Tag Archives: Melissa Etheridge

Wow, Ellen DeGeneres Made TV History by Coming Out on Her Show 18 Years Ago Today

She is arguably the biggest star on television, but eighteen years ago today Ellen DeGeneres publicly came out in an episode of her TV show, Ellen.

In the episode, titled, The Puppy Episode, Ellen’s onscreen persona leaned across an airport PA system and announced to the world, “I’m gay.”

It is worth remembering that this moment happened just a couple weeks after DeGeneres herself came out publicly in real life. This of course happened on the historic Time magazine cover that showcased a simple yet powerful headline, “Yep, I’m Gay,” on April 14, 1997.

Also see: We Miss Ellen – the Sitcom that is – Here are 12 Things You Didn’t Know About The Show

Ellen’s courageous decision to live openly and honestly – both on- and off-screen – is truly historic. Since then, DeGeneres has become a strong force to be reckoned with, not just within the gay community, but with a huge and seemingly ever-growing audience made up of fans of all different sexual orientations, gender identities, races, religions, and backgrounds. Of course, it is worth applauding DeGeneres for helping to pave the way for representation of gay people in entertainment and on television.

She has spoke about her personal life frequently on her hit talk show, The Ellen Show. She has shared the lasting impact of coming out, and has publicly supported and encouraged others, including Ellen Page, who came out at HRC’s first annual Time to THRIVE conference in 2014.

We Miss Ellen – the Sitcom that is – Here are 12 Things You Didn’t Know About The Show

From 1994–1998, many of us would switch on to watch the Ellen show, a TV sitcom staring the much loved Ellen DeGeneres.

Ellen played Ellen Morgan, a neurotic bookstore owner who dealt with life through comedy and extensive rambling. What made this sitcom so notable was the portrayal of the first leading character on national TV to come out and stay out as gay. We loved Ellen and we loved the show, which went on to run for 5 series.

Here are 12 Things You Didn’t Know About The Show.

1. The show was originally titled “These Friends of Mine.” After the first season, the show became Ellen, focusing more on the character of Ellen Morgan.


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2. DeGeneres earned four Emmy nominations and three Golden Globe nominations during the show’s five years.


3. The infamous “Puppy Episode,” in which DeGeneres came out as gay both on the show and in her real life, was titled after the network reportedly suggested the storyline of Ellen getting a new puppy instead of coming out gay.


4. “The Puppy Episode” had 42 million viewers and won a Peabody Award.

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5. Degeneres would later note that when she kissed a cast member jokingly in a scene, a disclaimer was needed. When another show did the exact same scene (but with all straight actors), no disclaimer was shown.


6. During rehearsals for “The Puppy Episode,” DeGeneres couldn’t bring herself to actually say the line, “I’m gay.”

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7. During the episode with Ellen’s “lesbian supermarket” dream sequence, several celebrities made cameo appearances: KD Lang, Demi Moore, Billy Bob Thornton, and Jenny Shimizu, to name a few.

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8. At the end of that episode there’s a sequence in which Susan (Laura Dern) leads Ellen over to Melissa Etheridge, who confirms that Ellen is gay and — after completing the necessary paperwork — awards Susan a toaster oven.


9. Sadly, Laura Dern couldn’t find work for over a year following her role on Ellen.

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10. Emma Thompson played a gay version of herself in the final season.


11. ABC canceled Ellen in 1998 after ratings declined. “I tried to incorporate educational things about what people actually go through when they’re coming out, and it wasn’t funny,” DeGeneres said. “Because it’s not funny.”


12. The bloopers were fantastic.

‘Famous People Apologize To Me For Not Coming Out’ says Melissa Etheridge

Speaking to Huffington Post recently Melissa Etheridge has said ‘Famous People’ apologize to her for not ‘Coming Out’.

During a conversation with host Ricky Camilleri about her latest album, ‘This Is M.E.’, Etheridge recalled the period when she “talked about being a lesbian for three years, basically,” but she said she didn’t mind as long as she was “helping normalize this otherwise mysterious thing, this scary thing in the world.”

But it turns out Etheridge wasn’t the only one making such a personal confession.

