Proving once again that the Obamas throw the best parties with the most desirable guests, the White House just released the list of this year’s Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients, and it’s a delight. The 21 people set to receive the nation’s highest civilian honor include Ellen DeGeneres, Tom Hanks, Bruce Springsteen, Robert De Niro, Michael Jordan, Lorne Michaels, Diana Ross, Robert Redford, and other luminaries from fields of sport, law, and the STEM sector. The biographical entry for DeGeneres in the White House release notes that, “In her work and in her life, she has been a passionate advocate for equality and fairness,” and it also gives a specific shout-out to her Pixar voice-over work. “In 2003 Ellen lent her voice to a forgetful but unforgettable little fish named Dory in Finding Nemo. She reprised her role again in 2016 with the hugely successful Finding Dory.” So dream big, Pixar voice actors. It could be your turn as a forgetful fish or talking rock that tips the scales in your favor and someday earns you one of our country’s highest honors. You can watch a livestream of the event on November 22 at whitehouse.gov/live.
