Ellen DeGener' gay rights role ld at PBS Mark Twa Prize show | Ellen DeGener | The Guardian

Contents:

• ELLEN DEGENER LD FOR GAY RIGHTS FLUENCE
• ELLEN {LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:600;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:0.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.25REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}} A{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;} A:HOVER{LOR:#A00000;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}WH HER OWN TALK SHOW, ELLEN DEGENER IS ONE OF AMERI'S MOST WELL-KNOWN EDIANS. SHE'S ALSO AN ADVOTE FOR LGBTQ {LOR:#323232;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;} SPAN{FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;}{FONT-STYLE:NORMAL;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:RALAS,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.3;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;TEXT-TRANSFORM:PALIZE;}{DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;MARG-LEFT:0.625REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}UPDATED: MAY 12, {DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;}{MARG-BOTTOM:0.9375REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 64REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(100VW - (1REM * 2));MARG-LEFT:1REM;MARG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(-1 * 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - (LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 2 * 1REM)) / -2);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 90REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / 2);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / -2) - 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 2);MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 + 1REM)) / -2) - LC(2 * 1REM));}[DATA-HAS-SPONSOR] {MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);MARG-RIGHT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);}}{JTIFY-SELF:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG-LEFT:-50VW;MARG-RIGHT:-50VW;WIDTH:100VW;LEFT:50%;RIGHT:50%;}}{HEIGHT:TO;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO LC(50% - 50VW);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO;}}{POSN:RELATIVE;HEIGHT:TO;}{POSN:RELATIVE;--POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} A{POSN:ABSOLUTE;}{POSN:RELATIVE;WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;VERTIL-ALIGN:TOP;}{BACKGROUND:#C92228;BOTTOM:0;PADDG:.5REM;RIGHT:0;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG:0.39REM;}}{DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:1REM;WIDTH:1REM;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{WIDTH:1.063REM;HEIGHT:1.063REM;}}{LE-HEIGHT:1;MARG-TOP:0.3125REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 73.75REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0;}}{LOR:#595959;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}PHOTO: ANDREW CH/GETTY {FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{PADDG-LEFT:3.5REM;PADDG-RIGHT:3.5REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MAX-WIDTH:45.25REM;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 100REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}} EM{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;}{CLEAR:BOTH;NTENT:" ";DISPLAY:BLOCK;FONT-SIZE:0.7REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.5REM;HEIGHT:0REM;VISIBILY:HIDN;}{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;} EM{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;}(1958-){LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:800;LETTER-SPACG:0.02EM;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;MARG-TOP:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;}WHO IS ELLEN DEGENER?ELLEN DEGENER H BIG AS A STAND-UP EDIAN BEFORE STARRG ON HER OWN S, ELLEN. IN 1997, SHE ME OUT AS GAY, AND BEME A STNCH ADVOTE OF LGBTQ RIGHTS. SHE HAS BEEN THE HOST OF HER OWN AWARD-WNG TALK SHOW, {-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:#A00000;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;}{LOR:#595959;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}THE ELLEN DEGENER SHOW, SCE 2003, AND MARRIED GIRLIEND PORTIA ROSSI 2008.EARLY LIFEDEGENER WAS BORN JANUARY 26, 1958, METAIRIE, LOUISIANA, TO AN SURANCE SALMAN AND A WORKG MOTHER WHO DIVORCED WHEN DEGENER WAS A TEENAGER. WHEN SHE WAS GROWG UP, DEGENER DREAMED OF BEG A VETERARIAN, BUT SHE GAVE UP THE IA BEE SHE WAS "NOT BOOK SMART." INSTEAD, SHE WAED TABL, SOLD VACUUM CLEANERS, PATED HO AND WORKED AS A LEGAL SECRETARY.DEGENER'S OLR BROTHER, VANCE, AN ACTOR/EDIAN AND FORMER RRPONNT FOR THE DAILY SHOW, WAS LONG NSIRED THE HUMORO MEMBER OF THE FAY. THEN ONCE, DURG A PUBLIC SPEAKG EVENT, DEGENER FOUND HERSELF IGHTENED BY THE CROWD AND ED HUMOR TO GET THROUGH THE EXPERIENCE. SHE WAS A H, AND RECEIVED OFFERS TO DO STAND-UP EDY. SHE BEGAN PERFORMG 1981, BOLSTERED BY HER MOTHER'S MORAL AND FANCIAL SUPPORT.STAND-UP COMEDYAT THE AGE OF 23, DEGENER BEGAN PERFORMG AT A LOL FFEEHOE. SHE GOT HER BIG BUT 1986 WHEN, ACTG ON A TIP OM JAY LENO, THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRG JOHNNY CARSON SENT A BOOKG AGENT TO TCH HER ACT AT THE IMPROV HOLLYWOOD. AS A RULT OF THAT ENGAGEMENT, DEGENER APPEARED ON THE TONIGHT SHOW AND EARNED THE DISTCTN OF BEG THE ONLY FEMALE IC TO BE VED BY JOHNNY CARSON TO S ON THE FAMED "UCH" DURG HER FIRST VIS. DEGENER THEN BEGAN MAKG REGULAR APPEARANC ON THE TALK SHOW CIRCU, CLUDG PERFORMANC ON THE LATE SHOW WH DAVID LETTERMAN, THE TONIGHT SHOW WH JAY LENO, THE OPRAH WEY SHOW, LATER WH GREG KNEAR, LARRY KG LIVE, AND GOOD MORNG, AMERI. SHE WAS ALSO PROFILED TAIL ON ABC'S PRIMETIME LIVE.COMG OUT ON THE 'ELLEN' TV SHOWHER W WON OVER DIENC, AND DEGENER FALLY FOUND SUCCS AS AN ACTRS WH HER OWN PRIME-TIME S — THE SELF-TLED TELEVISN SERI, ELLEN. THE SERI WAS ORIGALLY TLED THE FRIENDS OF ME, BUT WAS RENAMED 1994. FROM