“It was a time when actually more people came out to me. I had more reporters and people go, ‘Can I tell you I’m gay? I had a lot of that. People still do that. Famous people do that to me. Famous people apologize to me for not coming out.”

Melissa Etheridge

Check out Melissa Etheridge’s recollections of coming out in the video below…

 

 

The Growing Number of Lesbian & Bi Celebrities – Here are Our Top 20

Coming out can be tough enough when its too a few, but coming out to millions… Takes time. In the past it was considered a potentially career-ending acknowledgment, now growing number of celebrities have come out with relatively little fanfare.

Here is a list of 20 Out and Proud Lesbians Celebrities…


Jodie-Foster1. Jodie Foster

Jodie Foster ended years of rampant media speculation when she casually came out of the closet while accepting her Cecil B. Demille award at the 2013 Golden Globes.

“I already did my coming out about a thousand years ago, back in the Stone Age. In those very quaint days when a fragile young girl would open up to trusted friends, and family, coworkers and then gradually, proudly, to everyone who knew her.”


Gillian-Anderson2. Gillian Anderson

The “X-Files” actress revealed she’s had numerous relationships with women in a 2012 interview with Out magazine. The 43-year-old mother of three, who’s long enjoyed a sizeable lesbian fan-base, told Out that she first had a relationship with a woman while still in high school, after moving from her native England to suburban Michigan.

 


Raven-Symone3. Raven-Symone

Raven Symone came out via Twitter in early August 2013 after long-term speculation surrounding the actress’ sexuality. She confirmed the subtle coming out by retweeting of her followers congratulating the star.

“I am very happy that gay marriage is opening up around the country and is being accepted. I was excited to hear today that more states legalized gay marriage. I, however am not currently getting married, but it is great to know I can now, should I wish to.”


Meredith-Baxter4. Meredith Baxter

In December 2009 Baxter, most famous for playing Elyse Keaton on ’80s sitcom “Family Ties,” went on the “Today Show” and told Matt Lauer that she was a lesbian. Baxter said,

“Some people would say, well, you’re living a lie and, you know, the truth is — not at all. This has only been for the past seven years.”

Meredith Baxter


Cynthia-Nixon5. Cynthia Nixon

Star of ‘Sex And The City’ was out-ed in 2004 when the NY Daily News and the New York Post reported she was living with another woman in September 2004. Nixon half-heartedly confirmed the rumours…

“My private life is private… But at the same time, I have nothing to hide. So what I will say is that I am very happy.”

Cynthia Nixon


Kelly-McGillis6. Kelly McGillis

Kelly McGillis, known as who starred opposite Tom Cruise in “Top Gun,” revealed she’s gay on lesbian website SheWired.com.

McGillis, who was married twice to men and has two daughters, said…

“It’s a part of being true to yourself. That’s been a challenge for me personally.”


Sara-Gilbert7. Sara Gilbert

Sara Gilbert, who’s best known for her role on “Roseanne,” officially came out in 2010. At that time, she was getting ready to launch “The Talk,” a daytime talk show which focuses on parenthood and families, so Gilbert felt compelled to acknowledge her sexuality.

“I don’t ever really think of things as out or in. I just think I am who I am, and when topics come up that are appropriate, I’ll talk about them and share when it seems right.”


Joanna-Johnson8. Joanna Johnson

“Bold and the Beautiful” star Joanna Johnson became daytime soap opera’s only active “out” actor when she said she was a lesbian in May. Johnson said she feared coming out would prohibit her from getting acting roles. Johnson is now married to L.A. club promoter Michelle Agnew, with whom she has two children with.

 

 


Lady-Sovereign9. Lady Sovereign

In May 2010 the British rapper came out in Diva magazine.

“Magazines would always ask about it but [questions about my sexuality] would get stopped by my publicists. It was my choice, too, because I was a bit worried about it but now I don’t really give a shit. You can’t hide away forever. It’s just stupid and now I’ve come out I feel a lot more comfortable with myself. But it was a bit scary back then because some people do have horrible opinions.”


Kristy-McNichol10. Kristy McNichol

In January 2012 Kristy McNichol, who was beloved for playing Buddy Lawrence in the ’70s show ‘Family’, for which she won an Emmy, and later Barbara Weston on the “Golden Girls” spin-off “Empty Nest,” revealed she is a lesbian because she is “approaching 50” and wants to “be open about who I am.”

