Bill O’Reilly Defends Ellen DeGeneres?
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- Chris Pizzello/AP Photo
Talk about an unlikely ally, conservative pundit Bill O’Reilly has come to Ellen DeGeneres’ defense in the backlash against her JCPenney deal.
O’Reilly defended the openly gay talk host against the conservative group One Million Moms, which is organizing a boycott against JCPenney for hiring DeGeneres as as spokeswoman.
“This JCPenney thing is a witchhunt and shouldn’t happen,” O’Reilly said on his show Tuesday night, comparing One Million Moms’ boycott to the McCarthy era’s hunt for communist sympathizers.
“What is the difference between the McCarthy era of the ’50s and the Million Moms saying, ‘Hey, JCPenney and all you other stores, don’t you hire gay people. Don’t you dare.’ What’s the difference?” O’Reilly railed.
In an episode of her daytime talk show airing Wednesday, DeGeneres hailed a federal appeals court’s decision Tuesday declaring California’s same-sex marriage ban unconstitutional, calling it a “step in the right direction.” She then brought up the group One Million Moms and its criticism of her JCPenney deal. She said, “I’d like to talk about it because my haters are my motivators.”
DeGeneres says of the group, which recently claimed that JCPenney will lose sales because it hired the openly-gay comedienne as its brand ambassador, “They wanted to get me fired, and I’m proud and happy to say that JCPenney stuck by their decision to make me their spokesperson. Which is great news for me because I also need some new crew socks. I’m really going to clean up with this discount.”
Reading from a statement in which One Million Moms accused JCPenney of jumping on the “pro-gay bandwagon,” DeGeneres says, “Being gay or pro-gay isn’t a bandwagon. You don’t get a free ride anywhere. There’s no music. And occasionally we’ll sing ‘We Are Family’ but that’s about it.”
DeGeneres then disputes the notion that JCPenney is losing customers because of the hire, pointing to supportive comments written by people on One Million Moms’ Facebook page. She says, “I usually don’t talk about stuff like this on my show but I really want to thank everyone who is supporting me….Here are the values I stand for. I stand for honesty, equality, kindness, compassion, treating people the way you’d want to be treated and helping those in need.”
A preview clip of DeGeneres’ comments has been posted on E! Online.
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“Here are the values I stand for. I stand for honesty, equality, kindness, compassion, treating people the way you’d want to be treated and helping those in need.”
Too bad everyone doesn’t feel that way.
Posted by: Office Goddess | February 8, 2012, 10:31 am 10:31 am
Well said Office Goddess-maybe if the million moms thought that way, this wouldn’t be an issue. And it shouldn’t be an issue-who cares what sexual orientation you are when it comes to doing something good? JC Penney gave a huge amount of money the other day on the show to a school in Penn. where the teachers have continued to work despite not receiving any salary. So it looks like these moms attempts to stop JC Penney isn’t working-this was a good business decision and probably bring them more sales.
Posted by: Sammy | February 8, 2012, 10:51 am 10:51 am
It’s too bad that the One Million Morons don’t have anything better to do with their time. JC Penney will undoubtedly benefit from all the free publicity.
Posted by: Fred | February 8, 2012, 11:14 am 11:14 am
I do not care for Ms. de Generes, but on the other hand I do not care who represents a label/organisation. I do not identify myself with, nor purchase anything because of who represents them.
Posted by: Laura Kirkland | February 8, 2012, 11:20 am 11:20 am
Atta girl, Ellen! Now I’m even more inclined to support JC Penney because of their refusal to bow to the One Million Moms’ bully tactics…..
Posted by: J'sworld | February 8, 2012, 12:22 pm 12:22 pm
I don’t care which celebrity prompted JC Penney. When it comes down to it, price, quality, and availability are all that matter to consumers. JC Penny stores have let themselves go. The stores have narrow, crowded displays. The items often do not reflect the economic state of the average shopper. They did not evolve with the times and it shows.
Posted by: Wayne | February 8, 2012, 12:30 pm 12:30 pm
I like Ellen but I don’t agree with the gay lifestyle. Nothing she does or says will change that but I don’t have hate for gay people. I just have my opinion and I still live in America. I don’t agree with boycotting JC Penney’s though just because she is a spokesperson. That is like saying gay people should not be allowed to work and have jobs which is ridiculous.
Posted by: Seriously | February 8, 2012, 12:36 pm 12:36 pm
Good for J.C. Penny and Ellen. Those million moms are really choosing the wrong thing to complain about if they really cared about kids.
Do they realize that over 16 million children in the U.S.. live in ‘ food insecure’ households?
Do they know that 8% of our kids drop-out of high school?
Do they recognize that 1.6 million kids are homeless each year in our country?
