Ellen DeGeneres' JC Penney Partnership Defended By Bill O'Reilly (VIDEO)

As she endures an anti-gay group's fury over her new JC Penney spokeswoman role, Ellen DeGeneres has found an unlikely advocate -- Bill O'Reilly.

The Fox News commentator came to DeGeneres' defense after conservative group One Million Moms, a division of the American Family Association, pressed JC Penney to replace the comedian and talk show host as their spokesperson because she is a lesbian.

He likened the group's boycott of the Texas-based retail chain after they hired DeGeneres to a "witch hunt." He went on to note, "What is the difference between the McCarthy era of the '50s and the Million Moms saying, 'Hey, JCPenney and all you other stores, don't you hire any gay people. Don't you dare.' What is the difference?"

O'Reilly's comments came during a segment with Fox News contributor Sandy Rios, who argued in favor of the One Million Moms' anti-gay stance on the issue. "The problem is that Ellen DeGeneres has chosen to act out her lesbian lifestyle and marry her partner, it's what that represents," she said. "And the fact that JC Penney is supposed to be middle America, the place where families shop...and people who believe that marriage is between a man and woman and children should not be exposed and propagandized in homosexuality have a moral problem with that."

For her part, DeGeneres -- who previously had addressed the controversy on her television show -- took a moment to give O'Reilly a shout-out, too. "There's somebody else who actually defended me that I'd like to mention: Bill O'Reilly," she is quoted by the International Business Times as saying. "I already sent out a tweet to thank you...and you didn't really make it clear if you were going to shop at JCPenney or not, but if you do, you can use my employee discount any time you want. That's for you, Bill. Thank you so much."

Comments

[RichDavid]

11:39 AM on 03/16/2012

Here we go again....the million morons want to have Ellen fired from her JC Penny role because she is a lesbian! If they only knew all the famous women and men who are lesbian or gay. And all the most famous and celebrated gay people from the beginning of recorded history. These people need to study history and not just read "literally" the Bible. Someday it my occur to them that gay people are "main stream" are "many people you know", are "normal" " , are "your own children", are "real families", are "here to stay" and are :"real Americans".....Too bad they don't get that now!

[jawbonejw]

11:19 AM on 03/16/2012

Obviously, the RIGHT has an issue with this because she won't be having babies. With their effort to strip woman of all health rights, it seems their goal is to pump out children. Look at the latest contraception battle. They probably assume lesbians can't do that. They should focus on cheating on their spouses and stop judging others.

[SukiTheCat]

11:06 PM on 02/28/2012

of all the horrors in today's society, the one thing we should all be super worried about is a woman acting out her lesbian lifestyle for all the God-fearing nuclear families in Middle America! How dare she spread the homosexual agenda with her vile propaganda! Forget all the war in Afghanistan or the dismal state of our economy or global warming, Ellen DeGeneres and her ads for JCP is threatening the very fabric of American society!

[Daniel De Boulet]

05:26 PM on 02/28/2012

Oh gosh. That lesbian liferstyle of hers. She was walking around in the commercial. Like a lesbian. Showing of JCP outfits. Like a Lesbian. Oh gosh she's shoving it down our throats!

[RobH413]

10:19 PM on 02/28/2012

Maybe she was acting out her lesbian lifestyle by having that short haircut. What a dangerous role model for young girls.

[Daniel De Boulet]

10:08 AM on 02/29/2012

We all know girls with short hair are into all kinds of lesbian villainy.

[Kris72]

02:17 PM on 02/28/2012

I must have missed the erotic JCP commercial featuring Ellen acting out her lesbian lifestyle. Oh? There wasn't one? Sounds like a bunch of mom's who like to get together and talk about lesbian activity. Me thinks the ladies doth protest too much.

[SukiTheCat]

11:07 PM on 02/28/2012

just like those virulent gay-bashing Republican politicians that they always catch red-handed with a male lover...

