Ellen Degeneres Announces Plans To Marry Portia De Rossi (VIDEO)

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Ellen DeGeneres is putting the California Supreme Court ruling in favor of gay marriage into action _ she and Portia de Rossi plan to wed, DeGeneres announced during a taping of her talk show.

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DeGeneres was taping the episode of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" on Thursday, the day the state's high court struck down California laws against gay marriage, and it was to air Friday, a person close to the production said.

The person, who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly, spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.

Citing the court's ruling, DeGeneres said she and girlfriend de Rossi ("Ally McBeal," "Nip/Tuck") would be getting married.

De Rossi, 35, who was in the studio, and DeGeneres, 50, were applauded by audience members, the person close to the production said.

Calls and e-mails late Thursday to DeGeneres' publicist were not immediately returned.

The court ruling means same-sex couples could tie the knot in as little as a month. However, religious and social conservatives are seeking to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot in November that would undo the Supreme Court ruling and ban gay marriage.

DeGeneres has boldly used TV before to make a stand for gay rights.

In 1997, she brought her character on the ABC sitcom "Ellen" out of the closet, making the show the first on prime-time network TV to have an openly gay lead. The move drew cheers from gay civil rights organizations but was condemned by some religious groups.

A month before, DeGeneres had proclaimed from the cover of Time magazine that she was a lesbian.

DeGeneres and the glamorous de Rossi have been a familiar couple at Hollywood events, including the Academy Awards. Previously, DeGeneres had a high-profile relationship with actress Anne Heche.

In a 2005 interview with Allure magazine, the comedian said she hoped she and de Rossi are "together the rest of our lives."

"I never would have thought my life would have turned out this way," DeGeneres told the magazine. "To have money. Or to have a gorgeous girlfriend. I just feel so lucky with everything in my life right now."

Comments

[NoFactsJustTruth]

Good luck to you ladies!

I've said many times, it's an 'activist' judge that will split the frog's hair of EQUAL Civil Rights for 'ALL' citizens in OUR country, and a clear failure to seperation of church and state allowing institutionalized ancient religious bigotry, against same sex couples, into OUR Constitution.

[LairdKeir]

Why on earth is this listed in the "Politics" section?

[dswansoniceman]

Well technically it in entertainment. I guess it's really both. Considering how political gay marraige has become (#1 issue for conservatives these days).
Having Ellen put a face to it will help the gay marriage cause.

[aintnogod]

Look, that Portia has a mean and devious look in her eyes in the photo accompanying the article. If I were Ellen, I'd count my fingers after shaking her hand.

[adamsmith]

They'll be divorced within a year.....M­arriage tends to kill relationships, note the 40% divorce rate...Get a good Prenup Ellen, you're going to need it........­......

[hypnotoad72]

Why would I want to watch or need to know about it? As gays like to say, it's nobody's business and it shouldn't matter.

Also, "marriage" is a religious concept. "civil union" is a political one, by and of and for the people. Those who run the religion can decide who gets married. The people can decide who qualifies for "civil unions". The more *they* want to mix the two words only shows disrespect to those in the religious community, which is why "civil unions" were thrown into "marriage" amendments and the like. Because *they* are so over the top, militant, and ignorant.

[dswansoniceman]

Um.. no. Marriage has been put into the governmental arena. It's a technical term.
You seem to argue government should have nothing to do with marriage, just civil unions. you probably are right on that.
Marriage was originally based on property rights, but has morphed into what it is today.

[hominidx]

Moron.

Since government administrates it at this point, even in your lying about some semantic purity, it is denying equal protection under the law.

Die in a fire.

[SlippingInTheDip]

Portia is looking for a "Sugar Mama"...

[GOPorganizedcrime]

I don't frown upon the fact that Ellen and Portia are Lesbians- good for them if they are both happy- but the age difference is quite a gap with Ellen being a whopping 15 years older than Portia. Age difference aside, I sincerely hope their relationship can stand the test of time. As most divorces can become quite messy and painful whether you are gay or straight.

[john77]

I find it depressing and disconcerting that this attention-grabbing woman Ellen should be the one being spoken about here. Sorry to break the truth to you, folks, but it wasn't Ellen and Portia who won the battle for gay marriage in California. It was someone called Gaffney and his partner. Remember them? They're the ones who actually won the case yesterday.

Ellen and Portia need to keep their noses out of the spotlight for the meantime. They are both trivializing gay marriage and putting the attention back onto themselves. Buzz off, both of you.

[babytomata]

Ellen has a national platform. She can do more to change the hearts and minds of everyday people than a million hard working activists. Both the Gaffney's and the Degeneres are vital to equality. Why would you waste one moment on knocking her down? So sad and divisive.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

I hear ya.
Then again, who will make gay marriage less threatening to the heartland: Gaffney or Ellen?

[hypnotoad72]

More proof that Roseanne was right, and needn't have apologized for her remarks.

[maribelle1963]

Ellen and Portia are *SUPPORTING* Gaffney and partner by stepping into the rights they helped win. They stand in SOLIDARITY TOGETHER, and Ellen's public forum allows more positive attention to shine on the issue.