THAT POT, THE SHOW EVOLVED OM S BEGNGS AS AN ENSEMBLE EFFORT TO A SHOWSE FOR DEGENER.THE SHOW FACED STRONG CRICISM WHEN, APRIL 1997, DEGENER' CHARACTER BEME THE FIRST LEAD S HISTORY TO OPENLY ACKNOWLEDGE HER HOMOSEXUALY ON AIR. AN ABC AFFILIATE BIRMGHAM, ALABAMA, REFED TO AIR THE LANDMARK EPISO. FEARG NTROVERSY, SOME OF THE SHOW'S SPONSORS, DAIMLER CHRYSLER AMONG THEM, WHDREW ADVERTISEMENTS.SEVERAL EPISOS FOLLOWG HER REVEAL HAD GAY THEM AND, THROUGHOUT THE REMAR OF THE SEASON, DEGENER AND ABC EXECUTIV FACED A STORM OF CRICISM. BUT THE SHOW ALSO RECEIVED ROUNDS OF APPLSE OM GAY-IENDLY ACTIVISTS — CLUDG DEGENER'S MOTHER, BETTY DEGENER, WHO APPEARED ON NUMERO TALK SHOWS SUPPORT OF HER DGHTER. DPE A SUPPORTIVE DIENCE, AN EMMY AWARD FOR THE G-OUT EPISO AND THE SHOW'S GROUNDBREAKG PLACE TELEVISN HISTORY, ELLEN WAS NCELED 1998.DEGENER LATER REVEALED THE DIFFICULTI SHE FACED G OUT — OM THE ELLEN EXECUTIV WHO ADVISED HER AGAST DOG SO, TO THE BACKLASH SHE FACED FOR MAKG HER PERSONAL LIFE PUBLIC. APPEARG ON DAX SHEPARD'S ARMCHAIR EXPERT PODST 2018, SHE RELLED THE HUIATG FEELG OF BEG THE SUBJECT OF LATE-NIGHT TALK SHOW JOK, WHILE REJECTG THE PREMISE THAT SHE WAS AN LGBTQ "LEAR" SIMPLY BEE SHE DIDN'T WANT TO KEEP THE SECRET ANYMORE.'THE ELLEN DEGENER SHOW'IN 2003, ELLEN DEGENER BEME A BIG H WH DAYTIME VIEWERS WH HER SELF-TLED TALK SHOW, ELLEN. SCE S CEPTN, THE SHOW HAS WON A SLEW OF AWARDS, CLUDG 64 DAYTIME EMMYS FOR A DAYTIME TALK SHOW.IN MAY 2021, DEGENER ANNOUNCED SHE'LL BE ENDG HER TALK SHOW 2022.MOVIBY THE TIME HER SHOW WAS NCELED, DEGENER HAD ALREADY MA THE MOVE TO THE BIG SCREEN, STARRG THE DARK EDY MR. WRONG (1996) AS A WOMAN SEARCH OF THE PERFECT MAN. SHE ALSO APPEARED THE EDY EDTV (1999), STARRG MATTHEW MCCONGHEY, AND THE TELEVISN PRODUCTN OF IF THE WALLS COULD TALK 2 (2000), WHICH SHE SHARED A MUCH-PUBLICIZED LOVE SCENE WH SHARON STONE.'FDG NEMO' AND AWARDS SHOW HOSTALSO 2003, DEGENER LENT HER VOICE TO THE ANIMATED BOX OFFICE SMASH FDG NEMO, WHICH SHE PLAYS A IENDLY YET FETFUL LTLE BLUE FISH NAMED DORY. THE NEXT YEAR SHE RECEIVED TWO EMMY AWARD NOMATNS FOR HER STAND-UP EDY SPECIAL ELLEN DEGENER: HERE AND NOW. DEGENER LATER RETURNED TO THE NEMO ANCHISE WH THE 2016 SEQUEL, FDG DORY.A UNIQUE BATN OF KD AND FUNNY, ELLEN DEGENER BEME A POPULAR CHOICE TO HOST MAJOR AWARDS TELESTS. SHE WAS TAPPED TO HOST THE GRAMMYS 1996 AND 1997; THE PRIMETIME EMMYS 2001 AND 2005; AND THE AMY AWARDS 2007 AND 2014. UNRSRG HER POPULARY, DEGENER 2009 WAS CHOSEN TO FILL THE VETED FOURTH SLOT AS A JUDGE ON AMERIN IDOL, REPLACG PLA ABDUL. BOOKS AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCERDEGENER IS ALSO THE THOR OF SEVERAL BOOKS, CLUDG MY POT ... AND I DO HAVE ONE (1995), SERLY ... I'M KIDDG (2011) AND HOME (2015). HER FILM WORK SLOWED AFTER HER TALK SHOW TOOK OFF, BUT SHE'S NTUED TO WORK MOSTLY BEHD THE SCEN AS AN EXECUTIVE PRODUCER OF SEVERAL TELEVISN SHOWS CLUDG BETHENNY (2012-2014), REPEAT AFTER ME (2015), ONE BIG HAPPY (2015), LTLE BIG SHOTS (2015) AND HER HGTV REALY PETN SHOW, ELLEN'S DIGN CHALLENGE.OTHER PROJECTS AND HONORSJUGGLG MANY ROL HOLLYWOOD, DEGENER HAS NTUED BUILDG HER EMPIRE. SHE OWNS HER OWN RERD LABEL LLED "ELEVENELEVEN," AS WELL AS A LIFTYLE BRAND LLED ED BY ELLEN (LNCHED 2015) WHICH SELLS SHO, HOME AND BABY EMS, ACCSORI AND A PET LE. SHE IS AN AVID ANIMAL RIGHTS AND GAY RIGHTS ACTIVIST, AS WELL AS A VEGAN.IN NOVEMBER 2016 DEGENER RECEIVED THE PRINTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM OM PRINT BARACK OBAMA FOR HER NTRIBUTN TO THE ARTS.IN EARLY 2018, AS PART OF A 60TH BIRTHDAY GIFT OM ROSSI, THE TV PERSONALY LEARNED OF PLANS TO CREATE THE ELLEN DEGENER CAMP OF THE DIAN FOSSEY GORILLA FUND RWANDA, THE FIRST IATIVE OF THE NEW ELLEN DEGENER WILDLIFE FUND.AT JANUARY 2020 GOLN GLOB, DEGENER WAS PRENTED WH THE HONORARY CAROL BURT AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE TELEVISN. SHE BEME THE SEND RECIPIENT OF THE HONOR, FOLLOWG S NAMAKE 2019.PERSONAL LIFE FOR SEVERAL YEARS, DEGENER DATED ACTRS ANNE HECHE AND, 1999, THE UPLE BOUGHT A HOME LOS ANGEL. ALTHOUGH AT ONE POT THEY PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED THEIR SIRE TO BE MARRIED, THE UPLE BROKE UP AUGT 2000. MARRIAGE TO PORTIA ROSSIDEGENER THEN DATED ALEXANDRA HEDISON FOR A FEW YEARS BEFORE BEG VOLVED WH ACTRS PORTIA ROSSI DECEMBER 2004. DEGENER MARRIED ROSSI ON AUGT 16, 2008, WHAT WAS PERHAPS THE HIGHT-PROFILE GAY MARRIAGE AFTER CALIFORNIA LEGALIZED THE UNNS. IN 2010 ROSSI WAS GRANTED PERMISSN TO LEGALLY CHANGE HER NAME TO PORTIA LEE JAM DEGENER.SEXUAL ABE REVELATNSDEGENER FIRST ALLEGED THAT SHE HAD BEEN SEXUALLY ABED BY HER STEPFATHER A 2005 TERVIEW WH ALLURE MAGAZE. SHE ELABORATED ON THE TOPIC DURG AN APPEARANCE ON DAVID LETTERMAN'S NETFLIX SHOW 2019, RELLG HOW HER STEPFATHER SISTED ON "EXAMG" HER BREASTS FOR LUMPS AFTER HER MOTHER WAS DIAGNOSED WH BREAST NCER THE {BORR:0;BORR-BOTTOM:TH SOLID BLACK;MARG:1.875REM 0;CLEAR:BOTH;}QUICK FACTS
• MAKINGGAYHISTORY—THE PODCAST
• ELLEN DEGENER INFLUENCED GAY RIGHTS VIEWS MORE THAN ANY OTHER CELEBRY (STUDY)
• HOW ELLEN DEGENER HELPED CHANGE THE CONVERSATN ABOUT GAYS
• THE REAL REASON ELLEN DEGENER DECID TO COME OUT AS GAY ON TV
• ELLEN DEGENER' GAY RIGHTS ROLE LD AT PBS MARK TWA PRIZE SHOW
• GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT
• TIMELE: KEY MOMENTS FIGHT FOR GAY RIGHTS
• OPRAH'S AMAZG RPONSE SUPPORT OF GAY RIGHTS
• CONGRSMAN SEAN PATRICK MALONEY HAS WORDS FOR KEV HART, ELLEN AND GAY RIGHTS
• ELLEN DEGENER ON NEW ANTI-GAY MISSISSIPPI LAW: ‘THIS IS NOT POLICS, THIS IS HUMAN RIGHTS’
• ELLEN PAGE COM OUT AS GAY: ‘I’M TIRED OF HIDG’
