'Ellen' canceled; DeGeneres disappointed

April 24, 1998
Web posted at: 8:19 p.m. EDT (0019 GMT)

LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- "Ellen," the television sitcom that was the first with a gay leading character, has been canceled after five seasons.

The ABC show will not return for a sixth season, a network spokeswoman said Thursday, declining further comment.

But comedian Ellen DeGeneres, who played Ellen on the show, said she was disappointed to see the show go. She and the show's producers found out about ABC's decision Wednesday.

"I loved doing the show every week," DeGeneres said. "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. Look for me in my new sitcom, 'Two Girls, a Horse and Some Wine Coolers,'" she joked.

"Ellen" will conclude with a one-hour special May 13, taking viewers through a satirical retrospective of her career. Guest stars will include Jennifer Aniston, Glenn Close and Phil Donahue.

No other original episodes will air this season. The sitcom "Two Guys, A Girl and a Pizza Place" has been aired in "Ellen's" place in the 9:30 p.m. ET Wednesday time slot for several weeks.

Coming-out episode put show in spotlight

The program became the subject of national debate when Ellen announced her sexual orientation a year ago.

More than 36 million people watched the April 30, 1997, episode when Ellen revealed her sexual orientation, making it one of the most viewed moments in television history.

Since then, however, the show's ratings have been disappointing. This year, "Ellen" averaged fewer than 11 million viewers, a 22 percent drop over the previous year.

The sitcom made its debut in 1994 with DeGeneres' character, Ellen Morgan, playing a young, heterosexual bookstore owner. But the actress and her character both came out as lesbians last season.

DeGeneres and the network have since disagreed over the show's content, including whether a kiss between women could be aired.

A disappointment but not a surprise

The coming-out episode and the series' content also brought criticism from groups like the 15 million-member Southern Baptist Convention. The group urged members to boycott the Walt Disney Co., which produces the show and owns ABC, for its "gay-friendly" policies.

Joan Garry, executive director of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, said the cancellation was a disappointment but not a surprise.

"We're all disappointed ABC made a decision based on ratings. We really wish that they had seriously considered the impact of Ellen's work and looked at it from a broader perspective," she said.

"The show may have been canceled, but I think she gave a gift to gay and straight Americans, and that's a legacy that the cancellation cannot take from her," Garry said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

 

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