Who would’ve thought that famous talk show host Ellen DeGeneres and former U.S. president George W. Bush would be friends? In today’s world, anything is possible. But the pairing has been in the public eye recently due to high levels of criticism about their friendship.
The friendship first sparked controversy when the pair were spotted laughing together at a Cowboy-Packers game. The main conflict the public has with the friendship is related to politics. The public is appalled at the unlikely friendship because Ellen is an openly gay, liberal woman while Bush is a former Republican president. Not to mention that former President Bush in the past has pushed for a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage.
Ellen was quick to respond to the criticism, though, and defend her friendship with her usual humorous and quirky self. During the talk show, she said: “They thought, why is a gay Hollywood liberal sitting next to a conservative Republican president?….[and they] didn’t even notice I’m holding the brand-new iPhone 11. But a lot of people were mad, and they did what people do when they’re mad: they tweet.”
Rather than focusing on the negativity of the topics, she took the opportunity to teach her audience an important life lesson. Ellen publicly stated, “I’m friends with George Bush. In fact, I’m friends with a lot of people who don’t share the same beliefs that I have. We’re all different, and I think that we’ve forgotten that that’s OK that we’re all different. For instance, I wish people wouldn’t wear fur. I don’t like it but I’m friends with people who wear fur.”
Ellen does an amazing job at conveying this positive message. It is astounding to see someone using their platform to emphasize kindness and common decency. Ellen could have easily responded to the backlash via social media but instead used the event as a teaching opportunity. She informed the general public on matters of politics and friendship, emphasizing that politics isn’t everything when it comes to building relationships.
The nation has been divided for the longest time because of politics. There is societal pressure to pick between being liberal or conservative. Everyone is put into categories and given labels based on their political standings. We live in a divided world, and it’s making us ignorant. People of different views can be friends. Differences should not be a barrier or justification for discrimination.
Ellen and former President Bush’s friendship was even brought up in the recent October Democratic debate—the candidates were asked about who they have an unlikely friendship with. Although the responses emphasized what Ellen publicly stated about valuing differences, many viewers criticized the inappropriateness of the question.
According to People, “ …[many] criticized the hosts for asking about DeGeneres instead of issues that they saw as more important, including climate change and immigration.” This friendship should not be considered a big deal—at least not big enough to be a topic during a Democratic debate.
The public is too focused on political differences, so they are ignoring the bigger picture. Differences can bring people together and can create the most genuine of friendships. Differences should not stop us from being decent human beings to one another.
