Clip: 1997, ELLEN's faux lesbian kiss

TODAY IN QUEER TV HISTORY ELLEN: "Roommates" - 10/8/1997, ABC In the 1980s and 90s, U.S. broadcast TV usually allowed same-sex kisses only if at least one character was a serial killer or at least one was straight and didn't enjoy it. Today in 1997: Even as ABC executives urged ELLEN's writers not to give Ellen a girlfriend, ABC allowed this joke kiss with a her straight best friend, Paige. Previously, Paige had had trouble accepting Ellen as gay, but now swoops in and pretends to be Ellen's girlfriend to help get rid of an unwanted potential housemate. ABC allowed it because it wasn't a "real" queer kiss.