Those who watched, what did you think? I loved it. I really liked the cast. The writing was 1000 times better than "Ellen" (which started off good but got progressively worse). Her new show has a "Newhart" feel, sort of. I laughed out loud a few times. Like when her sister was pointing out her new boyfriend and it turned out to be the cotton candy salesman and not the yuppie. Although I saw that one coming a mile away. Ellen's reaction was priceless. And the whole butch gym teacher interaction with Ellen, hilarious. Anyway, I'm a huge fan of Ms. Degeneres so thumbs up here.

I had a bet with some friends over how long it would take her to say, "I'm gay". It came around 6mins into the episode. A new record.

I'll pass on this one.

I found it fairly funny but I couldn't get away from the fact that it seemed like I was watching the same show with a different supporting cast (sadly without the busty Joely Fisher ).

I will say it was better than the final season of the old show that moved away from entertainment into some strange form of televised activism.

Hmmm...I don't get it. Would you have been happier if she just played a straight character? Why should she hide her sexual orientation? I got the idea this wasn't going to be a show all about being gay, but rather a show with a gay character at its center, so why should they not just say it and get on with the show?

It wasn't bad, but it wasn't the best 30 minutes of my life. Or even the best 30 minutes of my day. I don't hate it, but I bet it'll be cancelled soon.

What channel / timeslot is this on?

Personally I could care less if she's gay, straight, bi, hemaphroditic, whatever. But the fact that she makes an issue out of it makes it seem like she's using the show as an advocacy platform, and frankly I'm not interested

How many other shows come on where characters make an effort to point out their sexual orientation within the first few minutes of the show? Not many [any] I suspect.

So she was never supposed to indicate one way or another what sexual orientation she was? I didn't think she was making an issue out of it, rather getting it out of the way so she can be a lesbian character in a sitcom rather than a character in a lesbian sitcom.

As for your question, I can name plenty of other shows that have characters make an effort right away to point out their sexual orientation. Thing is, many of them are straight people and I guess it's ok for a hetero person to show they are hetero right off the bat such as Sam Malone in Cheers, Hawkeye in MASH, or other ladies men in sitcoms. They often from right off the bat have been pursuing women in extreme, comical, sitcom-ish ways. How is that any different from just saying "I'm a lesbian" or "I am gay." Oh, I know. The way Ellen did it had a little more dignity.

Like I said before, I could care less what someone is, and I think most people are the same way. If you want to make an issue out of your sexuality you obviously have other things going on.

Not many folks go around saying "I'm gay" or "I'm straight" in the first few minutes of casual conversation. It sounds stupid, and just a bit conceited.

What exactly are we talking about here? You're right, no one says I'm straight or I'm gay in the first few minutes of a conversation. And neither does Ellen. It was used on her show because her former boyfriend asked her point blank if he stood a chance with her when he found out she was single. To which she replied...... This certainly wasn't blurted out when someone asked her if she wanted a Pepsi or a Coke. As Badger has pointed out, this was done so she would be a lesbian character in a sitcom and not sitcom about a lesbian. They just simply got that out of the way. Because no one (including Ellen) wanted a repeat of what happened towards the end of her last show. Something even she admits may have been too much. If you're referring to Ellen admitting she was gay in real life, well, that's part of coming out. And if she wasn't a celebrity, you would have never heard about it everywhere you did.

I know what she said, and in the context it was said on the show. It just seems to me, that in normal conversation, if I was put into that situation you just answer, "No". You don't need to explain yourself, as if saying "I'm gay" as an excuse. Normal people just don't behave that way.

The issue here isn't that Ellen's gay. What bugs me is that she's so militant about it, like she's the center of the universe and people care. Well, I don't, I certainly don't find it amusing, and I know alot of other people don't either.

I don't even know where to begin with that response Eric F. It's just so ridiculous on so many levels. Badger, care to take this one?

Yeah, nice response.

I can see where you're coming from, especially from your responses on the other thread. Someone doesn't agree with you and they're automatically a homophobe. Heard it all before.

You have no idea where I'm coming from. The person in question on the other thread didn't agree or disagree with anything I or anyone else said. They just made one inflammatory remark, period. I could care less if anyone thinks Ellen is funny or not. Just like you claim you don't care if Ellen is gay or not. But I will speak up when I see pointless and juvenile name calling.

I'd really like to know how old you are and where you live based on your response from before. Where you claim something is abnormal because YOU wouldn't respond that way. And saying Ellen is militant and thinks she's the center of the universe. That's just plain laughable. I live in a major city, Washington D.C., where I see dozens of openly gay people everyday. And I can tell you Ellen is no where near militant. You deduce this because she has come out on her show and in real life? My friend, you wouldn't know a militant lesbian if she came up and kicked you in the ass with her steel toed shoe. If you don't care, and it bugs you, don't watch her freakin' show! It's really simple. God I hope you never catch an episode of "Will and Grace".

Now, I didn't start this thread to talk about or defend Ellen's sexual preference. Because I don't care and I don't think it's relevant. I'm here to talk about her new show and wanted to know what everyone thought about it.

Actually, I just have to say that "normal" person would act that way in that situation. Some people would just say no and others would explain they are gay or lesbian so the person doesn't keep trying for something they aren't very likely to get. The thing is, it's no big deal Ellen's character is a lesbian, so it should be no big deal to tell somebody that in the show. There's nothing wrong with being a lesbian or a gay and saying you are a lesbian or are gay. I certainly don't think she is being "militant" about it either.

Actually, if you want to see a show that is all about gays, check out Will and Grace, a show that I can't stand whatsoever. Part of it is because it seems like that aspect is about 90 percent of the show's humor. The other problem I had with it is all the carciatures of gay people it portrays. I keep reading in EW about how it's a great sitcom that shows gays in a positive light, but half of what I ever see when I have seen that show is so far out there I don't see how many gays and lesbians could be proud of it. I know several gays and one lesbian woman and nearly all of my friends in the past who were gay certainly did not act like the stereotypes they riddle that show with. If you want a show that is "in your face" with its homosexuality, that is a better example than "Ellen."