[Tess41]

01:12 AM on 03/01/2012

For every gay rep, you'll find a gay dem. Leave it alone.

[bboyy]

12:56 PM on 02/28/2012

I thought the commercials were better thann the Oscars.

[SukiTheCat]

11:07 PM on 02/28/2012

me too

[elgeezr]

03:28 PM on 02/20/2012

I sure hope JCP stands firm. Ellen is a good person who doesn't deserve to be tarred & feathered by these radicals. Though I don't know what her religious preferences are, if any, she seems to me to be someone who leads a life of high moral standards. Whenever my family shops at JCP we certainly don't wonder if we are going to encounter, God forbid, a gay person. What is usually on our minds is if we can get a bargain or two. The complaints of organizations like this are at the very least silly.

[Huffpo user71]

06:46 PM on 02/19/2012

I am a devout Christian and I applaud JC Penney for standing by Ellen. This million mom's group is a bunch of bigots. If they really wanted to go after a store, go after Sears for promoting the Kardashian trash (IMHO those awful women are not fit to clean Ellen's shoes). I love Ellen, she's fantastic, and talented and I am a huge fan of hers and have been for years. Don't like her lifestyle? Don't shop there. But don't hate. True Christianity at it's core is about LOVE. Not hate or judgement.

[Razpooten]

07:10 PM on 02/11/2012

Your reply to me was removed @Helen Greenfeld; try keeping it civil.

[eve mahar]

02:24 PM on 02/11/2012

Sure, Bill defended her right to be be employed by JC Pennys- but he'd still deny her the right to be married legally if he could. Kinda like people agreed that blacks should have the right to be educated- as long as it was segregated. It's called second class citizens.

[TheEmptyMonty]

01:42 PM on 02/12/2012

Baby steps--- Equality won't come all at once. You're right, but this is still good to see.

[FancyAmerican]

01:13 PM on 02/11/2012

Gay couples raise successful children just as many straight couples.

The only problem with homosexuality in society is a heterosexual's ignorance.

[payingattentionisfree]

12:12 PM on 02/12/2012

Because a person doesn't agree with homosexuality that makes them an ignorant person? I think Ellen is a very funny, sincere, honest and giving person and being a lesbian is a part of who she chooses to be. I don't support homosexual lifestyles but I am not ignorant. Just because I do not agree with you does not make me ignorant. Ellen will make a wonderful spokes person for JC Penny and not because she is or isn't a lesbian. She will make a wonderful spokes person for JCP because she is gifted at this type of venue. If some one disagrees with me about this, does that make that person ignorant? No, it doesn't.

[TheEmptyMonty]

01:44 PM on 02/12/2012

Who she "chooses" to be? Do you honestly think all these kids that have been committing suicide nationally are "choosing" to be gay as well? And while we're on the subject, why exactly is it so easy for you to imagine "choosing" homosexuality? Practice much?

[TVs Scotty J]

02:16 PM on 02/29/2012

"and being a lesbian is a part of who she chooses to be."

The fact that you consider homosexuality a choice shows your ignorance...

[Razpooten]

12:50 PM on 02/11/2012

I never cared for her tacky-preppy look but I applaud Ellen for her representation of the gay community.

[Razpooten]

12:46 PM on 02/11/2012

The christian taliban is reeling back into their caves.

[Tess41]

01:12 AM on 03/01/2012

Now who's the bigot?

[Razpooten]

01:23 AM on 03/01/2012

Do you even understand the term? We are a secular nation.

[kevvone]

12:45 PM on 02/11/2012

Bill O'Reilly was right. If you don't like too bad. Get over it. Just because two people have different lifestyles and at times opposing views on certain issues doesn't mean that there are times where they both actually agree. Bill was being humane and he's a smart guy. Don't always agree with him, but in this case I do.

[Razpooten]

12:37 PM on 02/11/2012

Not sure that McCarthysm is comparable to what the OMMs, other than being antisocial.