Golden Globes to honor TV pioneer Ellen DeGeneres

The Golden Globe Awards will give its new TV special achievement trophy to someone who has been a pioneering sitcom star, a TV talk-show host and a game-show MC — Ellen DeGeneres.

In this Oct. 13, 2016 file photo, Ellen DeGeneres appears during a commercial break at a taping of "The Ellen Show" in Burbank, Calif. [Photo: AP]

The Hollywood Foreign Press Association said Monday that the Carol Burnett Award — the small-screen version of the group's film counterpart, the Cecil B. DeMille Award — will go to DeGeneres, a multiple Emmy winner and Golden Globe nominee.

It is given annually to honor someone "who has made outstanding contributions to television on or off the screen." The first Carol Burnett Award last year fittingly went to Burnett herself.

In a statement, association President Lorenzo Soria hailed DeGeneres as "a pioneer who has captivated audiences for nearly 25 years with her undeniable charm and wit."