Date: Thu, 23 Apr 1998 22:06:21 -0700 From: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Subject: GLAAD DISAPPOINTED BY ABC'S DECISION TO CANCEL ELLEN MEDIA RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Bill Horn (213) 658-6775 pager: (800) 946-4646, pin#1423528 e-mail: horn@glaad.org GLAAD DISAPPOINTED BY ABC'S DECISION TO CANCEL ELLEN NATION'S MEDIA ADVOCACY GROUP CALLS SITCOM'S LEGACY "GROUNDBREAKING" LOS ANGELES, CA, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 1998-Today, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) expressed its disappointment with ABC's decision to not renew the groundbreaking television sitcom Ellen. After months of speculation regarding the fate of the show, ABC said today it is canceling the first and only program on primetime television with a lead lesbian or gay character. "ABC's decision clearly denies the profound impact which Ellen has had on our society and the future of television programming," said Joan M. Garry, GLAAD Executive Director. "Ellen broke ground with her historic coming-out episode, and continued to do so throughout this past season, providing us with a strong and wholly positive television hero. Ellen will be sorely missed by GLAAD, our community, and her many fans from all walks of life." Last April, Ellen Morgan came out of the closet to an audience of millions. Ellen DeGeneres and the show have been awarded a number of honors in the past year, including an Emmy and a Peabody Award for the "Puppy Episode." In October, ABC branded the sitcom with a parental advisory warning. Episodes that included any type of same-sex affection, including hand holding, were subject to the warning. Earlier this year, ABC placed the program on hiatus, giving Two Guys, A Girl and a Pizza Place the show's timeslot. Only last week, ABC decided only to air Ellen's finale, leaving two already taped episodes out of the schedule. "Ellen didn't just open the closet door for lesbian and gay primetime characters," said Chastity Bono, GLAAD Entertainment Media Director, "she blew the door off its hinges. Like groundbreaking television programs in the past, Ellen will serve as a catalyst for even more gay-inclusive programming on television in the future." Ellen's cancellation has been the topic of much speculation in the media, Hollywood and for a devoted nationwide audience. Since first learning about Ellen's emergence from the closet, GLAAD has worked to ensure her place in history, and since talk of Ellen's possible cancellation began, GLAAD has worked vigorously to support the show and encourage ABC to stand behind it. GLAAD's "Save Ellen" campaign has kept the nation, both gay and straight, up to date on the program's status and provided thousands with the show's weekly advertisers. GLAAD is the nation's lesbian and gay media advocacy organization. GLAAD is dedicated to promoting fair, accurate and inclusive representations of individuals and events in the media as a means of challenging 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.