Page 12 - aruba-today-20220527

a12 people & arts
Friday 27 May 2022

Ellen DeGeneres ends daytime show

with plea for compassion

said. She introduced a ca-
reer retrospective video
that also touted DeGe-
neres' philanthropic efforts,
said to include more than
$400 million in donations
to charities and "deserving
viewers."
"I love you," a beaming
Eilish told DeGeneres dur-
ing their chat. "I love you
so much, it's dumb," said
Pink, who performed "What
About Us."
DeGeneres' daytime reign
hit a serious bump in 2020,
In this photo released by Warner Bros., talk show host Ellen De-
Generes embraces Stephen "tWitch" Boss during a taping of "The when the show was al-
Ellen DeGeneres Show" at the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank, Calif. leged to be a toxic work-
Associated Press place and three producers
exited amid the claims. On
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ellen married — and now I say the air that fall, DeGeneres
DeGeneres brought her 'wife' all the time," DeGe- apologized for "things that
nearly two-decade day- neres added, with a touch shouldn't have happened,"
time talk show to an end of defiance, as actor Portia but defended herself as
Thursday with a celebrity de Rossi watched from the being the same genuine
lovefest and a forceful as- studio audience. They wed person — if an imperfect
sertion of her achievement in 2008. one — on- and off-camera.
as a gay woman daring to The host, who became The talk show represented
be herself. known for encouraging her a second major TV act for
DeGeneres and guests audience to join her in im- DeGeneres. In 1997, she
Jennifer Aniston, Billie Eilish promptu dances, shared made an indelible mark
and Pink shared memories some last moves with her when she came out as les-
and affection as "The Ellen sidekick and DJ, Stephen bian and brought her char-
DeGeneres Show" con- "tWitch" Boss, to the tune acter on the ABC sitcom
cluded its Emmy-winning, "Best of My Love." "Ellen" with her. The series
3,200-plus episode run that The dancer-choreogra- was axed the next year.
began in September 2003. pher saluted DeGeneres as "Twenty-five years ago,
"Twenty years ago, when someone who inspires oth- they canceled my sitcom
we were trying to sell the ers because she has "the because they didn't want a
show, no one thought that courage to step out and lesbian to be in prime-time
this would work. Not be- be your authentic self." once a week. And I said,
cause it was a different Aniston, who as the first 'OK, then I'll be on daytime
kind of show, but because guest on the show's first every day,'" DeGeneres
I was different," DeGeneres episode gave DeGeneres said Thursday.
said of the pushback from a "Welcome" doormat, ar- The comedian, actor and
TV stations. rived with another that producer has said she'll
When the syndicated show read, "Thanks for the mem- take time to consider her
went on the air, she was ories." DeGeneres noted next career move, but first
prevented from saying the the "Friends" star has been she and de Rossi are mak-
word "gay" or even the on the show a total of 20 ing a trip to Rwanda. De-
pronoun "we," DeGeneres times. "You're welcome," Generes wrapped her day-
said, since the latter would Aniston said, teasingly, then time show with a plea to
imply she had a partner. turned serious. her audience, one she said
She didn't specify who im- "I love you, and I so appre- was worth repeating.
posed the ban. ciate you and what you "If I've done anything in the
"Sure couldn't say wife, and have given to the world past 19 years, I hope I've
that's because it wasn't le- over the last 19 years. The inspired you to be yourself,
gal for gay people to get contribution is endless," she your true authentic self.
And if someone is brave
enough to tell you who
they are, be brave enough
to support them, even if
you don't understand,"
DeGeneres said. "By open-
ing your heart and your
mind you're going to be
that much more compas-
sionate, and compassion
is what makes the world a
better place."q