JCPenney’s decision to hire Ellen DeGeneres as its new spokesperson has come under fire by conservative groups, but CEO Ron Johnson is standing by the decision.
The conservative organization One Million Moms posted on their Facebook page calling for people to boycott JCPenney stores because DeGeneres is a lesbian. The group accused JCPenney of “hopping on the pro-gay bandwagon” and said they will offend many of their customers by associating themselves with the gay comedienne.
On Wednesday, DeGeneres addressed the controversy on her daytime talk-show, saying that the values she believes in are “honesty, equality, kindness, compassion, treating people the way you want to be treated, and helping those in need.” Johnson echoed those sentiments in an interview on CBS This Morning Thursday, saying that DeGeneres shares the same values as the company and that is why they hired her as the spokesperson for their new “Fair & Square” campaign.
JCPenney CEO Stands by Ellen DeGeneres
My husband I have been enjoying Ellen’s show for years, and we truly like her not just because she is cute and funny, but she is a unique, kind caring and upstanding person. Our world could use more like her and less bigots.
To avoid controversy, a company should choose a straight and normal individual as their spokesperson. You can not blame conservative organizations to criticize or boycott to express their concerns. It is their mandate to fight for their beliefs. I have nothing against Ellen DeGeneres. She is kind and compassionate.
I’m sorry but you caught my attention with “choose a straight & normal individual” what defines normal? I feel that is a very sad way to think….
I am sorry but when these straight men try to do there women from the back,what these 1 Million Moms do?.Let me it be the secret cuz they are straight.
Sampaguita,
Are you really that ignorant? FFS!
You so called ‘conservatives’ just fricking amaze me. Take your religous beliefs and keep them to yourself.
Now go away!
SH
Ditto, Scott.
Who are we to decide what is “normal”. That is the problem with the world today, there are too many people judging!!!!!! Judge a person by who they are on the inside. People are people and shouldn’t be classified by race, gender or sexual orientation. I just find some people and groups appalling. Oh and for the record I am straight but believe that everyone deserves equality regardless!!!
I think that the abnormality here are the conservatives that are wasting their time on this, I mean really as a parent I think Ellen is a great role model, she is not fake, tells it like it is & embraces not only her lifestyle choices but those of everyone else. Grow up people or crawl back into the cave and make fire.
straight and normal…tsk tsk tsk
I always thought Ellen was “normal”.
To avoid controversy, straight and normal? Your statement is rediculous. And yes you can blame the conservatives because it is them doing these things even though it is their beliefs.
What is a “normal” individual? Just curious to know if I would be lucky enough to fit in your “normal category…
Good for your JC Penny! Seriously get over it, Ellen DeGeneres is an awesome person. Get with the times.
I never cared for Ellen even before she came out on her sitcome as being a lesbian. But a company should have a right to choose who they think is the best perosn for the job/profile as long as the actor/ress abides by the laws of the state like in her make up comercial she should not be wearing her wedding ring since the supreme court overturned gay marriage laws. continue with the comercials but take off the wedding ring until the marriage becomes legal again
“A company should choose a straight and normal person”…What is “normal”?…I think they chose the perfect person, she grabs your attention, shes funny, outgoing and caring. Good Pickin’ JCPenny!!
ARE YOU KIDDING ME???? SO YOU’RE SAYING THAT JC PENNY CAN’T USE A BLACK PERSON EITHER?? BECAUSE IT MAY OFFEND SOME?? IF YOU’RE OFFENDED BY GAY PEOPLE THEN MAYBE YOU SHOULD MOVE BACK TO YOUR CAVE WHERE THERE IS NO TELEVISION!!!
I THINK I’LL START SHOPPING AT JC PENNY WHEN I’M NEAR A STORE……JUST TO SAY THANK YOU FOR USING SUCH A WONDERFUL PERSON AS A REPRESENTATIVE!!!
OH AND……WHAT THE HELL IS STRAIGHT AND NORMAL??
Like Like Like !!! <3 <3 ;c))
I think there will always be two sides to the coin. In other words there is going to be controversy that’s given when you pick somebody like “Ellen”. You can boycott Jcpenny, but for how long ??….. After all you got to dress up one day buy new cloths or what else you need and then you shop and Jcpenny stores have good products to offer. As for Ellen she’s a very hard working Celebrity Individual. I really don’t care if she’s gay/ lesbian or not. I personally wish she wasn’t then again she would not be who she really is….. She’s up for the job….. Just let her do the job folks….
