Katie Couric Ellen Degeneres Talk American Idol and Gay Rights

Katie Couric sat down with Ellen DeGeneres for an in-depth interview about the comedian's journey from coming out on the cover of Time to becoming the host of her own talk show, including her fight for acceptance and compassion.

"I think there are a lot of people who are probably fans of the show, but if their kid came home and said ['I'm gay'] they'd ... It's baby steps, you know," DeGeneres said.

DeGeneres talks about a girl who came to watch a taping of the show and shared that her mother was a huge fan of both hers and Portia's (de Rossi, Ellen's wife). That same mother, DeGeneres added, had chastised her daughter for looking too much like a "dyke."

The two also discuss tolerance and the battle to accept people who don't accept you.

"Let's take, for example, someone who is antigay -- someone who despises homosexuals ... who I am. I have to remind myself, if I hate that person, if I judge that person, I'm the same as them," DeGeneres said.

Couric and DeGeneres also talk about American Idol and same-sex marriage. Watch the clip here.