Yet those million moms think gay people getting married is really a problem. How?
Yea, I know they claim it will destroy the idea of marriage, but ignore our almost 50% divorce rate as well as the high rate of adultery.
As a happily married woman for 25 years, I think any two consenting adults who love each other enough to try for a lifelong commitment should be allowed to marry.
Posted by: Librarian53 | February 8, 2012, 12:45 pm 12:45 pm
A person’s sexual preference is his/her own business. We cannot seem to separate the person from his/her sexuality and it seems only to be the case with gay people. Being gay does not make anyone less of a person.
Posted by: carole | February 8, 2012, 12:59 pm 12:59 pm
One Million Moms… What’s the deal? Is Ellen being gay going to influence your little girls to be gay? Is she going to turn your little boys into pansies or drag queens? Is her lifestyle going to be the downfall of American civilization or influence the stellar values of this nation and its leaders? Give me a break. these One Million Moms need to get a life.
Posted by: NoSpin1600 | February 8, 2012, 1:02 pm 1:02 pm
Wow – this was an organization promoted by ABCNews. For weeks they ran photos of Diane Sawyer and Robin Roberts with “one million” written on their hands. I have to say that if I am disappointed in their affiliation/promotion of such an organization, and it makes me want to switch to CBS or NBC!
I was a fan of JCP before this, and I will continue to spend my hard-earned cash there.
Posted by: Colleen | February 8, 2012, 1:06 pm 1:06 pm
I believe JCP has hit the jackpot with their transformation. I also applaud them for the recognition of the need to start promoting and selling “Made in America” products. Penneys is the all-American store. Ellen is excellent at what she does and is a good spokesperson as well. She also is a spokesperson for Cover Girl Cosmetics. Her sexual orientation is no skin off of my nose and doesn’t bother me or deter me from purchasing from a store that I really like.
Posted by: howdymo1 | February 8, 2012, 1:24 pm 1:24 pm
You have a great point there Colleen! I never even thought of that. I wonder what other celebs attached to the one million moms org. is thinking. I remember seeing Jennifer Garner with that written on her hand as well (on this ABCNews website of course). People need to grow up and realize that they should make decisions for themselves. It shouldn’t matter who is selling what. If you like that store or product then by all means buy or shop there…or don’t. Maybe they should spend more time worrying about helping children in America rather than using their resources on this crap.
Posted by: Ash | February 8, 2012, 1:28 pm 1:28 pm
I sincerely doubt that Diane Sawyer or Robin Roberts would promote them today after their stance on Ellen and JC Penny. I like Ellen, I like JC Penney, I like Diane Sawyer and I like Robin Roberts. I will continue to support them all. I am sure the one million Mom’s does some good work but they need to take a closer look at themselves to see if they are fighting for the right things.
Posted by: Nancy | February 8, 2012, 1:33 pm 1:33 pm
@ Nancy…Diane Sawyer has a husband….She’s not gay. Secondly, I don’t care who people are attracted to as long as they’re good people. Way to go JC Penney!!!!!
Posted by: TW | February 8, 2012, 1:50 pm 1:50 pm
WAY TO GO, JCPENNEY! WAY TO GO, ELLEN!!! WOOHOOO!!!!!
And for 1MMoms and the idiots who think being gay is a ‘lifestyle’ — BOO. I wish you people would do some reading and research and hard thinking outside the box. Let me ask you this:
WERE YOU STRAIGHT PEOPLE BORN THAT WAY, OR DID YOU CHOOSE THAT LIFESTYLE?!? WHEN DID YOU DECIDE TO BECOME STRAIGHT?!?!?
NOW YOU THINK ABOUT THAT!!!
Posted by: DIANE SMITH | February 8, 2012, 1:53 pm 1:53 pm
I am a conservative, but I can’t understand this stance by a so-called “conservative group.” This is not conservatism, it is just hate.
Posted by: southerngrl100 | February 8, 2012, 2:09 pm 2:09 pm
WAY TO GO, JCPENNEY! WAY TO GO, ELLEN!!! WOOHOOO!!!!!
woopee woopee, let’s all go dress up like freaks and parade down the street hand in hand. In Frisco, maybe?
Posted by: The Snake | February 8, 2012, 2:24 pm 2:24 pm
I’m a guy that likes girls & 1 of the girls I like is Ellen. She’s a nice gal. These million moms who hate on Ellen are a bunch of bigots. They’ve picked on one of the wrong persons because a lot of people, both gay & straight people, like Ellen. She’s funny, harmless, & nice. She’s not a pig like bigot million moms are. Million moms may be violating tort law since they’re interfering with her job contract. You’re allowed to protest something. You’re allowed to try to get someone fired, but you’re NOT allowed to try to get someone fired for an ILLEGAL REASON. If there are gender-orientation laws in the location where Ellen & Pennys contracted then million moms attempts to get her fired may be an illegal interference with her employment contract. I think she should talk to a lawyer & if million moms are violating her rights she should sue them just like african americans have sued white KKK members. Winning these types of legal actions against bigots is a way to reduce bigotry.
