Date: Mon, 9 Mar 1998 12:32:54 -0700 From: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Subject: STATEMENT FROM GLAAD'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REGARDING COMMENTS BY CHASTITY BONO ABOUT THE "ELLEN" SHOW MEDIA STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Bill Horn, ph: (213) 658-6775 pager: (800) 946-4646, pin#1423528 e-mail: horn@glaad.org STATEMENT FROM GLAAD'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR REGARDING COMMENTS BY CHASTITY BONO ABOUT THE "ELLEN" SHOW LOS ANGELES, MONDAY, MARCH 9, 1998-Recently, remarks by GLAAD's Entertainment Media Director, Chastity Bono, regarding the sitcom "Ellen" were taken out of context to suggest that she felt the program was "too gay-specific." When she was asked why some individuals may not be tuning in, she responded with a number of theories that are currently being discussed in the media, including that some viewers might feel the show deals too heavily with gay storylines. What the article fails to mention is that Ms. Bono and GLAAD strongly believe that the program contains themes that transcend issues of sexual orientation, and are entertaining and appealing to audiences gay and straight. The article also does not cite the work that she and GLAAD have been doing in support of "Ellen" over the past year and a half, and that we are working diligently to ensure the sitcom's return for another season of quality television. "GLAAD recognizes that 'Ellen' is a milestone for our community and of the contributions she has made towards television programming that accurately portrays the lives of lesbians and gay men," said Joan M. Garry, GLAAD Executive Director. "The body of GLAAD's work around 'Ellen' speaks volumes about our recognition that Ellen DeGeneres has given our community an extraordinary gift." - 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.