Taking Sides in the Ellen-Anne Controversy

I am shocked at the bitter attitudes that the Ellen DeGeneres-Anne Heche interview divulged (“Love Hurts,” by Hilary de Vries, Nov. 29). Ellen is the funniest person I’ve ever laid eyes on, and Anne is one of today’s greatest actresses. These women are heroes for their openess about their sexuality.

Being a lesbian, I know we need to have more heroes in order to end hatred in every realm. I’ve asked myself over and over again, why are these two so damn bitter? All of us experience difficulties everyday.

I happened upon a sign the other day that read: “Count your blessings, don’t compare them.” It’s a saying that seems to apply perfectly to these two, who have experienced opportunities that some of us only dream about.

Tanya Holmberg

Sherman Oaks

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I would be proud to be at one of Ellen and Anne’s dinner parties or to have them at one of mine (except that Anne would have to smoke outdoors).

Keep fighting the good fight. You do have supporters.

Pat Hughes

Culver City

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If Ellen and Anne were really trying to be truthful, they would accept the tumultuous nature of Tinseltown. Their whining about their lack of opportunity because they are openly gay is quite tiresome. Did either woman ever consider--ABC must have--that the show’s cancellation might be a result of waning interest and had nothing to do with the gay issue? Moreover, the couple’s school-yard attacks on other successful industry professionals is rather infantile.

Amy Gandin & Noreen Galvin

GanA[email protected] or city tk

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I’m a fan of both these women, but please, please, please, let’s stop the whining and move on.

I, for one, am quickly losing interest in reading one story after another about their wrenching lives as the downtrodden couple of Hollywood. I also bet that many of the producers, network executives and advertisers that they slam feel the same way.

The funny thing is, both women are whining all the way to the bank. Just spare us from having to hear about the agonizing trip.

Michael Bergin

Los Angeles

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These two delightful, intelligent and talented people have shown courage, and they deserve the respect of decent people. I’ll always be in the audience when one of them is on TV or in a movie.

Everett Mann

Bakersfield

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I hate to break it to Ellen, but I thought that her show was not funny following the coming-out episode. And it wasn’t that I didn’t see the humor because I only saw the gayness; the gayness was not funny.

I was a true blue “Ellen” fan from the start and considered it the funniest show on TV, but something was lost following the big announcement. For one thing, she left out her very funny cast. I’ll really miss those hilarious early episodes. That was brilliance.

Pam Highwart

Long Beach

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The De Vries interview was an affrontary. The graciousness and restraint the couple showed by allowing the writer into their home was met with an assault of insensitive and poorly phrased questions. It seemed that de Vries was baiting them into confrontation. No wonder the two are skeptical of the media.

The charm and good humor the two showed in the face of De Vries’ rude behavior is indicative of the women’s character. It makes one wonder if the interviewer harbors some prejudice of her own.

Michael Feeley

Los Angeles

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Hollywood is behaving toward these two talented women as if it were back in the days of blacklists.

God’s love is unconditional. God accepts us as we are. God loves Anne and Ellen. Casting directors and networks should concern themselves more with talent, not who is sleeping with whom.

Go, girls! Speak true!

Stacey Davis

Lakewood

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I support these women and others of their orientation because it is the proper thing to do. But for them to indulge in the same type of stereotyping that is applied to them only can alienate people already on their team.

I am speaking of Ellen’s remark about having a Republican president. Is it necessary to exclude others to include ourselves?

Shayne Hood

Newhall

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I’m sure that immigrants who are slaving away in Los Angeles-area sweatshops, the South-Central mothers who have lost children in drive-by shootings, and those sick and dying in our hospitals will all agree that there is no agony comparable to that felt by celebrities in Hancock Park mansions.

Douglas McWhirter

Los Angeles

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Anne and Ellen are both doing movies; Anne is directing; Ellen hosted the VH1 Fashion Awards. I should be so ostracized in this industry.

Ellen, your show was canceled because it wasn’t funny anymore.

B. Treutel

Shadow Hills

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One thing you can depend on about the Los Angeles Times Magazine is that it will glamorize evil. Appearing on the cover are two lesbians under the headline “Love Hurts.” It should read “Lust Hurts.” Another article in the same issue is titled “Big Evil’s Ride to Death Row” (by Michael Krikorian) and glamorizes murder.

Don’t virtuous people interest you? They might just interest your readers.

Louise Valle

Los Angeles

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What a great cover photo of the pixie and winsome Anne and Ellen. You’ve come a long way, girls.

Mike Nally

Anaheim

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I was deeply moved by the Ellen and Anne article. It is obvious that these women care a great deal about one another, and I applaud them for standing up for who they are and not giving in to other peoples expectations of who they should be or how they should handle themselves.

Kristy Heppner

Newport Beach

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I’m not sure what Ellen and Anne are griping about. Ellen had a good run on what was at best an average sitcom, and Anne is becoming a ubiquitous film actor.

B. F. Clark

Los Angeles

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Welcome to the real “out” world, Ellen and Anne. Being “out” doesn’t mean that you’re going to be accepted.

Bernadette Armstrong

Hollywood

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With more than 70% of SAG actors making less than $5,000 a year in their chosen profession and with Ellen and Anne having three feature films and two cable deals between them, I find it amazing that they feel shut out. That girl pouring your coffee at your favorite coffee shop, the one who can’t get an agent--she’s the one who’s suffering, girls, not you.

Brian Slavkin

Los Angeles

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Regarding Ellen’s comment that a former writer on her show now works for the “difficult” Drew Carey:

Michael Larsen and I are the only writers on Carey’s show who once worked on “Ellen,” and neither of us have kept in touch with her since our stints there ended. I don’t see how the writer she refers to can even exist.

Perhaps the twin stresses of being shunned by Hollywood and starring in back-to-back movies are playing tricks on her memory.

Richard Day

Co-Executive Producer

“The Drew Carey Show”

Burbank

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Ellen and Anne are fighting a worthwhile fight, but they ought not cheapen their rhetoric with petty complaints already voiced and dismissed ad nauseam.

Payam Minoofar

Los Angeles

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And the Oscar for Best Performance by a Victim” goes to . . . Ellen DeGeneres.

Patrick James

Silver Lake

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Anne would look exquisite if she dyed her hair black. Don’t you agree?

Nelson Kawano

Los Alamitos