coming from but at the same time you have to respect what she does for a lot of people? And if that's stuff people enjoy why not show it?

[Grig]

If you don't see anything wrong with the inordinate amount of time Ellen puts aside for 'cute' things like puppies and little girls in tutus and has the gall to 'even decide to put a song' by the late defacto Queen of Disco on her show for thirty seconds then I question where your priorities are from my personal point of view. Either way, fair play and I respect your view.

She can decide to put a tribute. There was nothing wrong with that. Her show is a comedic chat show. Also, the amount of bias you have posted in this thread in unbelievable. It's as if you have decided to put on a full out propaganda ploy against her simply because she only played a 30 second clip of Summer.

Her show is not based on over-serious tributes to singers but rather on middle-class American women who tune in exactly for that. Be grateful that she found the time to do at least a little something for Summer. If you actually read more about Ellen you'll know that your baseless claims here are utterly false.

[jasey]

She can decide to put a tribute. There was nothing wrong with that. Her show is a comedic chat show. Also, the amount of bias you have posted in this thread in unbelievable. It's as if you have decided to put on a full out propaganda ploy against her simply because she only played a 30 second clip of Summer.

Her show is not based on over-serious tributes to singers but rather on middle-class American women who tune in exactly for that. Be grateful that she found the time to do at least a little something for Summer. If you actually read more about Ellen you'll know that your baseless claims here are utterly false.

Right, you live in the United Kingdom — yes? I don't even think you have been to one of her live tapings. It's fair play to say that she has a 'comedic chat show' and that there isn't room for mopey tributes. Oh, wait, except the two day breakdown (crying segment included) because she had to have a puppy that she had for a couple of weeks taken away from her due to contractual obligations entrusting the dog legally to one person and one person only. Oh, did you miss the part about her taking a week off of taping to 'compose herself'? It isn't a comedic chat show all of the time — when she wants it to be the Ellen soapbox show it seems to change in to that with no problem.

I have watched probably a thousand different episodes of Ellen since the show started. You can get off of your high horse telling me to 'read more about Ellen' when you are the one who I doubt has even spoken to her personally at a taping. My claims are not baseless because they are my opinions. I haven't put anything as fact that isn't true. Do you really think this a propaganda ploy? I am secretly trying to make everyone on a sagging, declining Habbo forum hate Ellen DeGeneres? Get a grip. I can't even take where you are coming from here with respect and, trust me, I am trying quite hard to do so.

---------- Post added 30-05-2012 at 03:33 AM ----------


She can decide to put a tribute. There was nothing wrong with that. Her show is a comedic chat show. Also, the amount of bias you have posted in this thread in unbelievable. It's as if you have decided to put on a full out propaganda ploy against her simply because she only played a 30 second clip of Summer.

Her show is not based on over-serious tributes to singers but rather on middle-class American women who tune in exactly for that. Be grateful that she found the time to do at least a little something for Summer. If you actually read more about Ellen you'll know that your baseless claims here are utterly false.

Right, you live in the United Kingdom — yes? I don't even think you have been to one of her live tapings. It's fair play to say that she has a 'comedic chat show' and that there isn't room for mopey tributes. Oh, wait, except the two day breakdown (crying segment included) because she had to have a puppy that she had for a couple of weeks taken away from her due to contractual obligations entrusting the dog legally to one person and one person only. Oh, did you miss the part about her taking a week off of taping to 'compose herself'? It isn't a comedic chat show all of the time — when she wants it to be the Ellen soapbox show it seems to change in to that with no problem.

I have watched probably a thousand different episodes of Ellen since the show started. You can get off of your high horse telling me to 'read more about Ellen' when you are the one who I doubt has even spoken to her personally at a taping. My claims are not baseless because they are my opinions. I haven't put anything as fact that isn't true. Do you really think this a propaganda ploy? I am secretly trying to make everyone on a sagging, declining Habbo forum hate Ellen DeGeneres? Get a grip. I can't even take where you are coming from here with respect and, trust me, I am trying quite hard to do so.

