Recently, Ellen DeGeneres revealed a dark family secret, hoping her unreserved admission will help others experiencing the same.

The comedian says she wishes she was protected as a vulnerable youngster and is “furious at people who don’t believe.”

Louisiana-born Ellen DeGeneres took the spotlight in the late 1970s, hurdling over the bumps that got in her way.

The talk show host got her big break in 1986 when she performed a stand-up routine on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, which led to more appearances on late-night shows, back-to-back club bookings and roles on TV series.

From 1989 to 1990, the funnywoman, now 66, landed her first regular small-screen gig as a cast member on the short-lived sitcom Open House and in 1994 she became the star of the comedy series These Friends of Mine, later renamed Ellen.

“I was laughing out loud when I read the script. I knew what I could do with it,” the popular awards show host told the New York Times in 1994. “I wanted a show that everybody talks about the next day.”