It’s unamerican to try to get someone fired from his/her job for no good reason. We are in a bad economy & these million moms are spoiled evil haters to want to cause another human being to lose her job over her harmless personal sex life. Ellen does not have sex with minors. Ellen is not breaking any laws. Million moms are bigotted to the point of pure evil. What one million moms is saying in a nutshell is that gay people should not be allowed to have jobs. And then these same conservative haters will gripe about having to pay them welfare. So basically these teaparty religious
Posted by: russell dee | February 8, 2012, 3:18 pm 3:18 pm
Will Robin Roberts continue to support one million moms after this drama with JcPenney’s? She cancelled her speaking engagement at the Chick-fila leadership conference because of their stance against the gay community. Much respect for her but wonder what she thinks about this issue.
Posted by: Delta | February 8, 2012, 3:20 pm 3:20 pm
one million moms is a bunch of tea-party radicals who are basically saying that gays should not be allowed to earn a loving by way of a job. Then these same tea-partiers will gripe if gays then resort to welfare. Basically, tea-party types do not allow gays to earn a living and won’t allow gays to get government financial support either. These tea-partiers are evil bigots for sure. They are basically trying to starve gays. Give me a break! These tea-partiers are filled with hate over grown adults having harmless adult sex. Ellen is not breaking any laws. Tea-partiers are interfering with her job because of her harmless personal sex life. Tea-partier christians are hate-filled bigots.
Posted by: russell dee | February 8, 2012, 3:30 pm 3:30 pm
Please note that the “Million Moms Challenge” that Diane Sawyer and Robin Roberts are part of is not connected in *any way* to the “One Million Moms” group. The names are similar – that’s the only connection. :) The “Million Moms Challenge” is jointly sponsored by the United Nations and ABCNews, while the “One Million Moms” group is part of the American Family Association. Just a coincidence.
Posted by: David | February 8, 2012, 3:37 pm 3:37 pm
The “Million Moms Challenge” promoted by ABC News and Robin Roberts/Diane Sawyer is a COMPLETELY different cause and group than “One Million Moms” right wing hate group protesting Ellen. Unfortunate name similarity that ABC should clarify with a statement!
Posted by: MonaF | February 8, 2012, 3:39 pm 3:39 pm
re: confusion about the name.
The one million moms group on facebook with 40k members and a related website – it’s NOT THE SAME GROUP which is an organization sponsored by ABC news and the United Nations Foundation dealing with women’s and children’s issue advocacy. To me, it sounds like a good cause.
So it would seem the on air personalities and celebrities who have the words “million moms” written on their hands obviously have no beef with Ellen or gays.
Was the “one million moms” group on facebook possibly created to redirect interested people from the legit cause?
Posted by: calibrayn | February 8, 2012, 3:42 pm 3:42 pm
I never thought I would say this but I actually agree with Bill O’Reilly on an issue. He was right to compare that Million Mom organization trying to get Ellen fired, to the McCarthy era people who targeted entertainers unjustly.
And as a 25 year married mom of three grown children, I find their premise that gays shouldn’t be allowed to marry absolutely ridiculous.
Even my elderly 85 mother-in-law who was against gay marriage until she started watching Ellen’s show, has changed her mind. There are so many people who don’t personally know any gay people who, by watching her show see the truth that gay people are just like straight people. As it has happened many times in history people fear what they don’t really know much about.
Ellen has done so much good in opening people’s eyes by hosting her show.
Posted by: Librarian53 | February 8, 2012, 3:46 pm 3:46 pm
Oh lord… More people from the 19th century time capsule.
Good for Ellen on responding in her typical classy and humerous way. JC Penneys made a good decision to use her as a spokesperson. She’s kind, generous, intelligent, and funny without having to use bad language or crass jokes.
Posted by: E | February 8, 2012, 3:55 pm 3:55 pm
All these comments and only one even acknowledges Bill O’Reilly’s stance. The left is so eager to cast all conservatives (Tea-partiers, Republicans, even Libertarians) as hate groups, they don’t know what to say when a leading pundit on the right sides with them. Sick. Sorry to upset your hate rhetoric, but most conservatives care about the economy and foreign policy and have no interest in attacking gay rights. Do try to remember that the large majority of Muslims and Catholics (not exactly leaders in gay-tolerance or women’s rights) voted for Obama in the last election. Your side spews more hate than the right by a long-shot. Just ask the nice people at Susan G. Komen who dared to prioritize curing breast cancer over abortions-on-demand and saw their organization crippled by liberal hit-squads.
