"The Puppy Episode" is the title of the twenty-second and twenty-third episodes of Season 4 of Ellen and the show's eighty-fourth and eighty-fifth episodes overall. It is a two part episode and originally aired on April 30, 1997 on ABC.
Plot[]
Part One[]
A visit from Richard, an old boyfriend, and his female boss, Susan, cause Ellen to gradually realize she's gay. Ellen has dinner with Richard but winds up having a late-night conversation with Susan, whom she senses to be a kindred spirit, after being unable to have sex with Richard.
Confused by this startling self-discovery, Ellen seeks the guidance of yet another therapist and braces herself for yet another moment of truth in her life.
Part Two[]
A nervous Ellen comes out to all of her friends and they all take it surprisingly well, with the exception of Paige, who seems to have a hard time dealing with the idea.
Ellen believes herself to be getting closer to Susan, but is disappointed to learn that Susan is in a long-term committed relationship.
Quotes[]
Audrey, Paige and Spence are waiting for Ellen to get ready for her date and come out of the office at the bookstore. Spence: She's been in there forever. Paige: Ellen, are you coming out or not?! Joe: Yeah, Ellen, quit jerking us around and come out already! Ellen opens the door and sticks her head out. Ellen: What is the big deal? I've got a whole hour! |
Ellen: Susan, hi. Uh...can-can I talk to you, just, quickly before you-you leave? Susan: Yeah, listen, I'm-- Ellen: No, no, no, no, please, please, please let me just talk. Susan: Okay. Ellen: Um...you know how, uh, you know, you said in the room, you know, that you thought maybe I was...and I said, "no, no, no, no"? Well, um...uh...I--I was thinking about it, you know? And I think that maybe I'm, um...I am, uh...I-I guess what I'm trying to say is...I did get the joke about the toaster oven. There is a pause and Susan nods. Susan: So, are you saying what I think you're trying to say? Ellen: What do you think I'm trying to say? Susan: Oh, I'm not going to say it again and be wrong... Ellen: No! You're not wrong. You're right. Um...This is, uh...this is...this is so hard, but I...I think I've realized...that I am...I can't even say the word. Why can't I say the word? I mean, why can't I just say...I mean, what is wrong that, why--why do I have to be so ashamed? Why can't I just say the truth? I mean, be who I am? I'm 35 years old, and so afraid to tell people. I mean, I just... Ellen unknowingly leans over and turns on the microphone. Ellen: Susan...I'm gay. Everyone in the room is now watching as they hug. Ellen: That felt great! That felt so great! ...and it felt...so loud...Well, I guess you have to get on the plane, don't you? Susan: ...No. Ellen looks at her blankly Ellen: ...what? Susan: I'm not leaving for another three days. I got a lot of work to do here...So...wanna get some coffee or something? Ellen (nonchalantly): Yeah, okay, I guess, yeah. Sure. Susan: Okay! Susan walks past Ellen, and we see her smile broadly before turning to follow her. |
Audrey: The man has oppressed our people long enough. United we stand. Divided we fall. Queer nation one and all. Ellen: For the last time, Audrey, you're not a lesbian. Audrey: Well, I could be if it wasn't for my insatiable appetite for men. |
Therapist: So, obviously you didn't "click" with Richard. Ellen shakes her head |
Paige: I still can't believe that Ellen is gay. Spence: Well, I always thought for a while she might be. I mean, she could always run faster than I could, throw a ball farther, climb a tree faster... |
Trivia[]
- This episode was titled as it was because the series so lacked direction that an ABC executive suggested character Ellen Morgan adopt a puppy. In the weeks before it aired, DeGeneres teased reporters looking for a scoop about the character's coming out by claiming that all that would happen in the episode would be Ellen getting a puppy. DeGeneres also said things like, "Yes, the rumors are true; we'll be revealing that my character is Llll...ebanese. No, we're adding a new character named Les Bian."
- With 36.20 million viewers, this was the highest-rated episode of Ellen to ever air. The episode also won multiple awards, including two Emmy awards: one for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series and one for Outstanding Editing for a Series - Multi-Camera Production.
- Ellen's real life mother, Betty DeGeneres, can be seen as one of the background characters boarding the plane immediately after she comes out as gay over the loudspeaker.
Opening Credits Gag[]
A card with "Ellen" written in red is shown propped in a chair next to a mug and a stack of books on a table.
Cast[]
- Ellen DeGeneres as Ellen Morgan
- Joely Fisher as Paige Clark
- David Anthony Higgins as Joe Farrell
- Clea Lewis as Audrey Penney
- Jeremy Piven as Spence Kovak
- Laura Dern as Susan
- Steven Eckholdt as Richard
- k.d. lang as Janine
- Oprah Winfrey as Therapist
- Patrick Bristow as Peter Barnes
- Patrick Harrigan as Waiter
- Jack Plotnick as Barrett
- Betty DeGeneres as Woman at Airport (uncredited)
- Melissa Etheridge as Herself (uncredited)
- Jorja Fox as The Attractive Woman (uncredited)
- Gina Gershon as The Cashier (uncredited)
- Leisha Hailey as Woman in Gay Bar (uncredited)
- Demi Moore as The Sample Lady (uncredited)
- Kathy Najimy as Woman in Gay Bar (uncredited)
- Jenny Shimizu as The Woman in the Aisle (uncredited)
- Billy Bob Thornton as The Grocer (uncredited)
- Dwight Yoakam as The Bag Boy (uncredited)