Comedian/talk show host Ellen DeGeneres attended a football game recently. She was seated next to former US president George W. Bush with whom she apparently got on really well. Ellen didn't throw red paint on him or hold up signs or anything like that. Which kind of pissed off The Washington Post.
But it wasn’t long before confusion transformed into outrage as detractors slammed DeGeneres over appearing to share friendly exchanges with a president who started the Iraq War and once endorsed a constitutional amendment against same-sex marriage. Some noted that Bush also lobbied for Supreme Court Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh, who faced multiple sexual misconduct allegations last year ahead of his confirmation. (Kavanaugh has denied the allegations.)
Sitting side-by-side in black padded seats with prime views of the cavernous stadium were former Republican president George W. Bush and liberal television host Ellen DeGeneres, an outspoken LGBT activist. The pair was joined by their spouses, former first lady Laura Bush and Australian actress and model Portia de Rossi. At one point, DeGeneres and Bush were caught on camera sharing a laugh.
The intense outcry prompted DeGeneres to take time to address her relationship with Bush on her show. In a joke-filled monologue scheduled to air Tuesday, DeGeneres defended her interactions with the former president and urged people to “be kind to everyone.” Bush was a guest on DeGeneres’s show in 2017.
But it wasn’t long before confusion transformed into outrage as detractors slammed DeGeneres over appearing to share friendly exchanges with a president who started the Iraq War and once endorsed a constitutional amendment against same-sex marriage. Some noted that Bush also lobbied for Supreme Court Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh, who faced multiple sexual misconduct allegations last year ahead of his confirmation. (Kavanaugh has denied the allegations.)
Sitting side-by-side in black padded seats with prime views of the cavernous stadium were former Republican president George W. Bush and liberal television host Ellen DeGeneres, an outspoken LGBT activist. The pair was joined by their spouses, former first lady Laura Bush and Australian actress and model Portia de Rossi. At one point, DeGeneres and Bush were caught on camera sharing a laugh.
The intense outcry prompted DeGeneres to take time to address her relationship with Bush on her show. In a joke-filled monologue scheduled to air Tuesday, DeGeneres defended her interactions with the former president and urged people to “be kind to everyone.” Bush was a guest on DeGeneres’s show in 2017.
“During the game, they showed a shot of George and me laughing together and so people were upset,” the host said in an advance clip shared to social media late Monday. “They thought, ‘Why is a gay Hollywood liberal sitting next to a conservative Republican president?’"
She later added: “Here’s the thing, I’m friends with George Bush. In fact, I’m friends with a lot of people who don’t share the same beliefs that I have. We’re all different and I think we’ve forgotten that that’s okay that we’re all different.”
Here's the other thing. It's probably too late for 2020 but 2024 is wide open. So which approach do you think has a better shot at appealing to American voters? Ellen's? She's got enough scratch to pull it off. Or the default Democrat/leftist position these days?
3 comments:
Although I think Ellen did the right thing in this instance, don't forget there was that one time....
Interesting that at the link, TLM, she says we need to respect others' points of view, while saying she rejects Trump and his point of view. Very probably she believes the ugly anti-Trump propaganda as do most Hollywood types.
Katherine, Let's not also forget that as Republicans go, Bush is almost a Democrat. Lots of points of similarity, so Ellen doesn't feel uncomfortable with him. I also think she gave up a tremendous opportunity for ratings by not having Trump as a guest. Can you imagine how many people would have tuned in just for that?
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