Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1998 17:08:28 -0700 From: Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation Subject: GLAAD SHOCKED BY ABC'S LACK OF SUPPORT FOR 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 SHOCKED BY ABC'S LACK OF SUPPORT FOR ELLEN NETWORK LEAVES TWO EPISODES OF AWARD-WINNING SITCOM OUT IN THE COLD LOS ANGELES, CA, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 15, 1998-Today the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) expressed its shock at ABC's decision not to air two newly taped episodes of the award-winning sitcom, Ellen. Instead, the network has chosen to air only the season finale. The final, hour-long Ellen will air on May 13, with Two Guys, A Girl and a Pizza Place filling the two time slots that Ellen was originally expected to fill. "American viewers deserve and expect to see Ellen's remaining season in its entirety," said Joan M. Garry, GLAAD Executive Director. "I am extremely disappointed in the network's decision to deny the viewing public this quality program. For months ABC has claimed that they stand behind the show. If this is how they support their programming, it is certainly a 'unique' approach. " Ellen's imminent cancellation has been the topic of much speculation in the media, Hollywood and for a devoted nationwide audience. ABC's sudden decision came as a shock to the beleaguered show and for millions of fans. ABC may decide to show the unaired episodes sometime this summer. ABC told GLAAD that the final decision on Ellen's return next season has not been made, and that the decision not to air the two episodes is the result of Two Guys, A Girl and a Pizza Place's strong ratings. 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. Recently, GLAAD placed "Save Ellen" ads in more than 15 community newspapers to encourage viewership and support for the show. "Last year, ABC took a courageous step by offering American viewers television's first openly gay lead character. Since then, the network has been criticized for its lack of support. GLAAD feels that this latest decision exemplifies the network's lack of commitment to the show," said Chastity Bono, GLAAD Entertainment Media Director. "The impact of this program cannot be measured by numbers alone. The show depicts a lifetime of experiences for lesbians and gay men across America and is changing hearts and minds. We urge ABC to consider its broader responsibility as it makes programming decisions." 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.