Ellen Takes Disapproval of Prop 8's Message to TV

Talk show host helps No on Prop 8 purchase a time slot to air her PSA encouraging Californians to vote against banning gay marriage

By Natalie Finn Oct 17, 2008 11:02 PMTags

Ellen DeGeneres is taking her "no" vote to another level.

The Emmy-winning talk show host has given a reported $100,000 to the No on Prop 8 campaign that will be put toward TV airtime for the PSA she recently shot in support of the cause, whose raison d'être is defeating a November ballot measure that would overturn California's recent legalization of gay marriage.

"In her desire to speak directly to the people of California, Ellen has stepped up as only Ellen can," says campaign director Patrick Guerriero. "Her voice has a tremendous ability to elevate this conversation above the scare tactics and help people understand what's at stake for the people they know and care about. Her generous contribution to the campaign comes just at the right moment—and is done in a way that ensures her conversation with voters continues to Election Day. And it delivers our message that Proposition 8 is unfair and just plain wrong."

"I got to do something this year I never thought I'd ever be able to do: I got married," DeGeneres, who swapped vows with longtime love Portia de Rossi in August, says in the 30-second spot.

"It was the happiest day of my life. There are people out there raising millions of dollars to try and take that right away from me...They're twisting the truth and they're trying to scare you. I believe in fairness. I believe in compassion. I believe in equality for all people."

DeGeneres' $100,000 donation matches contributions made by Brad Pitt, the first A-lister to whip out the big checkbook in support of the cause, and Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw. Fall Out Boy and T.R. Knight have also given five-figure sums to the cause.