• ELLEN’S DISAPPOTG TRANSFORMATN FROM LGBT HERO TO HOLLYWOOD VILLATHE DAILY BEAST’S OBSESSEDELLEN BUILT A FORTRS ON THE ARTIFICE OF CLIVY AND KDNS. FOR THOSE THE LGBT MUNY WHOSE EMOTNAL LABOR IS BAKED TO EACH BRICK, ’S PAFUL TO WATCH FALL. KEV FALLONSENR EDOR, OBSSEDUPDATED AUG. 07, 2020 12:54PM EDT NBCTHIS IS A PREVIEW OF OUR POP CULTURE NEWSLETTER, THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED, WRTEN BY SENR ENTERTAMENT REPORTER KEV FALLON. TO RECEIVE THE FULL NEWSLETTER YOUR BOX EACH WEEK, SIGN UP FOR HERE.  ELLEN IS DOG EVERYTHG WRONG IT’S ALMOST TRE TO SAY THAT, AS AN OUT GAY PERSON, ’S IMPOSSIBLE TO QUANTIFY THE IMPACT THAT ELLEN DEGENER AND HER PUBLIC-FACG BRAVERY HAD BUILDG THE WORLD THAT I'M ABLE TO LIVE TODAY, OR TO EXPLA WHAT MEANS THAT, SPE WHAT SHE WENT THROUGH AFTER G OUT, SHE STILL HAD THE URAGE AND TENACY TO RVE SPACE PEOPLE’S HEARTS FOR ACCEPTANCE. THE VERY FACT THAT I’M NOT SPECIAL FEELG THIS MAY BE THE MOST EXTREME PRAISE THAT N BE HEAPED ON HER.IT’S ALSO WHAT MAK THE WARDICE BEHD WHAT IS HAPPENG NOW SO DISAPPOTG. DPE THE FACT THAT, FOR AS LONG AS I’VE BEEN A PART OF THE ENTERTAMENT DTRY, ’S BEEN A WILY TALKED ABOUT OPEN SECRET THAT DEGENER’S TALK SHOW IS A HELLSPE WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT, THE DOMO HAVE FALLY STARTED TO FALL RECENT WEEKS. WAS THE TALYST THE TWTER THREAD THAT OFFERED A $2 DONATN TO A FOOD BANK FOR EVERY STORY ABOUT DEGENER BEG “ONE OF THE MEANT PEOPLE ALIVE”? WAS THE INIC WAY THAT DAKOTA JOHNSON SHUT DOWN THE HOST’S FAVORE PARLOR GAME OF PASSIVE AGGRSIVELY EMBARRASSG HER FAMO GUTS?  WHATEVER IS THAT LOOSENED THE TAP MA WAY FOR A LUGE OF RECENT REPORTS AND VTIGATNS TO TOXICY ON THE SET, CLUDG SEXUAL MISNDUCT, RACIAL DISCRIMATN, AND CELTY OM THE HOST. WARNERMEDIA RECENTLY LNCHED AN VTIGATN TO THE DUMPSTER FIRE MASQUERADG AS A PLACE OF WORK. IN RPONSE TO ALL OF THIS, DEGENER MA AN EGREG NON-APOLOGY THAT SENTIALLY PLACED THE BLAME ON HER PRODUCERS AND HAS RELIED ON THE MSAG OF SUPPORT OM A HANDFUL OF A-LISTERS PLEDGG THAT SHE’S ALWAYS BEEN NICE TO THEM, RATHER THAN OWN UP TO HER WELL-KNOWN BAD BEHAVR. EACH TIME A KATY PERRY OR KEV HART TWEETS ABOUT HOW ELLEN IS “ONE OF THE DOPT PEOPLE ON THE FUCKG PLA,” ONLY UNRL THE FACT THAT DEGENER IS, AT BT, IGNORANT OF OR, AT WORST, ACTIVELY DISMISSG THE EXPERIENC OF PEOPLE WORKG UNR HER. WOULD SHOCK YOU TO LEARN THAT HORRIBLE RICH AND FAMO PEOPLE ARE NICE TO OTHER HORRIBLE RICH AND FAMO PEOPLE, YET NOT TO THE UN-RICH AND NON-FAMO THAT WORK FOR THEM?   AND EACH TIME MORE STAFFERS E FORWARD WH NIGHTMARE ACUNTS OF WORKG ON THE SHOW WHOUT DEGENER DISCSG HER ACTIVE ROLE CREATG THAT TOXIC SPACE, SHE’S DIGGG A EPER HOLE, ONE SO EP AT THIS POT ’S GETTG HARD TO IMAGE HER CLIMBG HER WAY OUT OF —NO MATTER WHAT DIANE KEATON SAYS. IT’S A NFG BYPRODUCT OF THE CELEBRY PR AND CRISIS-MANAGG MACHE THAT HAS ERECTED AROUND A-LISTERS THE LAST FEW YEARS, WHICH A REFAL TO TAKE RPONSIBILY HAS BEE A FLT STRATEGY. IT’S DISAPPOTG BEE EXC UNJT BEHAVR, BUT ALSO FAILS THE CLIENTS. I N’T UNRSTAND HOW CELEBRI SUATNS LIKE THE DON’T UNRSTAND THAT THE BT THG THEY N DO IS ACTUALLY ADM FLT. THEY ARE GOG TO BE PILLORIED BY CRICS AND “NCELED” IF THEY DON’T ADM THEY DID SOMETHG WRONG. AND, ANKLY, THEY ARE GOG TO BE PILLORIED AND “NCELED” IF THEY DO. THE SAVG GRACE OF THE LATTER OPTN IS AT LEAST BEG ON THE RIGHT SI OF HISTORY. I TLY BELIEVE THAT A LARGE SWATH OF HER DIENCE DON’T GIVE A STEAMG SH ABOUT ALL OF THE ALLEGATNS, AND MAYBE AREN’T EVEN AWARE OF THEM. THOSE PEOPLE WILL STILL BE THERE WHETHER OR NOT SHE OWNS UP TO HER BEHAVR. BUT THE CELEBRI WHO NO LONGER WANT TO BE ASSOCIATED WH HER OR HER SHOW WON’T BE, AND CERTALY NEHER WILL THE PRS, CRICS, AND ONLE TROLLS WHO WILL HNT HER EVERY MOVE FOR THE RT OF HER REER AND, IF AND WHEN SHE DO RETIRE, WILL PISS OVER HER LEGACY BEE OF HOW UGLY THIS CHAPTER HAS BEEN.IT’S SAD BEE THAT LEGACY IS TLY IMPORTANT. I SOMETIM FD MYSELF RANDOMLY WATCHG ELLEN RECEIVE HER MEDAL OF FREEDOM HONOR OM BARACK OBAMA. IT’S AN CREDIBLY EMOTNAL REMR OF WHAT SHE ENDURED AND WHAT MEANS THAT SHE OVERME , SOMETHG THAT N BE FOTTEN GIVEN HOW GOLN HER PERCH SEEMS TO BE NOW. SHE SERV EVERY ONE OF THOSE ACLAS. BUT SHE ALSO SERV TO BE LLED OUT ON WHAT SHE’S DONE WH HER SUCCS.SHE BUILT A FORTRS ON THE ARTIFICE OF CLIVY AND KDNS. WHAT SHE DIDN’T REALIZE IS, FOR THE RT OF WHOSE EMOTNAL LABOR IS BAKED TO EACH BRICK, HOW PAFUL IS TO WATCH FALL. WE’RE NOT THE BS OF PLITED LEGACI ANYMORE. OF SATS WHO ARE DIVAS. OF THE BRAVE WHO THEN CRAVENLY REAP THE SPOILS. OF HERO WHO APPARENTLY HAVE A STRONG SENSE OF SMELL AND SEND STAFF HOME IF THEY HAVEN’T SHOWERED AND ALSO DON’T LOOK HER THE EYE. “IT’S AN TERTG AND RARE, MAYBE EVEN REVOLUTNARY THG. FOR ONCE FOR AN LGBT TRAILBLAZER ENTERTAMENT, THERE IS DISCSN OF THEIR REER AND THEIR RPONSIBILY PENNT OF THEIR SEXUALY. ” NO ONE SHOULD BE A MONSTER. BUT IS WORTH QUTNG WHO GETS TO BE ONE: WHO IS LED A PRICKLY GENI, WHO IS A DIVA, AND WHO IS NCELED. PEOPLE DON’T HAVE TO BE HELD TO A HIGHER STANDARD BEE OF HOW THEY INTIFY OR BEE THEY WERE PNEERS. BUT IS WORTH NOTG THAT, FOR ALL THE GROUND ELLEN BROKE, I N’T THK OF ANOTHER QUEER CELEBRY WHO OCCUPI THE SAME SPACE AND BLANKET ACCEPTANCE THE MASTREAM CULTURE THAT SHE ATTAED. OF ALL THE RPONSIBILI SHE’S SHOULRED AND BURNS SHE’S RRIED BEE OF THE BOUNDARI SHE BROKE, SHE’S SHIRKED WHAT MAY BE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT: WHAT HAPPENS IF SHE’S GONE? IT’S AN TERTG AND RARE, MAYBE EVEN REVOLUTNARY THG. FOR ONCE FOR AN LGBT TRAILBLAZER ENTERTAMENT, THERE IS DISCSN OF THEIR REER AND THEIR RPONSIBILY PENNT OF THEIR SEXUALY. IT’S ALWAYS “AS A GAY ACTOR...” “AS A GAY DIRECTOR...” “AS A GAY PERSON THE PUBLIC EYE...” THERE IS NO “AS A GAY MONSTER...” HERE. SHE’S JT BEG HELD TO A STANDARD THAT, SHOULD BE SAID, SHE SET FOR HERSELF WH ALL HER PREACHG ABOUT NICENS—AND THE MISLCULATN OF THE , FAILED TO LISTEN TO OR MEET. “YEP, I’M GAY” WAS ONE OF THE MOST MONUMENTAL THGS TO HAPPEN TO HOLLYWOOD. NOW I WONR IF “YEP, I’M SORRY” ULD BE JT AS POWERFUL. NEWSLETTERSTHE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSEDEVERYTHG WE N’T STOP LOVG, HATG, AND THKG ABOUT THIS WEEK POP CULTURE.SUBSCRIBEBY CLICKG "SUBSCRIBE" YOU AGREE TO HAVE READ THE TERMS OF USE AND PRIVACY POLICY KEV FALLON

