Ellen DeGeneres and longtime girlfriend Portia de Rossi are jumping at the chance to get married. DeGeneres announced their engagement during a Thursday taping of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," telling the studio audience the news that the California Supreme Court had struck down state laws against gay marriage. "So I would like to say now, for the first time, I am announcing: I am getting married," she said during the show, airing Friday. The studio audience leapt to its feet for a long ovation, and De Rossi ("Ally McBeal," "Nip/Tuck") was sitting in the audience, beaming and clapping. Then DeGeneres cracked: "Thank you. I'll tell you who the lucky guy is soon." 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, 50, 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, 50, and the glamorous de Rossi, 35, have been a familiar couple at Hollywood events, including the Academy Awards. Previously, DeGeneres had a high-profile relationship with actress Anne Heche. Continued... |