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American’s Next Top CoverGirl.  Ellen DeGeneres will be a spokesmodel for the cosmetics company. (image courtest of Fashion Wire Daily/Maria Ramirez)

What does TV talk show host and funny lady Ellen DeGeneres have in common with Christie Brinkley, Cheryl Tiegs, Rachel Hunter, Drew Barrymore and Rihanna? Aside from celebrity status, beats the heck outta you? Figured.

DeGeneres is joining the ranks of famous females who have uttered the words, “easy, breezy, beautiful… CoverGirl!” That’s right, the company this week announced her as a new spokeswoman- and that’s a great move forward in challenging preconceived notions of femininity and conventionally beautiful women (and, to a lesser degree, age).

Fifty-year-old DeGeneres herself probably would say she wasn’t a beautiful woman, nor the most feminine out there- she’s rarely seen wearing noticeable makeup, she favors pantsuits over dresses (she comically wore a dress during a gig hosting the Primetime Emmys), and, to boot, she’s- gasp!- an out-and-about, proud lesbian. A lesbian spokeswoman for CoverGirl? Hot dayum!

Sure, it seems that everybody loves Ellen, thinks she’s one of the funniest people of all times. So, maybe they think she’s a safe lesbian selection to serve as CoverGirl- but, no matter. A lesbian is a lesbian, and choosing Ellen DeGeneres to be a CoverGirl spokeswoman is a brilliant- and important- move.

On the CoverGirl.com Web site, it says that Ellen “embodies the true nature of being a CoverGirl- smarts, confidence and beauty that flows from the inside out.” Judging by the preview shot of DeGeneres on the job (see below or http://www.covergirl.com/ellen/), it looks like she’ll have no problem fitting in with previous CoverGirls. And in the process, she sort of finds herself once again in the role of champion to the gay and lesbian community, and taking action to change aforementioned preconceived notions.

Sneak peek of Ellen on the job as CoverGirl spokeswoman. (image courtesy of PR Newswire/www.covergirl.com)

Her first notable task as queer ambassador came with the infamous and much-hyped “Puppy Episode” of her 90s ABC sitcom Ellen. Her character of Ellen Morgan had spent years looking for love in all the wrong places- literally. It was in 1997 that she finally stepped out of the closet, with some 36 million American television viewers with their eyes glued to the Coming Out Party. Ellen became the first gay lead character of an American television series, and for that alone, DeGeneres’s sitcom episode (which, incidentally, won an Emmy for Outstanding Writing in a Comedy Series) will go down as a landmark.

Earlier this year, DeGeneres became one of the first celebrities to marry her same-sex partner LEGALLY in the state of California. With so many celebrities still lurking behind the closet door, leave it to Ellen once again to be at the forefront of- and participating in- important gay issues.

And that’s what makes DeGeneres’ gig as a CoverGirl even more special- has there ever been an openly lesbian CoverGirl? Didn’t think so. (Drew Barrymore has openly discussed her bisexuality, though.) By applying the makeup and representing CoverGirl in television and print ads, Ms. DeGeneres is showing everyone that a lesbian can be as glamorous and femmed-up as her heterosexual counterpart. And, the fact that she’s not a “lipstick lesbian” (a term often used to describe a very feminine and conventionally attractive lesbian) makes the Ellen-as-CoverGirl deal even more historic.

Interestingly, all of this happens just as the CW Network’s America’s Top Model features a transgender contestant this season. Shall we place our bets as to when Cover Girl will appoint the first openly transgender CoverGirl model? Stay tuned…

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