Before Ellen DeGeneres hit the big time she had a famous friend. Well, he wasn’t so famous yet at that point, but Willie Nelson also went on to a tremendous career. Back in the day, the pair worked for a company called Hoover. The company was known back then for having their sales people go door to door around the city selling their vacuum cleaners. It was a job that was only taken by people that were desperate for money. Walking from block to block knocking on doors selling vacuum cleaners has got to be a humbling experience with lots of rejection.

DeGeneres went on to a very successful comedy career. She was the first ever female comedian to be invited over to talk on the air with Johnny Carson on The Tonight Show, after she performed on the show. She has appeared on countless television shows and has also been in numerous movies. Not to mention her talk show that has been on the air for a very long time.

Nelson is now 83 and he has been in over thirty movies, written or co-written several books and of course he is one of the most legendary country singers of all time.

You have to wonder, how many people slammed their front door closed in the faces of Ellen DeGeneres and Willie Nelson. If they only knew what was coming in the future.