Bitcoin had a decidedly mainstream moment this week: during a segment on the talk show hosted by comedian Ellen DeGeneres.
DeGeneres took a few pot-shots at the cryptocurrency, joking to her audience that itâs like âa plot twist in a confusing movie.â
âEverybody is talking about bitcoin,â she went on to say. âNobody understands it.â
If you want to know what bitcoin is, I learned about it. A bit. pic.twitter.com/txICiTXYgi
â Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) February 15, 2018
She told her audience and viewers â which averages several million viewers per episode â to think of cryptocurrencies as a picture of a goat on the internet.
âNow itâs adorableâ¦and you want to pick it up and pet it. But you canât because itâs not there, it doesnât exist except for on that internet right there, just like bitcoin is digital currency,â she said.
DeGeneres added that sheâd opt for the goat over bitcoin if given the choice, and said of investors:
âYouâll either be a millionaire or youâll be totally broke.â
The comedian also poked fun at digital wallets, zeroing in on their vulnerabilities, while noting that they sounded like a Jimmy Kimmel stunt.
âThe digital wallet can either be apps on your phone, or tiny hard drives â which is a really good idea because who wouldnât feel safe with their life savings on a piece of plastic that could go into the washing machine,â she quipped.
And while the bitcoin bit may be brushed off by some as a cheap gag, DeGeneresâ segment is perhaps reflective of how bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have taken on greater prevalence in the mainstream consciousness.
Other celebrities have helped to spur this along in recent years, with some making the news for their investments in bitcoin â like rapper 50 Cent â and others who have endorsed ICOs or decided to accept bitcoin as payment for their products and performances.
Image Credit: The Ellen DeGeneres Show/Twitter