One million bigoted Moms. How cruel and intolerant and embarrassing. I support JCPenny 100% and applaud their good sense and kindness.
i love ellen.she is who she want to be.she is not trying to be someone who she isnt.thats why alot of us love her.if everyone was the same the world would be boring.so i with ellen you go.
Normal??? Poor word choice. People like you contribute to homophobia. Ellen is kind and compassionate, but abnormal?
seems to me the only values that One Million Moms are promoting … are anger, and hate…..
I find that this is a very interesting switch…….
I have the right to MY beliefs…that homosexuality is a symptom of the moral decay of our country. Of course, many of you will bash me for my Christian beliefs. I hold nothing personal against Ellen and wish her all the best. Stop making everyone who believes homosexuality is wrong, to be some crazy, bigot. There are still many kind and good people that do not accept homosexuality as a way of life and do not want it to be promoted in our society. Just because a person immigrates to my country and believes in honour killings doesn’t make me have to accept these as right. I don’t have to accept something as right just because you say it is. My values come from the Bible not from whatever propaganda gets thrown my way. Wake up America!
You certainly have the right to your beliefs, but do not try to impose them on me, please.
I am a Christian as well but we are also taught not to judge. Don’t hide behind a bible to support your beliefs. You also have a right to your beliefs and you are not being asked to accept homosexuality as being right or wrong. It is a simple matter of common decency to allow people to make their own choices about their sexuality and for the rest of the public to not rally against them. Let me ask you this and all those moms in the group. What makes you think a “normal straight person” would do a better job???
Thank you.
while I appreciate that you don’t judge people on the basis of their sexuality, but you must realize that homosexuality is NOT a ‘lifestyle choice’, any more than being tall is a fashion statement.
Thank your Richard it’s about time someone figured that out, I have a son who is gay and I couldn’t be prouder of him, wake up and smell the coffee people, people don’t wake up one morning and say “gee maybe I’ll be gay for awhile” as for you Christians who hide behind your bibles, “God created us in his image” there have been gays and lesbians since the beginning of time and it won’t be going away so learn to accept it
Ha proud of your gay son disgusting , are u a gay parent ?? , gays exist coz we tolerate them…..
to RICHARD: I agree 100%. People think that when you use the Bible (the word of God) as a guideline, you are a bigot and are judging people. (I am not picking on Ellen) we can ALL blah..blah…blah, yap, yap, yap. I think is waaaay better and loving to wake up people to ‘the moral decay’ of our society…than GOD himself doing the judging!!! Believe me the day God says …enough!!! who is going to be looking for a cave to hide?? mmmm??
I agree 100%. People think that when you use the Bible (the word of God) as a guideline, you are a bigot and are judging people. we can ALL blah..blah…blah, yap, yap, yap.
I think is waaaay better and loving to wake up people to ‘the moral decay’ of our society…than GOD himself doing the judging!!! Believe me the day God says …enough!!! who is going to be looking for a cave to hide?? mmmm??
Richard,
No one says you cant have your beliefs but why should people be demeaned and segregated because of theirs . Remember the old saying when your pointing a finger there are 3 lookin back ? Well do that Richard.
There was a man one time who took a bus to a city.. as he got off and sat on a bench next to another man, He asked the man “So what is this city like?” The man replied “What was the city you came from like?” THe man that got off the bus said” it was terrible the people were rude, unfriendly it stunk etc ” The man said “Well then you will probably find this city the same”
perception is ones reality.
A religion does not make it right or wrong . If you get up every day and love the person you are and can get through the day without maliciously hurting another person .Asking yourself what is one thing I can do to enhance someones life? A smile , a kind word, helping hand etc….
So when people come together to protect human life and thier rights and do it without malis that is ok .
Live and let live!
Pick up a Leo Buscaglia book
You probably have the gift of being a human being!
Namaste my friend.
i think this is absolutely ridiculous! i’m not gay but thank God i live in canada where crap and judgemental bull*** like this isnt an issue. honestly ppl need to get over themselves (this is the 21st century!!) the thing i dont understand about “conservative” americans is that they have the audacity to call themselves christians and yet they do the exact opposite of Jesus’ teachings and are promoting discrimination!!!! Ellen you are a wonderful and inspirational woman to many women and men (including myself) gay or straight, black or white, and i bet tht these “mothers” who want to boycott you are the MOST righteous people on earth, who are not divorced, whose children are perfect angels, and go to church every sunday!!!
