Don’t mess with Ellen DeGeneres! Rather than running from negative bigotry, the TV personality, 56, faced one of her critics head-on on Wednesday, Jan. 14.
DeGeneres was the subject of a Christian Post column “Are You Aware of the Avalanche of Gay Programming Assaulting Your Home?” that was published by conservative pastor and author Larry Tomczak on Thursday, Jan. 8. The op-ed alleges that the out-and-proud star has been pushing an “immoral,” “indecent,” “shameful,” and “unnatural” lifestyle with her show.
“I don’t usually read anything about myself,” DeGeneres began in her monologue on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. “But I heard there was an article written about me and I would like to address it right now. It’s a pastor who wrote an article for the Christian Post where he accuses Hollywood of having a gay agenda and said that ‘Ellen DeGeneres celebrates her lesbianism and ‘marriage’ in between appearances of guests like Taylor Swift to attract young girls.'”
“First of all, I’m not ‘married,'” she continued. “I’m married. That’s all, that’s all, I’m just married.”
After coming out on the cover of Time magazine in 1997 with a cover line reading “Yep, I’m Gay,” DeGeneres publicly dated women including Anne Heche and Alexandra Hedison. She began her relationship with Portia de Rossi in 2004, and married the stunning Arrested Development actress in 2008.
“Larry, I don’t even know what it means to celebrate my lesbianism. I mean. Well, I guess I do, it’s like that!” DeGeneres added, pulling a party popper out of her pocket and popping it. “I’m gay!”
Long an outspoken leader in the conservative community, Tomczak encouraged parents to fight the “indoctrination and propaganda coming from those advocating a gay lifestyle,” offering tips for keeping children out of the influence of stars like DeGeneres, Jillian Michaels, Anderson Cooper, and Michael Sam.
“Larry, the only way I’m trying to influence people is to be more kind and compassionate with one another,” DeGeneres said. “That is the message that I’m sending out. I don’t have an agenda. I’m not here to brainwash anyone.”
Grabbing a spinning vortex and holding it up to the camera, the funnywoman added, “But listen to the sound of my voice. Attention youth of the world: I want you to live your lives being exactly who you are. Be true to yourself. The most important thing is to be true to yourself.”
