Screen TestĭeGeneres was dating Anne Heche (left) when she opted to come out in 1997. How radical was it? In a sign of the times, ABC initially balked at the idea one network exec even suggested that the character experience a transformative personal change by getting a puppy instead. An otherwise innocuous television show suddenly became a barometer for public tolerance of the LGBTQ+ community.ĭespite the plethora of gay characters on television, Ellen Morgan would be the first leading character to come out. Penney opted not to buy commercial time for the episode some religious leaders condemned the “gay-affirming” nature of the storyline. A Time magazine cover story that month with DeGeneres formally announcing her sexuality was seen as a potentially career-threatening move.
The decision to black out the program was uncommon but indicative of the controversy that surrounded the actress’s decision to be transparent about her sexuality both on and off the screen. slot normally reserved for the sitcom Ellen starring comedian Ellen DeGeneres was being preempted because her character on the show, Ellen Morgan, was about to come out as gay-a plot point that the station considered inappropriate for the family viewing hour. On April 30, 1997, local ABC affiliate WBMA in Birmingham, Alabama, made a last-minute change to its primetime lineup.
