HISTORY'S Moment in Media: Ellen DeGeneres, the LGBTQ TV Icon

The comedian who had a natural girlnextdoor appeal didn39t really think that her sexuality was anyone39s business but the more she steered away from the truth the more it felt like hidingamp160 As she would later tell Oprah Winfrey in an interview quotI realized that as long as I had this secret that I worried about all the time that it made it look like something was wrongquotSo in the spring of 1996 DeGeneres gathered the entire staff of the show and informed them that she was coming out in real life and wanted her character to do so as wellamp160 The staff was excited to make a statement on what was then still a very hotbutton issueamp160 There had been only a few lead gay characters in either film or television those who existed like Tom Hanks39 character in Philadelphia were often portrayed as victimsBut before DeGeneres and her team had to face public scrutiny they had to convince ABC executivesamp160 They were initially opposedamp160 On the 20th anniversary of the sitcom DeGeneres recalled how one executive when told of the need for a relationship in the show retorted quotWell get her a puppy she39s not coming outquotamp160 DeGeneres and her producers were eventually able to sway the studio and the episode when she would say quotI39m gayquot became known as The Puppy EpisodeFor a full year before that moment however the writers on Ellen gently teased at her sexualityamp160 Meanwhile the network went to great lengths to preserve secrecy as they built up to the reveal including printing the scripts for the big episode on burgundy paper to prevent photocopying and collecting them after the shootingThe taping which took place in front of a live audience had lured a starstudded cast led by Winfrey who played Ellen Morgan39s therapist and Laura Dern pictured above right with Ellen who played her love interestamp160 So many Hollywood Alisters wanted to show support for the message that actors like Woody Harrelson were being turned awayamp160 In Vanity Fair39s coverage of the show39s 20th anniversary a producer recounted Winfrey39s reaction as she watched the playback of her scenesamp160 quotThe tears just flowed down her cheeks and she said 39I39m so proud to be a part of thisamp160 I39m so proud39quotAfter the taping and before the show aired on April 30 1997 word leaked out and the reaction got uglyamp160 The studio received a letter from conservative advocacy groupamp160Media Research Centeramp160that was signed by the Reverend Jerry Falwell and televangelist Pat Robertsonamp160 The letter accused the producers of attempting to quotpromote homosexualityquot and nicknamed DeGeneres quotEllen Degeneratequotamp160 So many threats were received that the set had to be swept for bombs before each tapingYet despite these forms of intimidation The Puppy Episode aired to a record audience of 44 million viewers about three times the show39s usual number and sparked a cultural changeamp160 Around the country the LGBTQ community gathered in parties to celebrate the moment many wrote letters to the network to thank themamp160 The show won an Emmy Award and DeGeneres hosted Saturday Night Live and was on the cover of Time magazine A year later however the show39s audience had fallen off and Ellen was canceledSome predicted that DeGeneres39 career was overamp160 They were of course wrongamp160 She has since emceed the Oscars voiced Dory in the smash hitamp160Finding Nemo and hosted her own daytime talk show for nearly two decadesamp160 Meanwhile the TV landscape was irrevocably changed to be peopled by gay and straight characters alikeamp169 2019 AampampE Television Networks LLC All rights reserved 1386Click the social buttons above or below to share this story with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this content are exclusively the views of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated writers

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HISTORY'S Moment in Media: Ellen DeGeneres, the LGBTQ TV Icon

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HISTORY'S Moment in Media: Ellen DeGeneres, the LGBTQ TV Icon

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