X17 News

LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Ellen Degeneres and Portia de Rossi plan to wed, the talk show host announced during a taping of her show on Thursday, the same day California's high court struck down state laws against gay marriage.

On the show, which aired today, Degeneres stated, "For the first time, I am announcing I am getting married." As soon as she made the announcement, the audience stood up and wildy applauded Degeneres who added, "It's something that I've been wanting to do...we're very excited."

Degeneres, 50, and de Rossi, 35, have been dating for nearly four years.

LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Ellen DeGeneres, 50, and Portia de Rossi, 35, exchanged vows on Saturday in an intimate ceremony at their Beverly Hills home. Nineteen guests attended, including DeGeneres and de Rossi's mothers, and the couple wore matching pastel pink Zac Posen ensembles. De Rossi opted for a backless, light pink halter dress and DeGeneres wore white pants, a vest and a pink button down shirt.

The couple have been dating since December of 2004, and DeGeneres announced her plans to wed de Rossi in May after the California Supreme Court ruled that the previous ban on gay marriage was unconstitutional.

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LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - In their first public appearance since tying the knot, newlyweds Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi went to lunch at Real Food Daily in West Hollywood yesterday with de Rossi's mother, and chatted exclusively with X17 photographers before they sat down.

When asked how they were feeling, de Rossi shouted "amazing!" and DeGeneres said "married." DeGeneres added that she has "to get back to work," so perhaps a honeymoon in the near future is out of the question.

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LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Newlywed Ellen DeGeneres posted a blog on her official website today, discussing married life and how elated she is.

DeGeneres jokes, "I had a big, big weekend. I got married to Portia de Rossi! Sorry John Stamos...this one's taken." The talk show host added, "The wedding was everything we hoped it would be. I wish I could've invited all of you."

Ellen and Portia were married on Saturday, August 16 in an intimate ceremony at their Beverly Hills home.

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LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Ellen De Generes is the new face of Cover Girl Cosmetics. The newlywed made the announcement on her talk show Tuesday.

During her opening monologue Ellen told the studio audience, "You know how I always like to share what's going on in my life with you all, and I was going to give you some news and, unfortunately, rumors started circulating all over the Internet."

She joked, "I am here to set the record straight right now. I am not pregnant. It just turned out to be a bump. I went and had it checked out," Ellen said, "I am the new face of CoverGirl."

Commercials featuring the talk show host, who recently married actress Portia De Rossi, will begin airing in January.

"It's a very cool thing." De Generes said. "I'm honored and the photo shoot was 'easy, breezy, beautiful... CoverGirl.'"

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LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Fox made the official announcement today that Ellen DeGeneres has signed on to replace Paula Abdul as the fourth judge on American Idol. Ellen will join fellow judges Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi this January.

At a taping for The Ellen DeGeneres Show today, Ellen assured her fans that she's not leaving her daytime talk show. "I'm going to have a day job and a night job. This is so exciting for me!" Ellen continued, "I've been dying to tell everyone...it's just been so hard to keep it a secret and we just finally got the okay and I'm so excited. It is going to be so much fun."

In a statement released today, Idol creator/EP Simon Fuller said he believed Ellen's "love of music and understanding of the American public" would bring "a unique human touch to our judging panel."

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LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Simon Cowell told X17online that he expects Ellen Degeneres to be a tougher judge than him when she joins Cowell, Randy Jackson and Kara Dioguardi as the fourth judge on American Idol this season.

X17online caught up with the multi-millionaire leaving his mansion for a quick trip to London, and when we asked him if he thought Ellen make a tougher judge than him, he said "Yes!"

Now, we're sure that's just British sarcasm at work - anyone who caught Ellen's turn as a judge on So You Think You Can Dance last season knows she'll keep Paula's tradition of nurturing the contestants rather than breaking them down like Simon.

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LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Ellen Degeneres has hit out at critics who claim she isn't qualified to fill pop-star Paula's shoes as the new judge on American Idol.

"I know there is a lot of chatter," Ellen said during a taping of her show. "I thought America had moved past this. First, we have the first African American President. We've sworn in our first Hispanic Supreme Court Justice. I think American Idol is ready for their first blonde judge."

