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NBC announced on Tuesday it had picked up "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," an hour-long syndicated talk show that will air five days a week, in all 14 NBC-owned and -operated stations in 30 percent of the country. The show, set to debut this fall, will see DeGeneres interviewing celebrities and pop culture newsmakers, as well as stirring things up with her piercing wit.
"What's great about Ellen hosting is that she's being Ellen DeGeneres. She's not a character like Ellen Morgan (on 'Ellen'), which frankly is going to lead to a big success," said Scott Seomin, entertainment media director for the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD). "She's best in front of a microphone being Ellen and giving her skewed rambling observations on life and relationships."
Unlike Rosie O'Donnell or Charles Perez (of "The Charles Perez Show" and "American Journal") who were not out when their talk shows launched, DeGeneres will be the first talk show host to be openly gay at the launch of a show, according to Seomin.
"Ellen is easily the most recognizable lesbian in this country. The viewers at home knows they're watching a lesbian," Seomin said. "She doesn't have to talk about her girlfriend or sex life. She's not threatening. Men and women, both gay and straight, like her."
Premiering this fall, "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" will hit major cities including New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Miami. Other smaller markets that will air Ellen's new show include Columbus, Ohio; Birmingham, Ala.; and Raleigh, N.C.
"Ellen is as big of a name and, more importantly, as big of a talent as syndicated television has seen hit the airwaves in a very, very long time," said Dick Robertson, president, Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution.
While DeGeneres bristled many conservative American viewers back in 1997 when she publicly came out on her self-titled sitcom, things may be different now.
"I think this is a different time. There was a Birmingham affiliate that didn't air an 'Ellen' episode, but I believe we're in a very different place," Seomin said. "She's so nonthreatening and likable. If there are affiliates that won't carry her because she's a lesbian, they'll have GLAAD to deal with."