
Hollywood, California – Ellen DeGeneres will not host this year’s Oscars after all. The famous lesbian comedienne backed out of her hosting duties in protest of what she called “insensitivity and unfairness” on the part of the Oscar producers. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is scrambling to find a replacement in time for the scheduled show on March 2.
The irreconcilable disagreement with the Academy sprang from a personal request from DeGeneres that she include in her opening monologue an actual marriage ceremony between her and her spouse Portia de Rossi. Although they are already married, DeGeneres wanted to make a public statement in support of same-sex marriage in the country. So far, only 17 of the 50 states have legalized same-sex marriage.
“Hey, if Queen Latifah can officiate marriages during the Grammies, why can’t I marry Portia again in front of millions of television viewers,” DeGeneres told reporters.
For its part the Academy said that it was afraid viewers might tuneout of the Oscars if it granted DeGeneres’ request, especially in the states still opposed to legalizing same-sex marriage. DeGeneres’ response? “Who cares? Nobody lives in those states!”