Ellen and Simon on Idol Homophobia

Poised to make her big debut as American Idol’s newest judge, Ellen DeGeneres appears on the new cover of Entertainment Weekly with Simon Cowell, the two posing as nice and nasty. Among other things, the polar opposite personalities discuss homophobia on the Idol stage.

Here's an excerpt from their interview.

DeGeneres:Simon, I guess this is as good a time as any to tell you — I’m gay.

Cowell:Are you serious? No one told me that. Let me tell you something: We are the least racist, homophobic show in the world. What we do have, thank God, is a sense of humor. I hate political correctness. I wouldn’t go into any show saying anything is off-limits. If we have to abide by a ton of rules, we might as well call it a day now.

EW:Is that cool with you, Ellen?

DeGeneres: Well, I don’t go by that rule, where there’s no political correctness at all. If we lived in a world where there was no such thing as racism or homophobia, then obviously there would be no off-limits. Unfortunately, there are people in this world that don’t like other people, and that was one of the issues that was brought up about Adam Lambert. So I’m sensitive to it just because I’ve experienced that kind of discrimination. At the same time, the stuff that Simon and Ryan do — none of that has ever been offensive to me. I’m more offended by people who make jokes about something sounding like an animal that’s been caught in a lawn mower or whatever. Because there are sick people out there that would go, “What’s that sound like?”

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Reader Comments

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Name: Tyler
Date posted: 1/10/2010 1:07:03 PM
Hometown: Lancaster

Comment:
This is to Greg M of San Diego, CA. You being in Calif and me being in ultra conservative bible belt PennsyBAMA...I will give you the benefit of the doubt here. But I do disagree w/ you about Ellen. I appreciate her "coffee table" approach. She is appealing to a broad base of people. She has to to have a job! And what she is displaying is that other then sleeping w/ the same sex she is just like every other woman in the world overall. I have been treated terribly by gay men for being hiv poz and chub. I've been told that "A GOOD POZ IS A DEAD POZ" by gay men!!! When I needed help w/ getting my hiv meds here...it was a lesbian who came through for me big time! When gay men were dying 25 yrs ago from AIDS and being rejected by family/friends....it was the lesbians who were being mommies/nurses to these guys! The queers all ran away in fear and denial! So Greg...please get your facts straight and check your history. Thank you. In Peace.
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Name: Greg M
Date posted: 1/10/2010 6:03:23 AM
Hometown: Sun Diego, CA

Comment:
Not to start World War 3 here in Gay.com or anything, but I am not going to be "Politically Correct" with what I am about to say. I am never going to run for office anyway & if I did, I'd probably would not need your vote to win anyway. lol I liked Ellen before she got all into herself by kinda making herself into The Gay Oprah & she should drop straddling the coffee table. That just sickens me as I see her transform more into a diesel dike. From my POV, it seems to me these days that lesbians are just flat out mean & rude. You'd think that they would be nicer go us Gay Men, but I have been noticing lately that they just don't like men period & are usually fighting with their lovers out at the bars anyway. I think they disassociate themselves from the Gay community by preferring being called lesbians instead of gay. What is up with that? Although the hottest most Butch Gay man I ever saw, turned out to be lesbian. Cigs rolled up in a white tee and all. LOL
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Name: Lee Cox
Date posted: 1/9/2010 12:11:58 PM
Hometown: Scottsdale, AZ, USA

Comment:
You must have missed her turn as a guest judge on the US version of So You Think You Can Dance two seasons ago. Frankly, she didn't add much of anything to the panel, in my opinion. Her tendency to ramble endlessly and take forever to make a point really wore on my nerves very quickly, and she showed that she really knows next to nothing about dance. In other words, to me, she bombed spectacularly. I may tune into Idol, though, just to see whether she'll do any better there.
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Name: Jon
Date posted: 1/8/2010 9:38:47 AM
Hometown: Toronto

Comment:
The Dance shows aren't always homophobic. Blake McGrath choreographed a racy group routine for So You Think You Can Dance Canada where a guy is grinding on top of another guy on the floor - it was hot.
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Name: Tim
Date posted: 1/8/2010 1:02:30 AM
Hometown: Vancouver, Canada

Comment:
I agree that the dance shows are extremely homophobic, esp. when judges ridicule male dancers for "booty shakes" or other dance moves they consider to be the sole domain of female dancers. Maybe Ellen or some other beloved gay icon can appear as judges on those shows to challenge such homophobia.
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Name: Scott
Date posted: 1/7/2010 10:09:03 PM
Hometown: Portland

Comment:
Over the years I have heard a few cruel comments directed at contestants percieved sexuality so I agree there is some homophobia on that show. I love Ellen although I have reservations about her musical expertise.
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Name: Phillip
Date posted: 1/7/2010 8:18:28 PM
Hometown: Reseda

Comment:
Ellen is going to make the show about her experiences with airline food.
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Name: Mark
Date posted: 1/7/2010 7:49:23 PM
Hometown: Wappingers Falls

Comment:
I'm so glad that the wonderful Ellen will be a judge on this show. My hope is that when the other two judges mock and yell at a male contestant for being effeminate or a female contestant for being masculaine, Ellen will land a great joke to cut their homphobic pea-brains down to size. I wish she would be a judge on the dance contest shows too. I wonder how many gay kids have killed themselves due to the constant homopobia displayed by judges on these shows.
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Name: Wes
Date posted: 1/7/2010 7:38:40 PM
Hometown: CLT

Comment:
Ellens' publicist deserves some type of award-----she gets herself on here (and other sites) every couple of days. I guess she doesn't believe in over-exposure.
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Name: Carlos
Date posted: 1/7/2010 7:30:57 PM
Hometown: Montreal/Canada

Comment:
Ellen became very ambitious and money hungry. I am not sure if she will do well in the Idol Show... we shall see.

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