McNichol also cited the wave of antigay bullying stories for coming out, hoping to help bullied LGBT youth who need support.


Chely-Wright11. Chely Wright

Country singer Chely Wright came out in May 2010.

“There had never, ever been a country music artist who had acknowledged his or her homosexuality… I wasn’t going to be the first.”

But she changed her mind and said of her decision, “Nothing in my life has been more magical than the moment I decided to come out.”


Amber-Heard12. Amber Heard

Amber Heard, 26, came out while attending GLAAD’s 25th anniversary party. She has starred in movies like as “Pineapple Express” and “Zombieland.”

“I personally think that if you deny something or if you hide something you’re inadvertently admitting it’s wrong. I don’t feel like I’m wrong.”

Amber Heard


Denise-Ho13. Denise Ho

Hong Kong’s fourth annual LGBT Pride Parade in November saw beloved Cantonese pop star Denise Ho come out as a lesbian. This announcement made her the first mainstream female singer in Hong Kong to say she’s gay, according to several Hong Kong media outlets.

“As a celebrity, I think I have an obligation, a duty to stand forward for the sake of love and equality.”

 


Portia-de-Rossi14. Portia de Rossi

Portia de Rossi had been out to friends for quite some time, but she told the entire world in the fall of 2005 in interviews with Details magazine and The Advocate.

“I’ve had my years of being not open, many years of it… It’s an honor for me to do this; it’s just nice to be asked.”

Portia de Rossi


Heather-Matarazzo15. Heather Matarazzo

The actress, perhaps best known for her role as tormented teen Dawn Wiener in the film “Welcome To The Dollhouse,” came out in August 2004 by telling the NY Daily News about falling in love with Caroline Murphy:

“I met the person I’m so madly crazy in love with…She’s not famous yet. She will be. She wants to do musical theater and stage, which is not as demoralizing as the movie business is.”

 


Rosie-O’Donnell16. Rosie O’Donnell

The comedian and talk show host came out by revealing “I’m a dyke!” during her stand up act at the Ovarian Cancer Research benefit at Carolines Comedy Club in February 2002.

 

 


Ellen-DeGeneres17. Ellen DeGeneres

DeGeneres came out in 1997, both in real life and on TV in 1997, on her sitcom Ellen. The ‘Puppy’ Episode, featured a who’s who of Hollywood, including Oprah Winfrey, Demi Moore, Billy Bob Thornton, and Laura Dern as Ellen’s love interest. DeGeneres’s character became the first openly gay prime time lead character on television.

 


Melissa-Etheridge18 . Melissa Etheridge

Melissa Etheridge came out in January 1993 during the Triangle ball, the first ever ball thrown for the LGBT community during a president’s inauguration, in this case Clinton’s.

“I didn’t even think, Oh, I’m going to come out here…It was, ‘Gee, I’m really excited to be here, and I’m really proud to have been a lesbian all my life.’ And a big cheer went up through the whole hall, and k.d. [lang] came out and hugged me. I remember walking back, and my friend said, ‘I think you came out!'”


Maria-Bello19. Maria Bello

Maria Bello recently revealed that she is in a longtime relationship with a woman named Clare. The actress, who officially came out in an op-ed piece for the New York Times, wrote about her experience telling her son about the relationship.

“Whomever I love, however I love them, whether they sleep in my bed or not, or whether I do homework with them or share a child with them, ‘love is love.'”

 


Wanda-Sykes20. Wanda Sykes

Comedian Wanda Sykes revealed her sexual orientation at a Prop. 8 rally in Las Vegas in November 2008, telling the crowd…

“You know, I don’t really talk about my sexual orientation. I didn’t feel like I had to. I was just living my life, not necessarily in the closet, but I was living my life. Everybody that knows me personally they know I’m gay. But that’s the way people should be able to live their lives. I’m proud to be a woman. I’m proud to be a black woman, and I’m proud to be gay.”

 

‘This is Me’ – Play a Part in Melissa Etheridge New Album

Melissa Etheridge – Oscar and two-time Grammy winner – will release a new studio album, ‘This is Me’, on September 30th and will be the debut album for ME Records. Recorded in New York and Los Angeles, the album features 11 new songs all written or co-written by Melissa Etheridge.