ELLEN DEGENER LD FOR GAY RIGHTS FLUENCE

Media ptn, Barack Obama awards the Printial Medal of Freedom to Ellen DeGenerComedian Ellen DeGener was praised by the US print for her fluence on the gay rights movement as she received the untry's hight civilian honour.

Celebri cludg Tom Hanks, Robert De Niro and Michael Jordan were also among the 21 recipients of the Printial Medal of Obama said was easy to fet the risk Ellen DeGener took to e out as gay said her bravery helped "ph our untry the directn of jtice". When she spoke out agast hate and advoted for tolerance after the murr of Matthew Shepard, an openly gay man who was btally killed Wyomg.

Two s ago, she ma history by beg the first openly gay actrs to play an openly gay character on televisn -- sparkg a natnal nversatn by puttg LGBTQ issu ont and center. From that pot, the show evolved om s begngs as an ensemble effort to a showse for show faced strong cricism when, April 1997, DeGener' character beme the first lead s history to openly acknowledge her homosexualy on air.

ELLEN {LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:600;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:0.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.25REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}} A{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;} A:HOVER{LOR:#A00000;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}WH HER OWN TALK SHOW, ELLEN DEGENER IS ONE OF AMERI'S MOST WELL-KNOWN EDIANS. SHE'S ALSO AN ADVOTE FOR LGBTQ {LOR:#323232;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;} SPAN{FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;}{FONT-STYLE:NORMAL;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:RALAS,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.3;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;TEXT-TRANSFORM:PALIZE;}{DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;MARG-LEFT:0.625REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}UPDATED: MAY 12, {DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;}{MARG-BOTTOM:0.9375REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 64REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(100VW - (1REM * 2));MARG-LEFT:1REM;MARG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(-1 * 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - (LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 2 * 1REM)) / -2);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 90REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / 2);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / -2) - 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 2);MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 + 1REM)) / -2) - LC(2 * 1REM));}[DATA-HAS-SPONSOR] {MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);MARG-RIGHT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);}}{JTIFY-SELF:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG-LEFT:-50VW;MARG-RIGHT:-50VW;WIDTH:100VW;LEFT:50%;RIGHT:50%;}}{HEIGHT:TO;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO LC(50% - 50VW);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO;}}{POSN:RELATIVE;HEIGHT:TO;}{POSN:RELATIVE;--POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} A{POSN:ABSOLUTE;}{POSN:RELATIVE;WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;VERTIL-ALIGN:TOP;}{BACKGROUND:#C92228;BOTTOM:0;PADDG:.5REM;RIGHT:0;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG:0.39REM;}}{DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:1REM;WIDTH:1REM;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{WIDTH:1.063REM;HEIGHT:1.063REM;}}{LE-HEIGHT:1;MARG-TOP:0.3125REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 73.75REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0;}}{LOR:#595959;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}PHOTO: ANDREW CH/GETTY {FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{PADDG-LEFT:3.5REM;PADDG-RIGHT:3.5REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MAX-WIDTH:45.25REM;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 100REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}} EM{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;}{CLEAR:BOTH;NTENT:" ";DISPLAY:BLOCK;FONT-SIZE:0.7REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.5REM;HEIGHT:0REM;VISIBILY:HIDN;}{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;} EM{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;}(1958-){LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:800;LETTER-SPACG:0.02EM;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;MARG-TOP:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;}WHO IS ELLEN DEGENER?ELLEN DEGENER H BIG AS A STAND-UP EDIAN BEFORE STARRG ON HER OWN S, ELLEN. IN 1997, SHE ME OUT AS GAY, AND BEME A STNCH ADVOTE OF LGBTQ RIGHTS. SHE HAS BEEN THE HOST OF HER OWN AWARD-WNG TALK SHOW, {-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:#A00000;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;}{LOR:#595959;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}THE ELLEN DEGENER SHOW, SCE 2003, AND MARRIED GIRLIEND PORTIA ROSSI 2008.EARLY LIFEDEGENER WAS BORN JANUARY 26, 1958, METAIRIE, LOUISIANA, TO AN SURANCE SALMAN AND A WORKG MOTHER WHO DIVORCED WHEN DEGENER WAS A TEENAGER. WHEN SHE WAS GROWG UP, DEGENER DREAMED OF BEG A VETERARIAN, BUT SHE GAVE UP THE IA BEE SHE WAS "NOT BOOK SMART." INSTEAD, SHE WAED TABL, SOLD VACUUM CLEANERS, PATED HO AND WORKED AS A LEGAL SECRETARY.DEGENER'S OLR BROTHER, VANCE, AN ACTOR/EDIAN AND FORMER RRPONNT FOR THE DAILY SHOW, WAS LONG NSIRED THE HUMORO MEMBER OF THE FAY. THEN ONCE, DURG A PUBLIC SPEAKG EVENT, DEGENER FOUND HERSELF IGHTENED BY THE CROWD AND ED HUMOR TO GET THROUGH THE EXPERIENCE. SHE WAS A H, AND RECEIVED OFFERS TO DO STAND-UP EDY. SHE BEGAN PERFORMG 1981, BOLSTERED BY HER MOTHER'S MORAL AND FANCIAL SUPPORT.STAND-UP COMEDYAT THE AGE OF 23, DEGENER BEGAN PERFORMG AT A LOL FFEEHOE. SHE GOT