Holla from a fellow Canadian. It is good to live here.
Well said Gillian. I’m “straight and normal” (haha) but I love Ellen and respect the path she’s taking-would be nice if more people were open and honest. She has been very brave and open. Who the hell cares who she sleeps with? Good for JC Penney, shut the hell up bigots. Plus, very smart on JC Penney’s part-all the idiots aginst Ellen are creating lots of free advertising for the store. I’m Canadian, but if I’m shopping in the States, I’ll make sure I shop JC Penney.
Congrats to JC Penny !!! Ellen is sooooo wonderful and you could not have picked a better person !!
And to these 1Milion idiot`s ,,,,,,,,,,, get a life !
I still laugh my head off at re-running the Johnny Carson Show. Ellen has had me laughing for years, and the Bigots well they haven’t made me laugh once. Dilbert Quote “When did ignorance become a point of view?”
Go Ellen Go Ellen Go Ellen
Get over it people!!! Great job Ellen…
“When did ignorance become a point of view?” Well said. This woman is hard working, caring and successful and she deserves all the respect people give her regardless of her sexual orientation. Move back to your caves and leave those honest-to-God people alone.
Wow… dude… o.0
Has anyone here actually been to the OMM website? There is ALL sorts of crazy up in there…
Bunch of damn cows with a certain neurological disease.
Thanks for the tip about the OMM website. I love the part where they say that hiring Ellen is an insult to the “traditional families” that shop JCP. What the hell? I also love that JCP keeps sending their calls to voicemail, or (allegedly)hangs up on them. Go JCP!
Just to make sure I understand, Richard — you equate homosexuality as being on par with honour killings. Do I have that right?
Look NORMAL UP IN ANY DICTIONARY FOLKS…SEE A PICTURE OF YOURSELF? didn’t think so. GO ELLEN.
Seriously,
Do all these mothers have time to demand and say such a thing? You all should be ashamed of yourselves! Why not put your energy into helping the world. Feed the hungry help the elderly, When was the last time you actually looked in the mirror and considered what kind of footprints you were leaving on this earth? What example you are setting for YOUR children who might very well be the same beautiful PERSON ELLEN is!
I am truly hurt and feel very much sorry that Life has come down to trying to Boycott because of someones sexuality.
You are apparently over 1 million moms …….WOW What a positive impact you could have if you directed all your anger at something incredibly USEFUL!
I Will pray for your so called conservative minds and Hopefully all your energy may go to the good
Namaste Ellen . Keep going I think your fabulous!
Ps and Im not even gay !
I cant wait for this world to be rid of this horrible disease and the people inflicted with it, that call it religion, while carrying there fairytale books they use to defend it. The world will all be better off without your ignorant, and destructive beliefs. We are always at war with religion as an excuse. When will finally just literately go to war with religion. That, I can stand behind.
Let see now
Well tell me one place that does have these type of people working for them.
Matter of fact make a list of 125 that you know off. From Mom and Pops stores to the big Corporations all have them.
I think it’s a publicity stunt to get more people to go to jc penny in support of ellen….win..win …for jc…..
The following is copied directly from the OMM website …”Donation links go to AFA.net’s donation page”
Wikepedia search of AFA … AFA has been criticized by civil rights organizations and other entities for what have been described as controversial stances, in particular the “propagation of known falsehoods” and “demonizing propaganda” about homosexuality, which in November 2010 led to its being named a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.
… nuff said.
Kudos to JCPenny & thank you for truly representing the “Traditional families” !
I have never chosen to respond to other campaigns, but I couldnot let this one go…
JCPenny is to be credited for their choice of spokeswoman, in Ellen Degeneres … in my view (although not one obviously shared by 999,999 other mothers)they couldn’t have recruited a more positive,enlightened, forward thinking person, than Ellen.In my view the 1,000,000 Moms website is the antithesis of everything I value and foster as a Mother! I assure you, if I lived in the US I definitely would be a lifetime shopper, in light of their choice at JCPenny
I think it is time everyone gets out of everyones bedroom – it is no one business to judge someone over who they sleep with.
