A couple of broads

Since when is the simple act of a married couple talking to each other a revolutionary act? When it's Ellen and Portia and it's played out on national television, that's when. Yesterday the big, highly-anticipated, awfully-charming interview between newly married couple Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi aired. Portia looked lovely, Ellen looked dapper. If you haven't seen it yet stop everything you are doing and click play. Trust me, you will not see anything cuter on The Interwebs today. Seriously, baby pandas have nothing on their cuteness.

Of course, the cute is one thing. But it's the adorable subversiveness that interests me most. You see, this is quite simply a first: an out lesbian talk show host interviewing her out lesbian wife in front of a national audience of millions. Suck it, Prop. 8. While the couple didn't kiss or do much more than hug and dance in each other's general vicinity, their affection and familiarity was undeniably apparent. I particularly liked the moment when Ellen took off Portia's shoe. Now, she probably would have never done that, let alone initiated it, with another guest. But there she went, lifting Portia's ankle and, without really asking, removing her Louboutin. It was at once incredibly intimate and terribly normal. This is what couples do.

Also, can I just say after watching that last “Better Off Ted” clip that Ellen is one lucky, lucky lady. Oh my God, the bendy. Heavens, couldn't she have busted out a little of that in her intro?

Equally subversive was Ellen and Portia's participation in a “The Newlywed Game” skit. They faced off with a straight couple from the audience, and actually won when they both agreed that the best gift they had given each other was their heart/love. Say it with me, awwwwwww.

Now, much has been made already of eHarmony's sponsorship of the “The Newlywed Game” skit. Was this an attempt for the notoriously non-gay inclusive dating service to make amends with the GLBT community? Well, maybe. But I'm not quite ready to give eHarmony a happy homo inclusion hug just yet. The reason they sponsored “The Newlywed Game” segment on Ellen's show was because they are sponsoring the ENTIRE new “The Newlywed Game” series set to launch April 6 on GSN (listen closely and you can hear the host mention the new show's premiere date at the end of the clip). So this is basically a wholesale plug for their new gameshow, period. Granted, it was nice of them to allow Ellen to use the show's name, but I wouldn't call those fences mended yet.

Yet I think perhaps the interview's most delightful moments came at the very end when Ellen sang with Portia as part of her Bathroom Concert Series. Their song: “I Got You Babe.” The wonderful part is that you could tell they practiced beforehand and during they give each other sweet little encouragements and admonishments. Plus, if you watch the full song on Ellen's website, you'll even see real, live lesbian hand holding. See, America, a couple is a couple is a couple – especially when they try to karaoke together.