The Associated Press reported in 1997-MAR-3 that ABC will broadcast a show on April 30 that will have Ellen talk to a therapist about her attraction to a lesbian. Oprah Winfrey will play the role of the therapist; Laura Dern will play Ellen's love interest. Reaction to ABC's announcement was mixed:

	Chastity Bono, spokeswoman for the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation said "I think it's going to be a very positive event for the gay and lesbian community."
	Rev. Donald Wildmon, head of the American Family Association has threatened to organize an advertiser boycott if "Ellen" comes out. [As a general rule, we have noted that conservative Christian groups have no objections to gays and lesbians being shown in unsympathetic roles (e.g. homicidal maniacs). But they become very distressed when they are portrayed accurately, as decent, likable characters.]
	On 1997-MAR-26, the Boston Globe's Names & Faces column described Jerry Falwell's comments on "Ellen". He urged people attending a conservative conference in Albany to write letters of complaint to General Motors, Chrysler, and Johnson & Johnson's urging them to stop sponsoring the program.
	The 1997-APR-14 issue of Newsweek commented that the show was beginning to get stale. At one point, the producers suggested to the TV network that Ellen get a puppy. This became an inside joke when the coming out show became known as the "Puppy Episode". Disney rejected the first draft of the show because it was focused on how Ellen's friends reacted to her disclosure. When re-written, it dealt mainly with Ellen's own feelings There will be cameo appearances by Demi Moore, Billy Bob Thornton and by some lesbian friends: Melissa Etheridge and k. d. lang.
	On 1997-APR-13, the American Family Association issued an AFA ACTION ALERT bulletin about the show. They were "pleased to announce to our AFA team that Mr. Jerry Heilman, ABC's WBMA President and General Manager in Birmingham, has taken the [moral] high road...". WMBA will not be airing the Ellen episode. The AFA included an Associated Press article. ABC has not heard whether any of its other 222 affiliates will censor the show. WBMA first asked for permission to air the show at 11:30 PM rather than the normal time of 8 PM, but the network would not allow it. Kim Mills of the Human Rights Campaign complained, stating that "The viewing public can make its own decision on whether to watch this episode or not." The AFA applauded WBMA saying "I think it's great news that an ABC affiliate has chosen not to go along with Disney and ABC's big celebration of lesbianism." But Birmingham will not be completely blacked out. The AFA mentioned that the Birmingham Pride Alabama and the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation plan to show the episode at the Alabama Theater by satellite feed. WBMA has also set up an Email address for comments. Send your comments to: ellen@abc3340.com
	On 1997-APR-14, a New York Times column by Frank Rich was reprinted in the Globe and Mail, a Toronto ON newspaper. He referred to a parallel between this show and the "I Spy" series of 1965; Bill Cosby was the first black lead in TV history. He concluded: "The extent to which that act [of 'coming out'] makes a difference in the lives of today's young and frightened gay Americans will determine whether it is a landmark in the history of cultural civil rights or of show-business hype.
	Also on APR-14, a Globe and Mail TV reviewer, John Cuff, wrote: "It's difficult to stifle a sense of outrage when some self-righteous, Bible-packing demagogue denounces DeGeneres just because she likes to have sex with women, something that about half the population - including heterosexual red-neck preachers - loves to do. This foofaraw over a gay woman is merely indicative of how conflicted and deeply repressed US culture remains after more than two centuries. Any culture that sanctifies gun ownership, routinely exploits murder and mayhem, worships the money and affluence gained in part by the brutal exploitation of the labour forces of developing countries and then gets its knickers in a knot over women making love to women or men making love to men, is deeply sick and in need of therapy."