Why dont we all boycott Kate Hudson, Julia Roberts, Angelina Jolie, Tiger Woods, and the products they sell
Get over yourself and you so called views – hiding behind a bible gives you no right to judge anyone, as judging someone is not Christian at all
One Million Mom’s is a frigging joke, yes I know they have the right to free speech, but boycotting JC Penny because Ellen is their spokesperson, give your head a shake. Ellen is one of the best TV hosts out there, she does so much for people one way or another, I sure don’t see other TV Hosts helping people out like she does, she is always helping out with a new vehicle or giving them some money to help make their life a little bit easier for them. She has great values; maybe the group Million Moms should take a lesson from Ellen. My wife wishes that there was a JC Penny up here in Canada she would shop there all the time.
Now I’ll make it a point to shop at JC Penny. Because I too share their values!
Wow, what an amazing response to a simple choice of spokespersons.
Ellen has gone through so much in her life and career, simply for declaring her love for another human being, although different from what some may consider “Normal”.
Her stance may have destroyed her, but has in fact made her the strong, wonderful, caring individual she is now and has always been.
J C Penney has made an excellent choice in a spokes person that has made so many positive contributions to so many.
Kudos J C Penney, I live in Canada, and will continue to shop at your fine establishment each and every time I visit the USA, I applaud your choice!
To the Million Moms, it is truly sad that your energies cannot be directed to do good, and to help those in need. That is certainly what my Mom has always done, Mom’s are suppose to be Kind, Considerate and Nurturing, not hateful.
As a Christian, I try to live by these words which apply to ALL people … regardless of who they are, what they do or what they believe Perhaps we should ALL try to take these words to heart and remember that Ellen is a person FIRST. We are told to …
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Luke 6:36-38
after doing the above, lets think of how we can LOVE each other and truly have greatful hearts …
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails.
YOU GO JCPenny … you rock!! Wish we had one in Canada!!!
Ellen is an excellent role model – she is funny, humble and comfortable in her own skin, and definitely not a Disney popstar/princess, thank goodness! If only we could emulate Ellen, we’d all be happier people for it. No matter where your opinion on gay or straight or anything in between, Ellen deserves respect for her personality, her humour and her character – just like the rest of us! Is an anonymous, airbrushed fashion model portraying an unrealistic, unattainable and artifical image preferable for One Million Moms? Shame on them! I consider myself a conservative Christian person, and I hope most if not all kids look to Ellen as a role model for health and happiness…whether or not they want to be like her in other respects is ultimately up to them.
I applaud J.c.Penny and above all Ellen degeneres. Stand tall and be proud. I am a grandmother. I have 2 children and 3 grandkids and I love them all equally. Stay strong Ellen and also J.C. Penny.
Judy from B.C. CANADA
I support the boycott 100%. I am glad to know that these 1 million mothers won’t be shopping at JC Penny. It’s nice to know that when I go to shop at JC Penny, that the store will be free of the most ignorant bigots on the planet. Great plan by JC Penny management to keep their stores bigot free!!!!
I am so glad there are companies that refuse to crumble under a crazy groups pressure just because they are making noise. I know there are still so many prejudices in this world but I will just continue to hope one day it ends. We may all believe and feel different things but we are all the same inside. Ellen you are are such a caring woman who is a fantastic role model.
To me Ellen just seems like she would be a good person…I dont know her, but she seems kind, fun, honest….She has a kind and happy looking face…
Who cares if she is a Lesbian….
I had been seeing in news headlines about Ellen and the controversy with her being the JC Penney spokesperson and finally researched it further.
I was intrigued. Was it a sex-tape scandal? A secret drug addiction? A misplaced Twitter comment, or worse, photo? Some sort of shocking revelation about Ellen that would shame JC Penney and all who shop there?
Nope. The “controversy” is just that Ellen is a lesbian. So what!!!??? I can’t believe in 2012 that this is even an issue. Ellen is an incredible role model for people – who she chooses to love isn’t anyone’s business but her own.
I am a straight married Catholic women who watches Ellen’s show everyday by (PVR, hate commercials). She makes my day better and she motivates me to volunteer my spare time to causes that need volunteers. These hate mongering moms should use their spare time for volunteering and not hating and perhaps there would less bullying, violence and rape by straight men.
Is this a joke?? There are still people yapping about sexual preferences of others? Find another planet to llive on please…….