[Grig]

Right, you live in the United Kingdom — yes? I don't even think you have been to one of her live tapings. It's fair play to say that she has a 'comedic chat show' and that there isn't room for mopey tributes. Oh, wait, except the two day breakdown (crying segment included) because she had to have a puppy that she had for a couple of weeks taken away from her due to contractual obligations entrusting the dog legally to one person and one person only. Oh, did you miss the part about her taking a week off of taping to 'compose herself'? It isn't a comedic chat show all of the time — when she wants it to be the Ellen soapbox show it seems to change in to that with no problem.

I have watched probably a thousand different episodes of Ellen since the show started. You can get off of your high horse telling me to 'read more about Ellen' when you are the one who I doubt has even spoken to her personally at a taping. My claims are not baseless because they are my opinions. I haven't put anything as fact that isn't true. Do you really think this a propaganda ploy? I am secretly trying to make everyone on a sagging, declining Habbo forum hate Ellen DeGeneres? Get a grip. I can't even take where you are coming from here with respect and, trust me, I am trying quite hard to do so.

Nope, I don't live in the United Kingdom. This is Ellen. You are not tuned into a serious news or chat show. Don't like her show? No one is asking you to watch it. It is an Ellen soapbox show, that's what it is based upon and her audiences enjoy that, the middle-aged American, white female demographic love it and it works for her. Her interviews and witty and interesting. You are acting as if she has a contractual obligation to honour Donna Summer in an emotional way for a whole hour. Guess what? She's not. Life doesn't revolve about what you think she should and shouldn't do.

They are your opinions, and I respect that but in MY view, very biased ones.

[jasey]

Nope, I don't live in the United Kingdom. This is Ellen. You are not tuned into a serious news or chat show. Don't like her show? No one is asking you to watch it. It is an Ellen soapbox show, that's what it is based upon and her audiences enjoy that, the middle-aged American, white female demographic love it and it works for her. Her interviews and witty and interesting. You are acting as if she has a contractual obligation to honour Donna Summer in an emotional way for a whole hour. Guess what? She's not. Life doesn't revolve about what you think she should and shouldn't do.

They are your opinions, and I respect that but in MY view, very biased ones.

Right, first off, I forgot that you were in Asia — Hong Kong, yes? I think I got you confused with someone else. In any case, you aren't in North America where her media outlet is more pervasive than anywhere else in the world. You contradict yourself and make yourself sound uninformed when you talk about her show. Are you a white, middle-aged, female American? You seem to enjoy the show and I can assure you that there are many others of different ages that tune in regularly. I did and I am certainly not middle-aged nor female. You are right, though, in that her target demographic is the older female. Her show does not target white women, and frankly, I am appalled that you would even mention that. Not only do black women watch more television than white women, but the Ellen show features plenty of content to attract the black and African American demographic. If you were so 'well informed' on the program, you would have noted that. At least, a perceptive person would — especially before running their mouth about who watches Ellen.

Her interview style is undeniably appealing. There is a reason why her show is so successful. I think the problem I have with Ellen is going right over your head. I think she does a very good job at being the 'smiley hour' of daytime television but she must tread very carefully around things like death and memorials. Donna Summer was very important to music and is one of the most successful female artists of all time. If Ellen doesn't feel she will bring in the ratings like Michael Jackson's death does (having his daughter on the show, various tribute pieces) then she should not bother at all. Her musical innovation is preserved all the same in the National Recording Registry as Jackson's. She wasn't a passing flame and her career spanned over forty years of activity. Ellen was simply disrespectful in this case and it is okay for people to have a problem with that.

Like I said before, she wasn't so optimistic and kind before it starting bringing in ratings and bigger paycheques. Watching the seasons of her talk show is like watching someone increase their fake smiles over ten seasons tenfold. I doubt she is the same on camera as she is off camera and, in this case, it shows. She made a bad move.

[Grig]

Right, first off, I forgot that you were in Asia — Hong Kong, yes? I think I got you confused with someone else. In any case, you aren't in North America where her media outlet is more pervasive than anywhere else in the world. You contradict yourself and make yourself sound uninformed when you talk about her show. Are you a white, middle-aged, female American? You seem to enjoy the show and I can assure you that there are many others of different ages that tune in regularly. I did and I am certainly not middle-aged nor female. You are right, though, in that her target demographic is the older female. Her show does not target white women, and frankly, I am appalled that you would even mention that. Not only do black women watch more television than white women, but the Ellen show features plenty of content to attract the black and African American demographic. If you were so 'well informed' on the program, you would have noted that. At least, a perceptive person would — especially before running their mouth about who watches Ellen.

