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Ellen DeGeneres is a comedian and the star of a second-rate sitcom, "Ellen." Last week, her name graced the covers of both Newsweek and Time. What significant contribution has she made to our national life? What grand achievement warrants this outpouring of attention? Well, it seems that DeGeneres enjoys having sex with other women...

Author: By Noah Oppenheim, | Title: Coming Out to Applause | 4/25/1997 | See Source »

...extent that television has any significance whatsoever, the idea that television reflects society is far more convincing. The decision of producers and executives at ABC/Disney to go along with a lesbian lead in a sitcom is indicative of society's growing acceptance of the homosexual lifestyle. Of course, it is also a ploy to revive a creatively stagnant program, but it is a ploy that would have been counter-productive had it meant the abandonment of sponsors and viewers. The entertainment industry has calculated that Americans are willing to watch a lesbian star on television. Most of us recognized this...

Author: By Noah Oppenheim, | Title: Coming Out to Applause | 4/25/1997 | See Source »

...left in our national life, clear symbols of success are hard to find. Apparently, some activists have found a symbol in the outing of Ellen. But what a pathetic symbol it is. No hard-fought legal battle has been won, no ultimate freedom from discrimination finally afforded. Rather, a sitcom star, already assumed by most to be a lesbian, has decided to openly proclaim her sexuality. This revelation comes as no shock to any fan of the show, and it has already been acknowledged as an attempt to boost ratings. DeGeneres claims that her decision to have the character come...

Author: By Noah Oppenheim, | Title: Coming Out to Applause | 4/25/1997 | See Source »

Sure, some ideologues may take the opportunity to re-register their opinions concerning homosexuality, the decline of morality and other fashionable issues. But just as "Ellen" will most likely remain a mediocre sitcom, average citizens will most likely remain indifferent to the bedroom antics of their neighbors...

Author: By Noah Oppenheim, | Title: Coming Out to Applause | 4/25/1997 | See Source »

...infrequent theater patrons, the only name that is familiar is Tony Shalhoub, who is a regular as Antonio the cabdriver on the NBC sitcom "Wings" and who played the master chef in last year's surprise hit film Big Night. One might expect then that Shalhoub's role would be the central one, but surprisingly, his presence is only used as a tool to tie the three vignettes together. His role as Bobby Gould is that of an observer, a sponge of sorts that just soaks in what is around him. He engages in conversation with four other people...

Author: By Judy P. Tsai, | Title: Grasping the Past, Facing the Future | 4/24/1997 | See Source »

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