HER BIG BUT 1986 WHEN, ACTG ON A TIP OM JAY LENO, THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRG JOHNNY CARSON SENT A BOOKG AGENT TO TCH HER ACT AT THE IMPROV HOLLYWOOD. AS A RULT OF THAT ENGAGEMENT, DEGENER APPEARED ON THE TONIGHT SHOW AND EARNED THE DISTCTN OF BEG THE ONLY FEMALE IC TO BE VED BY JOHNNY CARSON TO S ON THE FAMED "UCH" DURG HER FIRST VIS. DEGENER THEN BEGAN MAKG REGULAR APPEARANC ON THE TALK SHOW CIRCU, CLUDG PERFORMANC ON THE LATE SHOW WH DAVID LETTERMAN, THE TONIGHT SHOW WH JAY LENO, THE OPRAH WEY SHOW, LATER WH GREG KNEAR, LARRY KG LIVE, AND GOOD MORNG, AMERI. SHE WAS ALSO PROFILED TAIL ON ABC'S PRIMETIME LIVE.COMG OUT ON THE 'ELLEN' TV SHOWHER W WON OVER DIENC, AND DEGENER FALLY FOUND SUCCS AS AN ACTRS WH HER OWN PRIME-TIME S — THE SELF-TLED TELEVISN SERI, ELLEN. THE SERI WAS ORIGALLY TLED THE FRIENDS OF ME, BUT WAS RENAMED 1994. FROM THAT POT, THE SHOW EVOLVED OM S BEGNGS AS AN ENSEMBLE EFFORT TO A SHOWSE FOR DEGENER.THE SHOW FACED STRONG CRICISM WHEN, APRIL 1997, DEGENER' CHARACTER BEME THE FIRST LEAD S HISTORY TO OPENLY ACKNOWLEDGE HER HOMOSEXUALY ON AIR. AN ABC AFFILIATE BIRMGHAM, ALABAMA, REFED TO AIR THE LANDMARK EPISO. FEARG NTROVERSY, SOME OF THE SHOW'S SPONSORS, DAIMLER CHRYSLER AMONG THEM, WHDREW ADVERTISEMENTS.SEVERAL EPISOS FOLLOWG HER REVEAL HAD GAY THEM AND, THROUGHOUT THE REMAR OF THE SEASON, DEGENER AND ABC EXECUTIV FACED A STORM OF CRICISM. BUT THE SHOW ALSO RECEIVED ROUNDS OF APPLSE OM GAY-IENDLY ACTIVISTS — CLUDG DEGENER'S MOTHER, BETTY DEGENER, WHO APPEARED ON NUMERO TALK SHOWS SUPPORT OF HER DGHTER. DPE A SUPPORTIVE DIENCE, AN EMMY AWARD FOR THE G-OUT EPISO AND THE SHOW'S GROUNDBREAKG PLACE TELEVISN HISTORY, ELLEN WAS NCELED 1998.DEGENER LATER REVEALED THE DIFFICULTI SHE FACED G OUT — OM THE ELLEN EXECUTIV WHO ADVISED HER AGAST DOG SO, TO THE BACKLASH SHE FACED FOR MAKG HER PERSONAL LIFE PUBLIC. APPEARG ON DAX SHEPARD'S ARMCHAIR EXPERT PODST 2018, SHE RELLED THE HUIATG FEELG OF BEG THE SUBJECT OF LATE-NIGHT TALK SHOW JOK, WHILE REJECTG THE PREMISE THAT SHE WAS AN LGBTQ "LEAR" SIMPLY BEE SHE DIDN'T WANT TO KEEP THE SECRET ANYMORE.'THE ELLEN DEGENER SHOW'IN 2003, ELLEN DEGENER BEME A BIG H WH DAYTIME VIEWERS WH HER SELF-TLED TALK SHOW, ELLEN. SCE S CEPTN, THE SHOW HAS WON A SLEW OF AWARDS, CLUDG 64 DAYTIME EMMYS FOR A DAYTIME TALK SHOW.IN MAY 2021, DEGENER ANNOUNCED SHE'LL BE ENDG HER TALK SHOW 2022.MOVIBY THE TIME HER SHOW WAS NCELED, DEGENER HAD ALREADY MA THE MOVE TO THE BIG SCREEN, STARRG THE DARK EDY MR. WRONG (1996) AS A WOMAN SEARCH OF THE PERFECT MAN. SHE ALSO APPEARED THE EDY EDTV (1999), STARRG MATTHEW MCCONGHEY, AND THE TELEVISN PRODUCTN OF IF THE WALLS COULD TALK 2 (2000), WHICH SHE SHARED A MUCH-PUBLICIZED LOVE SCENE WH SHARON STONE.'FDG NEMO' AND AWARDS SHOW HOSTALSO 2003, DEGENER LENT HER VOICE TO THE ANIMATED BOX OFFICE SMASH FDG NEMO, WHICH SHE PLAYS A IENDLY YET FETFUL LTLE BLUE FISH NAMED DORY. THE NEXT YEAR SHE RECEIVED TWO EMMY AWARD NOMATNS FOR HER STAND-UP EDY SPECIAL ELLEN DEGENER: HERE AND NOW. DEGENER LATER RETURNED TO THE NEMO ANCHISE WH THE 2016 SEQUEL, FDG DORY.A UNIQUE BATN OF KD AND FUNNY, ELLEN DEGENER BEME A POPULAR CHOICE TO HOST MAJOR AWARDS TELESTS. SHE WAS TAPPED TO HOST THE GRAMMYS 1996 AND 1997; THE PRIMETIME EMMYS 2001 AND 2005; AND THE AMY AWARDS 2007 AND 2014. UNRSRG HER POPULARY, DEGENER 2009 WAS CHOSEN TO FILL THE VETED FOURTH SLOT AS A JUDGE ON AMERIN IDOL, REPLACG PLA ABDUL. BOOKS AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCERDEGENER IS ALSO THE THOR OF SEVERAL BOOKS, CLUDG MY POT ... AND I DO HAVE ONE (1995), SERLY ... I'M KIDDG (2011) AND HOME (2015). HER FILM WORK SLOWED AFTER HER TALK SHOW TOOK OFF, BUT SHE'S NTUED TO WORK MOSTLY BEHD THE SCEN AS AN EXECUTIVE PRODUCER OF SEVERAL TELEVISN SHOWS CLUDG BETHENNY (2012-2014), REPEAT AFTER ME (2015), ONE BIG HAPPY (2015), LTLE BIG SHOTS (2015) AND HER HGTV REALY PETN SHOW, ELLEN'S DIGN CHALLENGE.OTHER PROJECTS AND HONORSJUGGLG MANY ROL HOLLYWOOD, DEGENER HAS NTUED BUILDG HER EMPIRE. SHE OWNS HER OWN RERD LABEL LLED "ELEVENELEVEN," AS WELL AS A LIFTYLE BRAND LLED ED BY ELLEN (LNCHED 2015) WHICH SELLS SHO, HOME AND BABY EMS, ACCSORI AND A PET LE. SHE IS AN AVID ANIMAL RIGHTS AND GAY RIGHTS ACTIVIST, AS WELL AS A VEGAN.IN NOVEMBER 2016 DEGENER RECEIVED THE PRINTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM OM PRINT BARACK OBAMA FOR HER NTRIBUTN TO THE ARTS.IN EARLY 2018, AS PART OF A 60TH BIRTHDAY GIFT OM ROSSI, THE TV PERSONALY LEARNED OF PLANS TO CREATE THE ELLEN DEGENER CAMP OF THE DIAN FOSSEY GORILLA FUND RWANDA, THE FIRST IATIVE OF THE NEW ELLEN DEGENER WILDLIFE FUND.AT JANUARY 2020 GOLN GLOB, DEGENER WAS PRENTED WH THE HONORARY CAROL BURT AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE TELEVISN. SHE BEME THE SEND RECIPIENT OF THE HONOR, FOLLOWG S NAMAKE 2019.PERSONAL LIFE FOR SEVERAL YEARS, DEGENER DATED ACTRS ANNE HECHE AND, 1999, THE UPLE BOUGHT A HOME LOS ANGEL. ALTHOUGH AT ONE POT THEY PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED THEIR SIRE TO BE MARRIED, THE UPLE BROKE UP AUGT 2000. MARRIAGE TO PORTIA ROSSIDEGENER THEN DATED ALEXANDRA HEDISON FOR A FEW YEARS BEFORE BEG VOLVED WH ACTRS PORTIA ROSSI DECEMBER 2004. DEGENER MARRIED ROSSI ON AUGT 16, 2008, WHAT WAS PERHAPS THE HIGHT-PROFILE GAY MARRIAGE AFTER CALIFORNIA LEGALIZED THE UNNS. IN 2010 ROSSI WAS GRANTED PERMISSN TO LEGALLY CHANGE HER NAME TO PORTIA LEE JAM DEGENER.SEXUAL ABE REVELATNSDEGENER FIRST ALLEGED THAT SHE HAD BEEN SEXUALLY ABED BY HER STEPFATHER A 2005 TERVIEW WH ALLURE MAGAZE. SHE ELABORATED ON THE TOPIC DURG AN APPEARANCE ON DAVID LETTERMAN'S NETFLIX SHOW 2019, RELLG HOW HER STEPFATHER SISTED ON "EXAMG" HER BREASTS FOR LUMPS AFTER HER MOTHER WAS DIAGNOSED WH BREAST NCER THE {BORR:0;BORR-BOTTOM:TH SOLID BLACK;MARG:1.875REM 0;CLEAR:BOTH;}QUICK FACTS

Several episos followg her reveal had gay them and, throughout the remar of the season, DeGener and ABC executiv faced a storm of cricism.

