Daytime talk show host Ellen DeGeneres was among the prominent names who were awarded with the Medal of Freedom by Barack Obama at the White House on Tuesday.

The outgoing president, who has guested a couple of times on her talk show, looked back on her rollercoaster ride in the world of show business: "It's easy to forget now, when we've come so far, where now marriage is equal under the law, just how much courage was required for Ellen to come out on the most public of stages almost 20 years ago."

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The TV host endured an adverse reaction after she confessed to Time magazine in 1997 that she is gay.  For three years, she didn't have a stable project until Pixar gave her the role of Dory in the film Finding Nemo.

Obama also commended DeGeneres' bravery and candor for "reminding us that we have more in common than we realize" and "pushing our country in the direction of justice."

The A-lister comedian was teary-eyed as she stood beside the president while a White House aide enumerated some of her accomplishments, which influenced the world: "In a career spanning three decades, Ellen DeGeneres has lifted our spirits and brought joy to our lives as a standup comic, actor and television star."

It was also mentioned how she reminds us "to be kind to one another" and "to treat people as each of us wants to be treated."

"Again and again, Ellen DeGeneres has shown us that a single individual can make the world a more fun, more open, more loving place-so long as we just keep swimming," the aide said.

Ellen DeGeneres, who forgot her I.D. and almost got denied for the ceremony, finished off her trip to the White House with a selfie with wife Portia de Rossi.

Barack Obama honored the country's highest civilian accolade to 21 of the nation's renowned performers, scientists and athletes including Robert De Niro, Tom Hanks, Richard Garwin, and Michael Jordan. The Presidential Medal of Freedom was his last prior to leaving office.

TagsBarack Obama, Ellen DeGeneres, medal of freedom, Medal of Freedom 2016, White House, Ellen Show