`Ellen' Gets Pink Slip As ABC Cancels Sitcom
HOLLYWOOD - In an anticipated move that has nevertheless disappointed some gay-rights activists, ABC has canceled "Ellen," a program that became a national bellwether for public acceptance of homosexuals as prime-time television's first series featuring an openly gay lead character.
Producers of the show and its star, Ellen DeGeneres, learned of the decision late Wednesday.
DeGeneres was quoted in today's Daily Variety saying, "I loved doing the show every week. This was an important chapter of my life, and although I'm disappointed the show was canceled, I look forward to moving beyond the stereotype."
"We all knew it was coming," said executive producer Tim Doyle. "I just thought the timing was weird, because they had always told us they wouldn't make a decision until the schedule (for next season) was set in May."
The "coming out" of the character played by DeGeneres spurred widespread public debate when broadcast a year ago, while leading to renewed charges that the entertainment industry doesn't reflect traditional values.
The Southern Baptist Convention cited the program and "gay-friendly" policies of the Walt Disney Co. - which produces "Ellen" and owns ABC - in urging members last year to boycott the company.
Despite the controversy surrounding "Ellen," Disney and ABC officials have consistently stressed that the comedy's future hinged on its ratings, not political considerations.
Fueled by vast media coverage and DeGeneres' revelation of her own homosexuality, more than 36 million people tuned in the episode in which her character came out as a lesbian, making it one of the most-watched television programs of the season; however, ratings quickly subsided and continued to diminish throughout the current year.
As a result, few expected the program to be renewed, though national organizations such as the Human Rights Campaign and the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation continued to lobby on its behalf.
While saying she understood ABC's decision, GLAAD Executive Director Joan M. Garry said the series "made history and changed hearts and minds. We really wanted to see that work continue." Garry added that she felt "Ellen" would ease the way for future depictions of gay and lesbian characters on television. Several new shows featuring prominent roles for gay characters are being considered for next season.
ABC may have acted now so the network can promote a one-hour episode scheduled to be broadcast May 13 as a "series finale," seeking to hype the ratings. The network previously postponed indefinitely plans to air two additional episodes (intended to be aired before the finale), taken at the time as another sign "Ellen's" renewal prospects were dimming.
Doyle, however, maintained those episodes were "purposely being withheld because of the heavy gay content," including a kiss between DeGeneres' character and her lover. Some advertisers had pulled out of the show before due to concerns regarding such content.
DeGeneres could not be reached for comment but has been sharply critical of ABC in the past, saying at an event in March that the network "wanted me to go back in the closet. The writers and I fought every single episode to do what we did."
During this calendar year, "Ellen" averaged less than 11 million viewers, losing more than a third of the audience left over from "The Drew Carey Show," the popular comedy it follows. Normally, a television program dropping more than 20 percent from the preceding program risks cancellation.