MAKINGGAYHISTORY—THE PODCAST

But the show also received rounds of applse om gay-iendly activists — cludg DeGener's mother, Betty DeGener, who appeared on numero talk shows support of her dghter. She is an avid animal rights and gay rights activist, as well as a November 2016 DeGener received the Printial Medal of Freedom om Print Barack Obama for her ntributn to the early 2018, as part of a 60th birthday gift om Rossi, the TV personaly learned of plans to create the Ellen DeGener Camp of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund Rwanda, the first iative of the new Ellen DeGener Wildlife January 2020 Goln Glob, DeGener was prented wh the honorary Carol Burt Award for excellence televisn.

ELLEN DEGENER INFLUENCED GAY RIGHTS VIEWS MORE THAN ANY OTHER CELEBRY (STUDY)

At the time of her Makg Gay History terview 2001, there was no guarantee that Ellen’s star would rise aga—and far higher than had the 1990s—and that the honors showered on her would clu the Printial Medal of learn more about Ellen and to view an excerpt of the famo 1997 g out episo of her show, have a look at the lks DeGener at a tapg of “The Ellen Degener Show, ” 2008.

Stunts om the Universy of Nebraska’s Gay, Lbian, Bisexual and Transgenr Rource Center watchg the g out episo of “Ellen” Lln, Nebraska, Wednday, April 30, 1997.

HOW ELLEN DEGENER HELPED CHANGE THE CONVERSATN ABOUT GAYS

A 2013 AV/TV Club roundtable discsed the signifince of Ellen’s g-out episo and s her Makg Gay History terview, Ellen DeGener talks about her memori ncerng Matthew Shepard, who was murred 1998. Watch her monologue n fd Ellen DeGener’s 2001 oral history Eric Marc’s book Makg Gay years after the g out episo, Lra Dern (a gut star who played Ellen Man’s love tert) was quoted on the impact the episo had on her reer the 20th anniversary of the g out episo of “Ellen” April 2017, Ellen DeGener shared her thoughts about the experience wh her daytime talk show dience.

”For further readg on the topic of gay and lbian people on televisn om the 1950s through the 1990s, we remend The Prime Time Closet: A History of Gays and Lbians on TV by Stephen Tropiano. And they’re gog to see that gay people are not what they… You know, everybody has a certa thg they clg onto and ci that’s what everybody is. Even though I’d fotten that for a while to say, “I’m gay and I’m gog to say and I don’t re what anybody thks, I don’t re if I lose everythg.

A special thank-you to Ellen’s mother, Betty DeGener, an LGBTQ civil rights activist her own right, who troduced me to Ellen back Makg Gay History podst is a -productn of Peapple Street Media, wh assistance om the New York Public Library’s Mancripts and Archiv Divisn and ONE Archiv at the USC three of this podst is ma possible wh fundg om the Ford Foundatn, which is on the ont l of social change long! Ellen DeGener did more to fluence Amerins’ attus about gay rights than any other celebry or public figure, a new poll by Variety and brandg expert Jeetendr Sehv found. Print Barack Obama, who endorsed same-sex marriage durg his 2012 re-electn bid after ially opposg , was the send most ced figure, followed by openly gay “Glee” star Jane Lynch and openly gay edian Rosie O’Donnell.

THE REAL REASON ELLEN DEGENER DECID TO COME OUT AS GAY ON TV

The study was nducted as part of Variety‘s recent issue examg Hollywood’s role the gay rights fight and s impact on the Supreme Court’s cisn last week legalizg same-sex marriage all 50 stat. Thirty-eight percent of those surveyed ced gay, lbian, bisexual and transgenr characters as the key fluence their beliefs, while a leadg 84% referenced knowg someone who is out of the closet. Seventy-eight percent referenced proment gay, lbian, bisexual and transgenr figur as beg a major fluence, while 80% ced the role that straight supporters of gay rights have had makg them more fortable.

ELLEN DEGENER' GAY RIGHTS ROLE LD AT PBS MARK TWA PRIZE SHOW

The AIDS epimic was at s height, and while there was already a burgeong gay-rights movement, a lot of homosexuals were not ready to e out of the closet. "What's wonrful about her, as a cultural figure, is that worked so wonrfully alongsi polil activism, " says Jsi Halem, a edian and gay-rights activist.

" DeGener thought that there had been gay characters on TV before but there hadn't been a character who disvered their te sexual orientatn late life. She then appeared shows and films before re-tablishg her star power as the host of The Ellen DeGener Show and voicg Dory the film Fdg 's Jane Lynch and Sean Hay, formerly of Will and Grace, creded Ellen for makg possible for their shows to clu gay characters.

E., for lbians, gays [homosexual mal], bisexuals, transgenr persons, and queer persons); seeks to elimate sodomy laws; and lls for an end to discrimatn agast LGBTQ persons employment, cred, hog, public acmodatns, and other areas of life. (Although the term gay is monly ed reference to homosexual mal, is also ed more generally to refer to homosexual mal together wh some or all other orientatns wh the LGBTQ muny.

GAY RIGHTS MOVEMENT

) Gay rights prr to the 20th century Relig admonns agast sexual relatns between dividuals of the same sex (particularly men) long stigmatized such behavur, but most legal s Europe were silent on the subject of homosexualy and bisexualy. Ined, his poem “Two Lov” (1894), Lord Aled (“Bosie”) Douglas, Osr Wil’s lover, clared “I [homosexualy] am the love that dare not speak s name. ” Homosexual and bisexual men and women were given voice 1897 wh the foundg of the Scientific-Humanarian Commtee (Wissenschaftlich-humanär Komee; WhK) Berl.

Dpe Paragraph 175 and the failure of the WhK to w s repeal, homosexual and bisexual men and women experienced a certa amount of eedom Germany, particularly durg the Weimar perd, between the end of World War I and the Nazi seizure of power.

TIMELE: KEY MOMENTS FIGHT FOR GAY RIGHTS

In the Uned Stat this greater visibily brought some backlash, particularly om the ernment and the police: the ernment often fired gay civil servants, the ary attempted to purge s ranks of gay soldiers (a policy enacted durg World War II), and police vice squads equently raid gay bars and arrted their patrons. In the Uned Stat the first major male anizatn, found 1950–51 by Harry Hay Los Angel, was the Mattache Society (s name reputedly rived om a medieval French society of masked players, the Société Mattache, to reprent the public “maskg” of homosexualy), while the Dghters of Bilis (named after the Sapphic love poems of Pierre Louÿs, Chansons Bilis), found 1955 by Phyllis Lyon and Del Mart San Francis, was a leadg group for women.

In Bra 1957 a missn chaired by Sir John Wolfenn issued a groundbreakg report (see Wolfenn Report) remendg that private homosexual liaisons between nsentg adults be removed om the doma of crimal law; a later the remendatn was implemented by Parliament the Sexual Offenc Act. The gay rights movement was begng to w victori for legal reform, particularly wtern Europe, but perhaps the sgle fg event of gay activism occurred the Uned Stat. In the 1970s and ’80s, gay polil anizatns proliferated, particularly the Uned Stat and Europe, and spread to other parts of the globe, though their relative size, strength, and succs—and toleratn by thori—varied signifintly.