Gaffney doesn't want rights only for his family, it's not like his copyright is being infringed upon.

Lighten up and toast these awesome women, working in solidarity with their community to celebrate greater rights for all.

[ChiGuy]

Lucky Ellen!

[dswansoniceman]

Yeah, Portia is hot.

[sussex]

I implore all Americans to learn from the grievous lesson of Canada legalizing gay marriage.
Since that terrible day, family values have continued to disintegrate. The divorce rate has quintupled, HIV and STDs have reached epidemic proportions, paralyzing and bankrupting our health care system, wild packs of dogs are roaming the streets, Anne Murray and Celine Dion have stopped singing, maple syrup production has reached a hundred year low and worst of all, the sky is falling over Toronto, Montreal and Calgary! Even our beer is flat!
Don’t let it happen to you, America.

[ChiGuy]

LOL!!!

[ChicagoBob]

Very funny.

I had to read your post twice before I realized you are not a fundamentalist nut case.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Huzzah.
I can only imagine your opinion of national health care.

[SILVANUS]

I even heard that Joni Mitchell sold her home in Vancouver! Egads!
We got the joke--thanks.

[tonygumbrell]

Flat beer too? This is the last straw. I am getting together with the TPB's and we'll brew our own!

[JoeBlows]

This is news? I think the homosexuals should keep to themselves. I have no interest in their activities or ideas. The homosexual community has brainwashed young people to accept, even advocate, their lifestyle as "normal", and it is not.

[LeanLeftAmerica]

how bout u keep to yourself.

[ChiGuy]

Gays would like nothing more than to be left alone, to themselves.
But people like you continue to insist on insinuating your "values" into their lives.

[hypnotoad72]

That's a load of rubbish. Gays say "None of anyone's business" until they themselves troll into every available avenue and say it's their culture to do it in restrooms.­.. even singers who used to say "Does it matter?" now say "I'm here and queer!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!­!!!". Seems a bit conflicting, doesn't it?

And it's not surprising that other people start responding to those self-important people. And none of us likes it when you impose your values of empty morals and diseases into ours either. Especially in those parades, which certainly don't show you're worthy of much. We don't need to see you flashing genitalia or putting up parade floats looking like the same body parts. Pity I stay away from that garbage, otherwise I'd take pictures and videos and denounce it firsthand. Maybe I should, as some wouldn't believe that's what they actually do IN those parades. Pride? How about hubris, selfishness, and arrogance.

Oh, Roseanne was right and should not have to apologize for telling the truth about the narcissism.

[em8chel]

The gay community is secretly compiling a list of homophobes like you. Although homophobes usually turn out to be gay, we'll use voodoo dolls to speed up your homosexualization process. Never underestimate the power of voodoo dolls. Why do you think Ted Haggard turned gay? The Christians may chant and dance around him to make him straight again, but they can't fight the almighty voodoo magic. Once you're bent, you stay Kent!

[em8chel]

Oh wait Barbie's boyfriend is called Ken...so once you're bent, you can't mend...tha­t's better...

[lisakaz2]

Unless it's two hot chicks in a GGW video, right???

[julieeiluj]

"i could have danced all nite, I could have danced all nite, and still have asked for more."

[scottarino]

She's still not funny. Her gayness is her meal ticket.

[monique]

I am so happy for all gay people. But we still have so far to go.

As much as I don't want to vote for Obama, and want to use my right to vote as an opportunity to stay home, protesting the ill treatment that Clinton received in this race -- the issue of gay marriage is one that is so important to me that I hate to see McCain get the opportunity to appoint judges that could amend the Constitution with some right-wing crap defining marriage.

I am heterosexual, but the issue is immensely important, one so close to my heart, because it involves the basics -- civil rights. It ranks right up there with slavery and the right to vote! I find it incredible and cruel that anyone could be so stupid and insensitive to not realize how offensive and downright wrong it is to deny people -- who love each other for christsakes! -- the right to live and love as they please.

It is sad that neither of our democratic candidates can yet -- because of the environment -- even tell the truth, admitting they are for gay marriage. Too many in America are still so close-minded on the issue. Unfortunately, even our enlightened lawmakers must choose their battles wisely. Hopefully soon, our liberal lawmakers will feel free enough to take a stand and start moving this issue forward, giving it the attention it so desperately needs.

I wish happiness and freedom to all the gay

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

It is often left to the courts to restore rights that mob rule (i.e. political kow-towing) would deprive.

[hypnotoad72]

There is far more going on than a fringe issue that affects, what, 2% of the population.

I know Democrats who would kill homosexuals. (Back when I was naive, when a friend found out about my lifestyle choice, he made a threat... took the better part of a decade, but I left that lifestyle and speak against it. Even when I was in it, I was one of a very few that actually gave a darn about civil unions. At this point, I couldn't care less and there are far more issues that affect far more Americans. I'd rather concentrate on those, as an American, than piddle with a bunch of radical fringe narcissists. )

[kellygrrrl]

attn all Gay and Lesbian loving couples

We welcome you with open arms, hearts and minds

Come on over!
Please leave your SUV and gun at home

xo
CALIFORNIA

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

What's a poor SUV-(with-­gun-rack)-­driving "boi" to do?