Her interview style is undeniably appealing. There is a reason why her show is so successful. I think the problem I have with Ellen is going right over your head. I think she does a very good job at being the 'smiley hour' of daytime television but she must tread very carefully around things like death and memorials. Donna Summer was very important to music and is one of the most successful female artists of all time. If Ellen doesn't feel she will bring in the ratings like Michael Jackson's death does (having his daughter on the show, various tribute pieces) then she should not bother at all. Her musical innovation is preserved all the same in the National Recording Registry as Jackson's. She wasn't a passing flame and her career spanned over forty years of activity. Ellen was simply disrespectful in this case and it is okay for people to have a problem with that.

Like I said before, she wasn't so optimistic and kind before it starting bringing in ratings and bigger paycheques. Watching the seasons of her talk show is like watching someone increase their fake smiles over ten seasons tenfold. I doubt she is the same on camera as she is off camera and, in this case, it shows. She made a bad move.

Maybe that is why then. I am basing this on her episodes two years ago or so, lots have probably changed since then :P. I did say predominant demographic and I am sure you will find that it is her predominant demographic.

Sadly it's true but Donna Summer to some wasn't considered as big. That's not me denying that she was big. I can ask my parents who she is and they wouldn't know, but Michael Jackson was worldwide and had number 1s nearly everywhere in the world, people everywhere were impersonating the moonwalk back in his time.

[jasey]

I was never talking about popularity but rather influence on a certain genre. There are songwriters, producers and artists who most couldn't name but have had huge influence on modern music. People think Beyoncé's Single Ladies dance was her creation. It was heavily, incredibly and undeniably borrowed from the choreography of Bob Fosse. In the same vein, Donna Summer is called the 'Queen of Disco' for a reason. Disco may not be popular now but she certainly was the predominant female artist in the genre that ruled the charts for such a long time. Again, career pushing half a century full of activity is nothing to scoff at.

On that note, I think we have both made our points and I understand how you see things. I can appreciate Ellen for what she does but it really bangs my head in when people act like she is the model human being. A big reason why Ellen barely scraped through a season as a judge on 'American Idol' was that her television personality didn't blend as well there. The way she acted there seemed much more fake in a judge's chair than it did on a sofa. I guess I am not surprised that I am put off by the tweet she made. What bothers me is that others aren't and I will deal with that on my own.

[Grig]

I was never talking about popularity but rather influence on a certain genre. There are songwriters, producers and artists who most couldn't name but have had huge influence on modern music. People think Beyoncé's Single Ladies dance was her creation. It was heavily, incredibly and undeniably borrowed from the choreography of Bob Fosse. In the same vein, Donna Summer is called the 'Queen of Disco' for a reason. Disco may not be popular now but she certainly was the predominant female artist in the genre that ruled the charts for such a long time. Again, career pushing half a century full of activity is nothing to scoff at.

On that note, I think we have both made our points and I understand how you see things. I can appreciate Ellen for what she does but it really bangs my head in when people act like she is the model human being. A big reason why Ellen barely scraped through a season as a judge on 'American Idol' was that her television personality didn't blend as well there. The way she acted there seemed much more fake in a judge's chair than it did on a sofa. I guess I am not surprised that I am put off by the tweet she made. What bothers me is that others aren't and I will deal with that on my own.

I am in agreement about American Idol. She just couldn't give critiques and she even stated herself that she couldn't. Nor was she an expert of the music industry.

Also, much of what you see in the music industry/charts today isn't original material but rather stuff which is ripped off. That's why mainstream music just isn't as good nowadays.

[GommeInc]

Also, much of what you see in the music industry/charts today isn't original material but rather stuff which is ripped off. That's why mainstream music just isn't as good nowadays.
You are right about this - there does seem to be a lot of remakes or borrowing of backing tracks and tunes, or reworded lyrics... I don't think it helps that someone found out (Bill Bailey, perhaps?) that all pop songs have the same four beats and can eventually form the same pattern and tune. But this is somewhat off topic.

I'm still in two places about Ellen, she's interesting half the time but I do find she does the right thing in a weird way, and sometimes the wrong way - but this is just a few shows I've caught a glimpse of. She's probably no better or worse than Graham Norton or any other chat show host.