OPRAH'S AMAZG RPONSE SUPPORT OF GAY RIGHTS

Groups such as the Human Rights Campaign, the Natnal Gay and Lbian Task Force, and ACT UP (AIDS Coaln to Unleash Power) the Uned Stat and Stonewall and Outrage! Now headquartered Geneva and renamed the Internatnal Lbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Associatn (ILGA World), plays a signifint role ordatg ternatnal efforts to promote human rights and fight discrimatn agast LGBTQ and tersex persons.

In the Uned Stat, gay activists won support om the Democratic Party 1980, when the party add to s platform nondiscrimatn clse a plank cludg sexual orientatn. This support, along wh mpaigns by gay activists urgg gay men and women to “e out of the closet” (ed, the late 1980s, Natnal Comg Out Day was tablished, and is now celebrated on October 11 most untri), enuraged gay men and women to enter the polil arena as ndidat.

In 1974 Wechsler was replaced on the uncil by Kathy Kozachenko, who, havg n openly as a lbian, th beme the first openly gay person to w office after g out. In addn, 2019 Lori Lightfoot beme the first openly gay person to be elected mayor of Chigo, and two years later Pete Buttigieg beme the first openly gay bet member Amerin history.

CONGRSMAN SEAN PATRICK MALONEY HAS WORDS FOR KEV HART, ELLEN AND GAY RIGHTS

Large ci Europe also were fertile grounds for succs for openly gay policians; for example, Bertrand Delanoë Paris and Kls Wowere Berl were both elected mayor 2001.

ELLEN DEGENER ON NEW ANTI-GAY MISSISSIPPI LAW: ‘THIS IS NOT POLICS, THIS IS HUMAN RIGHTS’

At the lol and natnal levels, the number of openly gay policians creased dramatilly durg the 1990s and 2000s, and 2009 Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir beme prime mister of Iceland, which ma her the world’s first openly gay head of ernment.

In Ai, Asia, and Lat Ameri, openly gay policians have had only limed succs wng office; notable electns to natnal legislatur clud Patria Jiménez Flor Mexi (1997), Mike Waters South Ai (1999), and Clodovil Hernans Brazil (2006). The issu emphasized by gay rights groups have varied sce the 1970s by time and place; different natnal anizatns have promoted polici specifilly tailored to their untry’s i.

ELLEN PAGE COM OUT AS GAY: ‘I’M TIRED OF HIDG’

Other issu of primary importance for the gay rights movement sce the 1970s clud batg the HIV/AIDS epimic and promotg disease preventn and fundg for rearch; lobbyg ernment for nondiscrimatory polici employment, hog, and other aspects of civil society; endg the ban on ary service for gay and lbian dividuals; expandg hate crim legislatn to clu protectns for gays, cludg transgenr dividuals; and securg marriage rights for same-sex upl (see same-sex marriage). Ary’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy (1993–2011), which had permted gay and lbian dividuals to serve the ary if they did not disclose their sexual orientatn or engage homosexual activy; the repeal effectively end the ban on homosexuals the ary. Hodg), and 2020 the Court termed that firg an employee for beg homosexual or transgenr was a vlatn of Tle VII of the Civil Rights Act (1964), which prohibs discrimatn on the basis of sex (Bostock v.

Here is a look at some of the key moments LGBTQIA+ history and the fight for equal New York Daily NewsThough police raids on gay bars were mon the '60s, on June 28, 1969, patrons of New York's Stonewall Inn said "enough. Wh six months, two gay activist anizatns were formed New York, and three newspapers were lnched for gays and, FILEHarvey Milk beme one of the first openly gay men elected to public office the Uned Stat when he won a seat on the board of supervisors 1977.

He was assassated at Cy Hall jt a year Reste/Getty ImagHundreds of gay rights activists took to the Natnal Mall 1979 for the first Pri rally to ph to for equal rights the gay muny and the eedom to live Alpert/Getty Imag, FILEReverend John Kuiper, right, the first gay man Ameri to w the right to adopt a child, is shown wh his partner Roger Hooverman, durg a Gay Rights March, 1979, New Agosti/Liaison/Getty Imag, FILEStartg 1981, gay advocy groups began to form to talk about how the ernment was handlg the AIDS crisis, a new disease that manifted as pnmonia and was found mostly gay men. He beme the face of the disease, which at the time was wily believed to only be a disease transmted between gay men, and helped break the stigma of beg only a "gay disease.

