Date: Thu, 9 Oct 1997 17:12:00 -0700 From: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Subject: GLAAD SAYS "A KISS IS JUST A KISS" "PARENTAL ADVISORY WARNING" ON ELLEN A DOUBLE STANDARD MEDIA RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Liz Tracey (212) 807-1700 pager: (800) 946 4646, pin #1423527 e-mail: tracey@glaad.org GLAAD SAYS "A KISS IS JUST A KISS" "PARENTAL ADVISORY WARNING" ON ELLEN A DOUBLE STANDARD NEW YORK CITY, OCTOBER 9, 1997-The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) today expressed concern over ABC's decision to place a "parental advisory warning" on last night's episode of Ellen. The show contained a humorous kiss between Ellen Morgan and Paige, played by Joely Fisher, and was preceded by a written and voice-over advisory warning parents about the content. After the historic coming out episode from last season, Ellen returned to ABC on September 24. The three episodes shown so far this season have dealt with Ellen's continuing coming out process. Last week's episode was ranked number eight nationally with 18-49 year olds, the most attractive demographic group for advertisers. "When you realize that there has never been an openly gay lead character on a sitcom," said Joan M. Garry, GLAAD Executive Director, "you then understand the new ground that this show is breaking. With uncharted territory sometimes comes missteps and conflict. We're hopeful that ABC and Ellen will come to terms and continue their commitment to changing the face of American television every Wednesday night." Other comedies which have dealt with same-sex affection have not borne the special parental advisory. From Laverne & Shirley, who shared a same-sex kiss in the late 1970s, to Spin City, which last season featured a kiss between Mike (Michael J. Fox) and Carter (Michael Boatman) designed to make his ex-boyfriend (Luke Perry) jealous, these kisses have never been singled out for "adult content." "We're baffled by ABC's decision, which enforces a double standard for gay-themed programming," said Chastity Bono, GLAAD Entertainment Media Director. "ABC needs to be reminded of what fair, accurate and inclusive representation really means. GLAAD encourages viewers not only to continue to watch Ellen and support the sponsors, but to let the network know that sometimes, a kiss is just a kiss." Continuing its support of the show, GLAAD has reintroduced "Ellen Watch" at GLAAD Online (http://www.glaad.org). This resource will continually update the community on which companies have advertised this season on Ellen. GLAAD is a national organization that promotes fair, accurate and inclusive representations of individuals and events in all media as a means of combating homophobia and all forms of discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity. -30- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) glaad@glaad.org TO REPORT DEFAMATION IN THE MEDIA - Call GLAAD's Alertline at 1.800.GAY.MEDIA or go to the GLAAD Web Site at www.glaad.org and report through our Alertline Online. TO JOIN GLAAD AND RECEIVE GLAAD's DISPATCH AND QUARTERLY IMAGES MAGAZINE, call 1.800.GAY.MEDIA or join on the Web today at www.glaad.org/glaad/join/join-about.html TO SUBSCRIBE TO GLAAD-Net, GLAAD's electronic mailing list, send e-mail to majordomo@vector.casti.com with the message "Subscribe GLAAD-Net" TO UNSUBSCRIBE, send e-mail to majordomo@vector.casti.com with the message "Unsubscribe GLAAD-Net" GLAAD is a national organization that promotes fair, accurate and inclusive representation as a means of challenging discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "GLAAD" and "Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation" are registered trademarks of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Inc.