邀请名人到本校学生的毕业典礼上做演讲一直以来都是美国大学的传统，不管该位名人是否从这所大学毕业。本期【名人毕业演讲秀】为大家送上脱口秀主持Ellen DeGeneres的杜兰大学演讲。
Ellen毫无疑问是美国现今一线的脱口秀主持人。以自己名字命名的节目Ellen Show收视率居高不下，她还成功主持过第38和39届格莱美、第46届艾美等颁奖礼。她在杜兰大学的演讲延续了自己的幽默风格，在笑声中也回顾了自己的成长，并给毕业学生们以诚恳的建议，听来受益匪浅。 点击这里下载演讲音频>>
Thank you, President Cowan, Mrs.President Cowen; distinguished guests, undistinguished guestsaluminialumisI really, I had no ambition, I didn\'t know what I wanted to do.I did everything from\"and I\'m gonna be the first woman in the history of the show to be called over to sit down.\" And several years later, I was the first woman in the history of the show, and only woman in the history of the show to sit down, because of that phone conversation with God that I wrote.And I started this path of stand-up and it was succeful and it was great, but it was hard, because I was trying to please everybody and I had this secret that I was keeping, that I was gay.And I thought if people found out they wouldn\'t like me, they wouldn\'t laugh at me.
Then my career turned intothis was back, many years ago - and I finally decided that I was living with so much shame, and so much fear, that I just couldn\'t live that way anymore, and I decided to come out and make it creative.And my character would come out at the same time, and it wasn\'t to make a political statement, it wasn\'t to do anything other than to free myself up from this heavine that I was carrying around, and I just wanted to be honest.And I thought, \"What\'s the worst that could happen? I can lose my career\".I did.I lost my career.The show was cancelled after six years, without even telling me, I read it in the paper.The phone didn\'t ring for three years.I had no offers.Nobody wanted to touch me at all.Yet, I was getting letters from kids that almost committed suicide, but didn\'t, because of what I did.And I realised that I had a purpose.And it wasn\'t just about me and it wasn\'t about celebrity, but I felt like I was being punished...it was a bad time, I was angry, I was sad, and then I was offered a talkshow.And the people that offered me the talkshow tried to sell it.And most stations didn\'t want to pick it up.Most people didn\'t want to buy it because they thought nobody would watch me.
Really when I look back on it, I wouldn\'t change a thing.I mean, it was so important for me to lose everything because I found out what the most important thing is, is to be true to yourself.Ultimately, that\'s what\'s gotten me to this place.I don\'t live in fear, I\'m free, I have no secrets.and I know I\'ll always be ok, because no matter what, I know who I am.So In conclusion, when I was younger I thought succe was something different.I thought when I grow up, I want to be famous.I want to be a star.I want to be in movies.When I grow up I want to see the world, drive nice cars, I want to have groupies.To quote the Puycat Dolls.How many people thought it was \"boobies\", by the way? It\'s not, it\'s \"groupies\".
But my idea of succe is different today.And as you grow, you\'ll realise the definition of succe changes.For many of you, today, succe is being able to hold down 20 shots of tequila.For me, the most important thing in your life is to live your life with integrity, and not to give into peer preure.to try to be something that you\'re not.To live your life as an honest and compaionate person.to contribute in some way.So to conclude my conclusion: follow your paion, stay true to yourself.Never follow anyone else\'s path, unle you\'re in the woods and you\'re lost and you see a path, and by all means you should follow that.Don\'t give advice, it will come back and bite you in the a.Don\'t take anyone\'s advice.So my advice to you is to be true to yourself and everything will be fine.
And I know that a lot of you are concerned about your future, but there\'s no need to worry.The economy is booming, the job market is wide open, the planet is just fine.It\'s gonna be great.You\'ve already survived a hurricane.What else can happen to you? And as I mentioned before, some of the most devastating things that happen to you will teach you the most.And now you know the right questions to ask in your first job interview.Like, \"Is it above sea level?\" .So to conclude my conclusion that I\'ve previously concluded, in the common cement speech, I gue what I\'m trying to say is life is like one big Mardi Gras.But instead of showing your boobs, show people your brain, and if they like what they see, you\'ll have more beads than you know what to do with.And you\'ll be drunk, most of the time.So the Katrina cla of 2009, I say congratulations and if you don\'t remember a thing I said today, remember this: you\'re gonna be ok, dum de dum dum dum, just dance.