“I am excited to be putting out an album that is exactly what I want it to be. I had some amazing collaborators who really helped craft songs and an album that is truly representative of where I am in my life at this moment.”

Melissa Etheridge

What is so fantastic about this new album, is that Etheridge is asking her fans to play a part of the album process, via the cover art.

The ‘This is ME Album Photo Submission App’ has been launched at melissaetheridge.com/thisisme/. Through it, fans can contribute their personal photos for possible inclusion in a mosaic that will be used for the album cover. Fans will have until June 27 to submit their images for consideration.

In lead up to this release, she has also released her first single – ‘Take My Number’.

Who’s Who of the World’s Greatest Lesbians

We take a look at some of the pioneers that paved the way for us all. Here is KitschMix’s ‘Who’s Who of the World’s Greatest Lesbians’


Sappho (610-570 BCE)

The ancient Greek poetess lived on the Isle of Lesbos – which is where we get our name from of course. Her verse celebrated love between women and attracted a legion of groupies and admirers. Her last poem was only discovered recently, hidden inside and Egyptian mummy. Sappho was living and practising a lesbian lifestyle some five centuries before the birth of Christ, so religious people who claim that LGBT behaviour is a modern sin are completely wrong.


Audre Lorde (1934-1992)

She was an inspiration to millions as – so she described herself – a “black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet”. She fought prejudice on many fronts, opposing racism, sexism and homophobia as a member of many alternative lifestyle communities.


Del Martin (1921-2008) and Phyllis Lyon (1924- )

No two women have made a great contribution to lesbian media than these two. The Curve and The Ladder – two highly influential publications – helped to raise the profile of Sapphic activists in the 1950s. They also helped set up the LGBT advocacy group Daughters of Bilitis. Apparently their dinner parties were pretty amazing too!


Ellen DeGeneres (1958- )

Arguably America’s best-known lesbian entertainer, Ellen began wowing the crowds in her sitcom Ellen in the 1990s and hasn’t let up since. She came out in style by appearing on the cover of Time magazine and saying ‘Yep, I’m out!’


Cris Williamson (1947- )

Chanteuse extraordinaire Cris Williamson not only recorded a 1975 album, The Changer, that shifted half a million units, but set up her own record label Olivia Records. A devoted advocate of LGBT rights, she has done for lesbians in music what people like Freddy Mercury and Elton John have done for gay men in music.


Martina Navratilova (1956- )

When 9 time Wimbledon champion tennis star Martina Navratilova came out, lesbians everywhere had a new sporting idol. She bravely fled her homeland of communist Czechoslovakia to come and live in the US and win a record-breaking 167 professional singles titles. Whew!


Rita Mae Brown (1944- )

A talented screenwriter and novelist whose 1973 book Rubyfruit Jungle broke new ground in its frank and vivid descriptions of lesbian behaviour. She famously said, “I don’t believe in straight or gay. I really don’t. I think we’re all degrees of bisexual.”


Melissa Etheridge (1961- )

The Kansan turned a few heads when she burst onto the heartland rock scene in the early ’90s, but we can thank her for breaking a few barriers down in that traditionally conservative music genre.


k.d. lang (1961- )

Country and Western is even more conservative, so it took that scene a little while to get used to the Canadian lesbian singer-songwriter k.d. lang. It wasn’t difficult once they’d heard her ballsy lyrics and beautiful melodies.

New Music Video From Melissa Etheridge – Uprising Of Love

Via press release:

The video delivers a powerful message to create awareness about the many countries around the world where LGBT people are facing harassment, arrest, violence, and in some cases, death. The new music video, produced and directed by creative agency Wondros, is a montage of peaceful Russian LGBT rallies and protests, and true affection of couples in love. Etheridge originally wrote the song in response to the systematic discrimination of the Russian LGBT community. In December, Etheridge co-founded a coalition of celebrities and entertainment executives also called Uprising of Love, in support of the safety and dignity of LGBT Russians. 100% of proceeds from the single will be donated to the Russia Freedom Fund, which is one of the only ways to make immediate and direct financial contributions to LGBT activists in Russia.