Ellen went on to say, "I'll tell you right now, how I know I'm going to be a great judge. I've spent my whole life being judged. So I know what it's like." She quipped. "So I will be kind. I will be compassionate. I will be empathetic, and I will be truthful. I will be an honest judge without being mean."

Season nine of American Idol returns to Fox in January.

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LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Ellen DeGeneres is now entering the recording business with the creation of her Eleveneleven record label.

The talk show host was so impressed by 12-year-old Greyson Chance's rendition of Lady Gaga's Paparazzi, she signed the YouTube sensation as her first artist.

The young singer will be managed by Troy Carter, who currently manages Lady Gaga. Guy Oseary, Madonna's manager, will also help out with Chance's career.

So far, Greyson's YouTube performance has been seen by over 30 million people.

Portia de Rossi, 37, has filed a petition at the Los Angeles Superior Court to change her name to Portia DeGeneres.

According to the document filed by de Rossi, "Petitioner is taking the last name of her spouse."

Ellen DeGeneres and de Rossi, who have been together since 2004, tied the knot on August 16, 2008 at their Beverly Hills home.

LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Ellen DeGeneres has signed a deal with Telepictures Productions to start promoting The Ellen DeGeneres Show's website on AOL Television.

Ellen's site EllenTV.com will cross-promote AOL sites in the new partnership. DeGeneres will also mention the partnership on the air during her show.

According to industry insiders, AOL's CEO Tim Armstrong has made "original content a core focus." The company has also shown interest in partnering with the website, Cambio.

Ellen's AOL deal goes into effect today.

MANHATTAN, New York - Ellen DeGeneres has added singer Tom Andrews, 16, to her eleveneleven record label.

Earlier this year, the talk show host signed 12-year-old YouTube sensation Greyson Chance as her first artist. His debut album is set to be released later this year.

Andrews, who's originally from the UK, made his debut appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show yesterday singing James Brown's song It's A Man's World.

LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - A suspect was arrested outside the Beverly Hills estate of Ellen DeGeneres and wife Portia De Rossi. The intruder was arrested for trespassing on their property.

A rep for DeGeneres released the following statement:

"The property is protected by a 24-hour security team that detected and detained the intruder until she was turned over to the custody of Beverly Hills police officers, who arrested her."

The rep added, "Ellen and Portia appreciate the fast and effective response of BHPD officers."

The intruder never made it inside the house, according to police. Ellen and Portia were not hurt during the incident.

BEVERLY HILLS, California (X17online) - The woman who trespassed on Ellen DeGeneres and wife Portia de Rossi's Beverly Hills mansion has pleaded not guilty.

49-year-old Karen Grace Sjoden, who was charged with a misdemeanor trespassing, entered her plea before the judge at a Beverly Hills courtroom.

Sjoden was found on the property at 5am on February 10 and taken into custody via private person's arrest.

Bail has been set at $200,000. Sjoden's next court appearance has been set for March 7.

LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - The Obama administration has named Ellen DeGeneres its AIDS envoy in a global campaign to fight the disease.

Discussing Degeneres’s credentials for the prestigious position, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says she will "bring her sharp wit and big heart, and her impressive TV audience and 8 million followers on Twitter."

$60 million in total will be invested in the AIDS campaign, which will be channeled toward research and development of AIDS prevention strategies.

LOS ANGELES, California (X17online) - Ellen Degeneres and Demi Lovato are the latest celebrities to join the fight to get the film Bully a PG-13, rather than 'R', rating. The Weinstein Company, which is producing the film, spoke out last week when the MPAA issued the rating, and now Michigan high school student Katy Butler is petitioning at Change.org to get signatures for an overturn of the original ruling.

Butler, who is a victim of severe bullying, hopes the rating gets changed so the film can be seen by as many people as possible, regardless of their age.

"We've got the MPAA's attention, and with nearly 300,000 signatures and support from celebrities and politicans, there's now a national movement of people calling on the MPAA to drop the R rating for Bully," Butler explains. "As someone who lived through bullying day in and day out in school, including having my finger broken by bullies, this film is too important to silence with an R rating. Everyone should have the chance to see Bully."

Degneres invited Butler to her show last week and drew importance to the matter on national television, while Lovato appealed to her 6 million Twitter followers.

"Please help repeal the R rating on Bully. EVERYONE should be able to see it. Sign the petition," the Disney star tweeted.

The MPAA has yet to issue a decision.