Laura Dern recalls bomb threats after Ellen coming-out episode

Laura Dern said she faced bomb threats and lost advertisers after appearing in Ellen's 1997 coming-out episode, and she described the episode as deeply meaningful to the LGBTQ community.

Laura Dern spoke about her role in the 1997 two-part "The Puppy Episode" of Ellen, in which the title character comes out. She discussed the episode on the Las Culturistas podcast on Feb. 11 and described both the support she received from the LGBTQ community and the backlash that followed. Dern said she saw the episode as an opportunity to "be first" and to help storytelling lead cultural change. She also called participating in the moment with Ellen an honor and a deeply moving experience. Key details: - The episode aired in 1997 and is often referred to as "The Puppy Episode," a two-part storyline in which Ellen's character comes out. - Dern said the series received bomb threats and lost advertisers after the episode aired. - She said there was "major security for a couple of years" for those involved and that she faced career consequences, noting she did not work for about a year and a half afterward. - Guest stars in the episodes included Oprah Winfrey (who played Ellen's therapist), Demi Moore and Billy Bob Thornton, and Dern played a character named Susan. - Dern emphasized that the on-screen representation mattered to the LGBTQ community and described holding space for Ellen as a privileged experience. Summary: The episode had immediate professional and security consequences for some involved, even as it provided significant public representation for the LGBTQ community. Undetermined at this time.