The Team Behind Ellen DeGeneres' 1997 Coming Out Episode Revisits Public Backlash

As Ellen DeGeneres brings whats believed to be her final Hollywood chapter to a close, a new documentary is taking a look back at the trailblazing television series that put her on the cultural map. 

HuffPost caught a sneak peek at Sundays episode of CNNs TV on the Edge, which features an on-camera reunion of the creative team behind DeGeneres Emmy-winning comedy, Ellen, which ran from 1994 to 1998. 

These days, Ellen is best remembered for The Puppy Episode , which aired during the shows fourth season in 1997. The episode depicted DeGeneres character, Ellen Morgan, coming out as a lesbian. It also coincided with DeGeneres public acknowledgement of her real-life sexuality  on the cover of Time magazine. 

By 2024 standards, The Puppy Episode is incredibly tame. But, as some of the Ellen team recalled in the below clip from TV on the Edge, that wasnt the case 26 years ago. Not only was the public backlash  to the episode significant, but the shows set was hit with a bomb threat. As for DeGeneres herself, she dealt with an alleged stalker. 

Watch a clip from the Oct. 6 episode of TV on the Edge below. 

Ellen had a fear that somebody might come after her, casting director Tammy Billik explains in the clip. There was a bomb threat when we were filming the show. 

Dava Savel, one of the shows executive producers and writers, chalked much of the pushback to The Puppy Episode up to an overall lack of awareness regarding LGBTQ+ issues at the time.

People didnt understand, and when people dont understand, they get scared, Savel says. And when they get scared, they get angry. And thats what we were getting a lot of. 

The Ellen episode of TV on the Edge comes a little more than a week after DeGeneres herself unveiled Ellen DeGeneres: For Your Approval. The comedy special, which dropped on Netflix Sept. 24, has been billed as DeGeneres last. The specials release has not been without controversy, as it follows the explosive allegations of workplace misconduct that left an indelible mark on her reputation. 

This is the last time youre going to see me, she reportedly told audience members at a July show in Santa Rosa, California, while ruling out the prospect of future acting projects. 

TV on the Edge, which debuted Sept. 22, examines some of the most groundbreaking moments in TV history and how each has continued to shape pop culture in the present day. 

The shows premiere episode took a look at Murphy Brown , and the controversy that ensued when the shows title character (Candace Bergen ), who was a television journalist, consciously decided to raise a baby on her own. The plot line sparked the ire of former Vice President Dan Quayle , who publicly blasted the show for mocking the importance of fathers. 

TV on the Edge airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CNN.