A True American Hero

by Wayne Besen

Ellen DeGeneres strode up to the stage as this year’s Emmy host with the Herculean task of brightening the nation’s somber mood following the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina.

"New Orleans is my hometown, and I have family in Mississippi," Ellen said, striking the right note at the awards ceremony. "It’s times like this we really, really need laughter."

Ellen could just have easily been talking about her career, which was derailed by the storm of controversy that followed her very public coming out in 1997. In the oddly named "Puppy Episode" of her hit sitcom Ellen, the actress announced to an enormous audience of forty-two million viewers that she is a lesbian. This monumental eruption of honesty introduced a lesbian to one out of every six Americans.

The positive impact her coming out had on the lives of gay people cannot be overstated. However, it came with a huge personal price for Ellen. Even fans questioned the affect the comedian’s forthrightness would have on her future.

"Ellen should be concerned about her career," a supporter told E-Online following the episode. "Where will she go from here?"

Indeed, the storm came, the levees broke and it seemed like Ellen was washed up on the rocky shores of the Isle of Has Been, located three knots west of the center seat on Hollywood Squares. Ellen quickly fell from her perch as Hollywood’s darling and was virtually banished overnight from the entertainment world.

Meanwhile, she also had to deal with the public meltdown of her voluptuous blond girlfriend, Anne Heche, who claimed that she was an alien named Celestia, and then left Ellen for a man. Adding to the tumult, was a right wing smear machine led by Rev. Jerry Falwell who derisively referred to her as "Ellen Degenerate".

We can only wonder what was going through Ellen’s head during this bleak period in her life. The self-doubt and pain she must have endured in her lonesome walk through the desert surely would have crushed a lesser person.

But, Ellen didn’t fold.

She coped with her personal tribulations the same way she deftly handled the unenviable task of hosting the Emmy’s following both 9-11 and Hurricane Katrina.

"It’s times like this we really, really need laughter."

Ellen kept cracking hysterically funny jokes with her gift of suburb, quirky timing. Eventually, Hollywood honchos could not help but burst out in uproarious laughter. It didn’t matter if Ellen were gay, straight or even an alien, like her ex gal pal. She was simply funny and her talent could no longer be denied.

The perseverance of DeGeneres paid off. She provided the wildly popular voiceover for "Dory" the fish, in the 2003 animated film Finding Nemo. In September 2003, she launched The Ellen DeGeneres Show, which was nominated for eleven Daytime Emmy Awards in its inaugural season, winning four, including Best Talk Show.

There are literally tens of thousands of gay and lesbian actors and actresses who have rolled into Hollywood with dreams of fame and fortune. Yet, only one of these individuals, Ellen, had the courage to come out at the height of her success. To the GLBT Community, she is a one in a million shining star.

Without Ellen’s bold step into the unknown, there would likely be no Will & Grace or gay characters sprinkled throughout network and cable television. Rosie O’Donnell, would probably still be rhapsodizing about a dream date with Tom Cruise. The new gay MTV cable network, Logo, would likely have never made it past the drawing board.

After coming out, Ellen continued to shatter barriers. Who will ever forget her tension-breaking joke while hosting the Emmy’s in 2001: "We’re told to go on living our lives as usual, because to do otherwise is to let the terrorists win, and really, what would upset the Taliban more than a gay woman wearing a suit in front of a room full of Jews?"

What amazes me about Ellen is that she has developed a huge following among housewives in mainstream America, while unapologetically remaining true to her lesbian sensibilities. What other female entertainer, for example, would host the Emmys in a black tuxedo?

From a guest appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno to the cover of The New York Times TV Guide, it seems Ellen is more ubiquitous than ever. This is not just a personal triumph for Ellen, but a larger victory for the entire GLBT Community.

Surely, this is the way Ellen wanted it when she jumped off the cliff in 1997. After all, she was already rich and famous when she graced the cover of Time Magazine under the blaring headline, "Yep, I’m Gay." This was always about us, and making our lives better.

It was fitting that Ellen left Hollywood, returning home to Louisiana to help with the relief effort. She is the rare superstar who has reached the pinnacle of success, yet has never forgotten who she is or where she came from. Ellen DeGeneres is a living legend and a true American hero.

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