"People always ask me, 'Were you funny as a child?' Well, no, I was an accountant"

Ellen DeGeneres is making a joke about her childhood years in this quote. She is implying that she was not a normally amusing individual, however instead was extra serious and focused on her researches. This is a humorous method of claiming that she was not a class clown, yet instead was most likely to be discovered examining her books. She is satirizing the idea that she was not born with a natural funny talent, but rather had to strive to establish her abilities. This quote also talks to the idea that it is feasible to establish an ability, also if it does not come naturally. Ellen DeGeneres is a great instance of a person that has worked hard to become an effective comedian, in spite of not having a natural disposition towards comedy.