Ellen DeGeneres came out 20 years ago amid concerns
NEW YORK — With a headline of “Yep, I'm Gay” on the cover of Time magazine and the same declaration on her sitcom, Ellen DeGeneres made history 20 years ago as the first prime-time lead on network TV to come out, capturing the hearts of supporters gay and straight amid a swirl of hate mail, death threats and, ultimately, dark times on and off the screen.
The code-named “The Puppy Episode” of “Ellen” that aired April 30, 1997, was more than just a hit. It was one of those huge cultural “where were you” moments for anybody remotely interested in TV, or the advancement of LGBTQ people working in TV, or who were itching to come out of their closets at home at a still-perilous time.
Variety summed it up this way: “Climaxing a season of swelling anticipation, Ellen Morgan (the bookstore-managing alter ego of Ellen DeGeneres) finally acknowledges her lesbianism tonight in an 'Ellen' hour that represents television's most-hyped coming out since Little Ricky came out of Lucy 44 years ago.”
The hype was real, fed by DeGeneres' personal desire to end her secret-keeping at age 38 and to bring her TV character along for the ride. The off-screen act came first in Time by slightly more than two weeks, but “Puppy” was months in the making under lock and key, something that failed to matter when the script leaked and the world then waited.
Why risk it all? Because DeGeneres, one of America's sweethearts then and now, was done with the lying and the hiding.
“It became more important to me than my career,” she said in a recent interview with The Associated Press. “I suddenly said, 'Why am I being, you know, ashamed of who I am just to be successful and famous in society's eyes?”'
The hate was also real. There was pulpit-pounding from conservatives, including full-page newspaper ads (the late Rev. Jerry Falwell called her “Ellen DeGenerate”). There was nasty mail all around, including some for guest star Oprah Winfrey suggesting that she “go back to Africa.” After “Puppy” wrapped, cast, crew and live audience were hustled out of the Burbank, Calif., studio because of a bomb threat.
Winfrey, who played Ellen's therapist, told the AP she had no clue that “I would get the worst hate mail of my career.” She praised DeGeneres for having the courage to produce a “seminal moment for anybody who was hiding behind anything.”
The episode was watched by an estimated 44 million viewers. It won an Emmy for writing, a Peabody as a landmark in broadcasting and numerous other accolades. The attention coincided with a new and very public relationship for DeGeneres with her girlfriend at the time, Anne Heche, herself new to the out life.
The following season, DeGeneres' fifth, was the last. It was a failure in terms of ratings. T
DeGeneres went into a “hole,” a deep depression, where she stayed without work for more than three years. Laura Dern, among the guest stars on “Puppy” and happy to be included, didn't work for a year after she played the out love interest to whom Ellen Morgan finally came out. (Both Dern and Winfrey join DeGeneres on Friday on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” to mark the anniversary).
Numerous gay leads followed on TV, yet advocates hope for still more diversity and accuracy in story and character development.
None of that mattered the night of April 30, 1997.