ELLEN’S DISAPPOTG TRANSFORMATN FROM LGBT HERO TO HOLLYWOOD VILLATHE DAILY BEAST’S OBSESSEDELLEN BUILT A FORTRS ON THE ARTIFICE OF CLIVY AND KDNS. FOR THOSE THE LGBT MUNY WHOSE EMOTNAL LABOR IS BAKED TO EACH BRICK, ’S PAFUL TO WATCH FALL. KEV FALLONSENR EDOR, OBSSEDUPDATED AUG. 07, 2020 12:54PM EDT NBCTHIS IS A PREVIEW OF OUR POP CULTURE NEWSLETTER, THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED, WRTEN BY SENR ENTERTAMENT REPORTER KEV FALLON. TO RECEIVE THE FULL NEWSLETTER YOUR BOX EACH WEEK, SIGN UP FOR HERE.  ELLEN IS DOG EVERYTHG WRONG IT’S ALMOST TRE TO SAY THAT, AS AN OUT GAY PERSON, ’S IMPOSSIBLE TO QUANTIFY THE IMPACT THAT ELLEN DEGENER AND HER PUBLIC-FACG BRAVERY HAD BUILDG THE WORLD THAT I'M ABLE TO LIVE TODAY, OR TO EXPLA WHAT MEANS THAT, SPE WHAT SHE WENT THROUGH AFTER G OUT, SHE STILL HAD THE URAGE AND TENACY TO RVE SPACE PEOPLE’S HEARTS FOR ACCEPTANCE. THE VERY FACT THAT I’M NOT SPECIAL FEELG THIS MAY BE THE MOST EXTREME PRAISE THAT N BE HEAPED ON HER.IT’S ALSO WHAT MAK THE WARDICE BEHD WHAT IS HAPPENG NOW SO DISAPPOTG. DPE THE FACT THAT, FOR AS LONG AS I’VE BEEN A PART OF THE ENTERTAMENT DTRY, ’S BEEN A WILY TALKED ABOUT OPEN SECRET THAT DEGENER’S TALK SHOW IS A HELLSPE WORKPLACE ENVIRONMENT, THE DOMO HAVE FALLY STARTED TO FALL RECENT WEEKS. WAS THE TALYST THE TWTER THREAD THAT OFFERED A $2 DONATN TO A FOOD BANK FOR EVERY STORY ABOUT DEGENER BEG “ONE OF THE MEANT PEOPLE ALIVE”? WAS THE INIC WAY THAT DAKOTA JOHNSON SHUT DOWN THE HOST’S FAVORE PARLOR GAME OF PASSIVE AGGRSIVELY EMBARRASSG HER FAMO GUTS?  WHATEVER IS THAT LOOSENED THE TAP MA WAY FOR A LUGE OF RECENT REPORTS AND VTIGATNS TO TOXICY ON THE SET, CLUDG SEXUAL MISNDUCT, RACIAL DISCRIMATN, AND CELTY OM THE HOST. WARNERMEDIA RECENTLY LNCHED AN VTIGATN TO THE DUMPSTER FIRE MASQUERADG AS A PLACE OF WORK. IN RPONSE TO ALL OF THIS, DEGENER MA AN EGREG NON-APOLOGY THAT SENTIALLY PLACED THE BLAME ON HER PRODUCERS AND HAS RELIED ON THE MSAG OF SUPPORT OM A HANDFUL OF A-LISTERS PLEDGG THAT SHE’S ALWAYS BEEN NICE TO THEM, RATHER THAN OWN UP TO HER WELL-KNOWN BAD BEHAVR. EACH TIME A KATY PERRY OR KEV HART TWEETS ABOUT HOW ELLEN IS “ONE OF THE DOPT PEOPLE ON THE FUCKG PLA,” ONLY UNRL THE FACT THAT DEGENER IS, AT BT, IGNORANT OF OR, AT WORST, ACTIVELY DISMISSG THE EXPERIENC OF PEOPLE WORKG UNR HER. WOULD SHOCK YOU TO LEARN THAT HORRIBLE RICH AND FAMO PEOPLE ARE NICE TO OTHER HORRIBLE RICH AND FAMO PEOPLE, YET NOT TO THE UN-RICH AND NON-FAMO THAT WORK FOR THEM?   AND EACH TIME MORE STAFFERS E FORWARD WH NIGHTMARE ACUNTS OF WORKG ON THE SHOW WHOUT DEGENER DISCSG HER ACTIVE ROLE CREATG THAT TOXIC SPACE, SHE’S DIGGG A EPER HOLE, ONE SO EP AT THIS POT ’S GETTG HARD TO IMAGE HER CLIMBG HER WAY OUT OF —NO MATTER WHAT DIANE KEATON SAYS. IT’S A NFG BYPRODUCT OF THE CELEBRY PR AND CRISIS-MANAGG MACHE THAT HAS ERECTED AROUND A-LISTERS THE LAST FEW YEARS, WHICH A REFAL TO TAKE RPONSIBILY HAS BEE A FLT STRATEGY. IT’S DISAPPOTG BEE EXC UNJT BEHAVR, BUT ALSO FAILS THE CLIENTS. I N’T UNRSTAND HOW CELEBRI SUATNS LIKE THE DON’T UNRSTAND THAT THE BT THG THEY N DO IS ACTUALLY ADM FLT. THEY ARE GOG TO BE PILLORIED BY CRICS AND “NCELED” IF THEY DON’T ADM THEY DID SOMETHG WRONG. AND, ANKLY, THEY ARE GOG TO BE PILLORIED AND “NCELED” IF THEY DO. THE SAVG GRACE OF THE LATTER OPTN IS AT LEAST BEG ON THE RIGHT SI OF HISTORY. I TLY BELIEVE THAT A LARGE SWATH OF HER DIENCE DON’T GIVE A STEAMG SH ABOUT ALL OF THE ALLEGATNS, AND MAYBE AREN’T EVEN AWARE OF THEM. THOSE PEOPLE WILL STILL BE THERE WHETHER OR NOT SHE OWNS UP TO HER BEHAVR. BUT THE CELEBRI WHO NO LONGER WANT TO BE ASSOCIATED WH HER OR HER SHOW WON’T BE, AND CERTALY NEHER WILL THE PRS, CRICS, AND ONLE TROLLS WHO WILL HNT HER EVERY MOVE FOR THE RT OF HER REER AND, IF AND WHEN SHE DO RETIRE, WILL PISS OVER HER LEGACY BEE OF HOW UGLY THIS CHAPTER HAS BEEN.IT’S SAD BEE THAT LEGACY IS TLY IMPORTANT. I SOMETIM FD MYSELF RANDOMLY WATCHG ELLEN RECEIVE HER MEDAL OF FREEDOM HONOR OM BARACK OBAMA. IT’S AN CREDIBLY EMOTNAL REMR OF WHAT SHE ENDURED AND WHAT MEANS THAT SHE OVERME , SOMETHG THAT N BE FOTTEN GIVEN HOW GOLN HER PERCH SEEMS TO BE NOW. SHE SERV EVERY ONE OF THOSE ACLAS. BUT SHE ALSO SERV TO BE LLED OUT ON WHAT SHE’S DONE WH HER SUCCS.SHE BUILT A FORTRS ON THE ARTIFICE OF CLIVY AND KDNS. WHAT SHE DIDN’T REALIZE IS, FOR THE RT OF WHOSE EMOTNAL LABOR IS BAKED TO EACH BRICK, HOW PAFUL IS TO WATCH FALL. WE’RE NOT THE BS OF PLITED LEGACI ANYMORE. OF SATS WHO ARE DIVAS. OF THE BRAVE WHO THEN CRAVENLY REAP THE SPOILS. OF HERO WHO APPARENTLY HAVE A STRONG SENSE OF SMELL AND SEND STAFF HOME IF THEY HAVEN’T SHOWERED AND ALSO DON’T LOOK HER THE EYE. “IT’S AN TERTG AND RARE, MAYBE EVEN REVOLUTNARY THG. FOR ONCE FOR AN LGBT TRAILBLAZER ENTERTAMENT, THERE IS DISCSN OF THEIR REER AND THEIR RPONSIBILY PENNT OF THEIR SEXUALY. ” NO ONE SHOULD BE A MONSTER. BUT IS WORTH QUTNG WHO GETS TO BE ONE: WHO IS LED A PRICKLY GENI, WHO IS A DIVA, AND WHO IS NCELED. PEOPLE DON’T HAVE TO BE HELD TO A HIGHER STANDARD BEE OF HOW THEY INTIFY OR BEE THEY WERE PNEERS. BUT IS WORTH NOTG THAT, FOR ALL THE GROUND ELLEN BROKE, I N’T THK OF ANOTHER QUEER CELEBRY WHO OCCUPI THE SAME SPACE AND BLANKET ACCEPTANCE THE MASTREAM CULTURE THAT SHE ATTAED. OF ALL THE RPONSIBILI SHE’S SHOULRED AND BURNS SHE’S RRIED BEE OF THE BOUNDARI SHE BROKE, SHE’S SHIRKED WHAT MAY BE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT: WHAT HAPPENS IF SHE’S GONE? IT’S AN TERTG AND RARE, MAYBE EVEN REVOLUTNARY THG. FOR ONCE FOR AN LGBT TRAILBLAZER ENTERTAMENT, THERE IS DISCSN OF THEIR REER AND THEIR RPONSIBILY PENNT OF THEIR SEXUALY. IT’S ALWAYS “AS A GAY ACTOR...” “AS A GAY DIRECTOR...” “AS A GAY PERSON THE PUBLIC EYE...” THERE IS NO “AS A GAY MONSTER...” HERE. SHE’S JT BEG HELD TO A STANDARD THAT, SHOULD BE SAID, SHE SET FOR HERSELF WH ALL HER PREACHG ABOUT NICENS—AND THE MISLCULATN OF THE , FAILED TO LISTEN TO OR MEET. “YEP, I’M GAY” WAS ONE OF THE MOST MONUMENTAL THGS TO HAPPEN TO HOLLYWOOD. NOW I WONR IF “YEP, I’M SORRY” ULD BE JT AS POWERFUL. NEWSLETTERSTHE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSEDEVERYTHG WE N’T STOP LOVG, HATG, AND THKG ABOUT THIS WEEK POP CULTURE.SUBSCRIBEBY CLICKG "SUBSCRIBE" YOU AGREE TO HAVE READ THE TERMS OF USE AND PRIVACY POLICY KEV FALLON

"Joyce Naltchayan/AFP/Getty Imag, FILEBill Clton promised to lift the ban on gays servg the ary durg his mpaign for print, but he was unable to w enough support. She then lnched a daily talk show, "The Ellen Degener Show, " which ran for 19 Agosti/Getty Imag, FILEA ndlelight vigil is held for sla gay Wyomg stunt Matthew Shepard New York, Oct. Bh lled for a nstutnal amendment banng gay NewsPrint Barack Obama be the first stg print to clare his support of same-sex marriage, durg an exclive terview wh ABC News, May 9, 2012.

William Alatriste/AP, FILENew York Cy Council Speaker Christe Qun beme the first female and first openly gay person to hold the posn the cy. Colls would later sign wh the Brooklyn Nets and bee the first openly gay active player the Pl/Getty Imag, FILEIn the '90s, Congrs passed the Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA, fg marriage, for feral purpos, as a unn between one man and one woman, allowg stat to refe or not regnize same sex marriag. Brandon Wa/AP, FILEMissouri senr fensive leman Michael Sam me out as gay after graduatg and beame the first openly gay player to be drafted to the NFL.