Posted by: David | February 8, 2012, 4:43 pm 4:43 pm
Too many holier than thou zealots. I do what is best for me not what domestic terrorist groups dictate.
Posted by: Tim C | February 8, 2012, 4:43 pm 4:43 pm
Actually, 40,000 “rounded to the nearest million” becomes ZERO. The so-called “One Million Moms” has ZERO influence because millions of other moms (plus dads, siblings, and friends) either support Ellen or just happen to like J.C. Penney regardless of who appears in its ads.
Posted by: Dale_Auburn | February 8, 2012, 4:53 pm 4:53 pm
I love Ellen and I’ll love JCP too. Million Mom? That’s just sad. I hope they are not real moms or at hope all their kids are grow-ups and they have nothing better to do.
Posted by: julie | February 8, 2012, 5:08 pm 5:08 pm
I LOVE JC PENNY AND ELLEN. Stick that in your pipe you bored MOMMY’S!
Posted by: SinTexas | February 8, 2012, 5:11 pm 5:11 pm
Proverbs 16:25 (NKJV)
“There is a way that seems right to a man,
But its end is the way of death.
Posted by: NewUnion | February 8, 2012, 6:24 pm 6:24 pm
I know one million women who really need to lose the apron and get out of the house more.
Posted by: Riley | February 8, 2012, 7:04 pm 7:04 pm
Good job Ellen,
Those that attack you are bigots and have no idea of what it is to be part of the human race. I will patronize Pennys’ more often.
Aloha
Posted by: vet2640 | February 9, 2012, 12:52 am 12:52 am
If they want to boycott that is fine – however, they do not have the right to demand she be fired – Ellen has not done anything wrong. This is like a witch-hunt – if ‘the moms’ don’t want to shop there that’s their right, but they do not have the right to demand anyone be fired for being an American. Go Ellen, Go JC Penney’s – I have more incentive than ever to shop your store.
Posted by: independentthinker | February 9, 2012, 7:36 am 7:36 am
Ellen is inspirational and is my role model. If I could be even 1/3 the person she is I would be happy. She is what is right in this country and 1MM is what is all wrong. I hope 1mm uderstand what they have just created for themselves. If you have a problem with someone maybe it should be a dog killer that is allowed to make millions throwing a pigskin or a university football coach who was allowed to rape young boys. Oh and when I last checked both of these men are striaght monsters.
Posted by: Educator | February 9, 2012, 2:31 pm 2:31 pm
Oh, those are certainly great Moms — teach your children to hate. (sarcasm off now)
I haven’t done much shopping at Penny’s in the last couple of years. I’ll be making it a priority to stop by soon.
Posted by: Joyce | February 9, 2012, 10:46 pm 10:46 pm
I don’t care myself, but the Million Moms, moron Bill O’Reilly, are not saying “don’t hire gays”, they are saying “don’t hire openly gay SPOKESMEN OR WOMEN” as role models for my kids. They have the right to that opinion, and the right to boycott a store they disagree with. Like my dropping any support for Lance Armstrong after he abandoned his young adopted kids and wife, dropping the wrist band etc, we all the right to support or not whomever we wish.
So, O;Reilly, don’t be a sloppy thinker.
Posted by: Perspective | February 10, 2012, 10:31 am 10:31 am
“Free speech is for me but not you!” That’s what I’m hearing. Any group can advocate what they would like, even illegal things (e.g. NAMBLA). I’m not sure how that relates to McCarthyism. They are not personally attacking Ms DeGeneres, but rather the company for a hire they feel is immoral. It is like Planned Parenthood going after the Komen Foundation for something they feel is a moral issue. Whoops. That was a bad analogy because PP did attack an individual personally. Funny how the left gets away with this stuff, but the right is “called to repentance.” Oh well, the double standard continues.
Posted by: Matt Logan | February 10, 2012, 1:02 pm 1:02 pm
Glenn Beck defended Ellen too! His site is now filled with hateful comments from his listeners, making it clear that it is not okay with them that he defended her.
Posted by: DoTheMath | February 10, 2012, 3:03 pm 3:03 pm
Why are people so dishonest whenever they talk about Bill O’Reilly?
He’s an independent kind of guy, he’s not ideological- which is why you got the feeling; he doesn’t like too much Michelle Bachman, or Rick Santorum- because they are too ideological.
He’s stated in one of his books, how he feels gays shouldn’t be denied the happiness of marriage.
Posted by: Seth | April 6, 2012, 8:10 pm 8:10 pm