EMMY AWARD WINNER ELLEN DEGENERES SET AS HOST FOR THE 57TH ANNUAL PRIMETIME EMMY AWARDS Live Telecast from Los Angeles' Shrine Auditorium on Sept. 18 on CBS Television

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Ellen DeGeneres

North Hollywood, CA, August 12, 2005 –Emmy Award winner Ellen DeGeneres has been set to host the 57th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards to be broadcast from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, Sunday, September 18 (8:00-11:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network. Nina Tassler, President of CBS Entertainment, and Dick Askin, Chairman and CEO, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, made the announcement today.

"You know me, any excuse to put on a dress," DeGeneres said in regards to this year's hosting duties.

"We are thrilled that Ellen DeGeneres is returning to host the Emmy Awards again on CBS," said Tassler.  "She's an incredibly multi-talented performer whose comedic skills and energy promise to deliver an Emmy Awards broadcast to remember."

Askin added, "Ellen has demonstrated her extraordinary ability to connect with the television viewing audience. She will be the perfect compliment to the creative, exciting and entertaining show being planned for the Primetime Emmys.  We are delighted to have her back."

"There is no more perfect choice to host this year's Emmy show than Ellen," said Executive producer Ken Ehrlich.  "She brings her own distinct style and talent to everything she does, and this year in particular, with some of the most exciting nominations in years—and hopefully a show to match—we're thrilled to have her bring those talents to the show."

DeGeneres was lauded as the host of the The 53rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards on CBS for giving the post-September 11 telecast audience a reason to laugh.  She is an entertainment pioneer whose distinctive comic voice resonates with audiences from her stand-up comedy appearances, through her work on television, in film and in the literary world.  DeGeneres has made a home for herself with her nine-time Daytime Emmy Award-winning syndicated talk show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, which is embarking on its third season.  This year, DeGeneres won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show Host.

Prior to the launch of her talk show, DeGeneres provided the voice for Dory in the blockbuster animated feature film Finding Nemo.  She also crossed the country on a 35-city stand-up comedy tour, entitled the "Here and Now" tour.  The series included a performance taped for a highly-rated cable comedy special which was subsequently nominated for two Emmy Awards.   Last year, DeGeneres' second book, The Funny Thing Is... hit the New York Times' bestseller list, and was nominated for a Grammy Award for the audio version of the book.  Her first book, My Point... And I Do Have One, debuted as #1 on the New York Times bestseller list.

DeGeneres began her career as an emcee at a local comedy club in her hometown of New Orleans, which eventually led to her winning Showtime's Funniest Person in America. She went on to tape several acclaimed and award-winning cable specials. She began her acting career in television on the sitcom Open House and then on Laurie Hill before starring in These Friends of Mine, which was later renamed Ellen.  Running from 1994-1998, Ellen garnered record ratings and numerous awards and nominations, including a Peabody and an Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series.  She followed with the CBS sitcom, The Ellen Show in 2001.

DeGeneres' other television credits include the Emmy nominated television movie If These Walls Could Talk II, which she also executive produced, and an Emmy nominated guest appearance on The Larry Sanders Show.  Her feature film credits include EdTV, The Love Letter, Goodbye Lover, Coneheads and Mr. Wrong, among others.  She has hosted such industry events as the 38th Annual Grammy Awards, for which she earned an Emmy nomination; the 39th Annual Grammy Awards; the 46th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, for which she received an American Comedy Award; VH1 Honors, which garnered her a Cable Ace Award; VH1 Divas Las Vegas; and a Saturday Night Live Christmas special.  

On Monday, September 19, join Ellen for her very first ever live episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show as she dedicates the entire hour to the Primetime Emmy Awards including exclusive behind-the-scenes footage from the broadcast. Fresh off its second consecutive Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Talk Show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show returns for its third season on Tuesday, September 6, 2005.

The 57th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards is being produced by Ken Ehrlich Productions and is presented by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.  Ken Ehrlich is the executive producer; Michael B. Seligman and Renato Basile are the producers; Danette Herman is the coordinating producer and executive in charge of talent.  Bruce Gowers will direct. 

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The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences was founded in 1946 just one month after network television was born. It is a non-profit organization devoted to the advancement of telecommunications arts and sciences and to fostering creative leadership in the telecommunications industry. In addition to recognizing outstanding programming through its Emmy® Award, the Television Academy publishes Emmy® Magazine.

For additional press information and resources concerning the Primetime Emmy Awards or the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, please direct your inquiries to Robin Mesger of The Lippin Group at (323) 965-1990.

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Press Contacts:

CBS Publicity:
Andrea Ballas 323/575-2858 andrea.ballas@tvc.cbs.com
Susan Marks 323/575-2118 susan.marks@tvc.cbs.com
Kim Izzo-Emmet 212/975-3820 krizzo-emmet@cbs.com

The Lippin Group for the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences:
Robin Mesger 323/965-1990 rmesger@lippingroup.com
Pam Golum 323/965-1990 pgolum@lippingroup.com

IDPR for Ellen DeGeneres:
Kelly Bush 323/822-4811 kb@id-pr.com