Ellen DeGeneres has faced backlash on social media this week after she was shown sitting next to former US president George W. Bush at the Dallas Cowboys-Green Bay Packers game on Sunday, but that criticism has since turned into praise from many fans.
DeGeneres is an openly gay, liberal celebrity living in a country that seems as divided as it has ever been, and Bush is a conservative Republican. At the start of her show on Monday, Ellen said she and her wife, Portia, were invited to the game by Cowboys executive vice president Charlotte Jones, and she had a great explanation for why she was seen having a good time with Bush, whom she considers a friend.
You can hear Ellen’s explanation at about the 2:20 mark below:
Yes, that was me at the Cowboys game with George W. Bush over the weekend. Here’s the whole story. pic.twitter.com/AYiwY5gTIS
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) October 8, 2019
“Here’s the thing: I’m friends with George Bush,” Ellen said. “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 we’ve forgotten that that’s OK that we’re all different.”
Naysayers could also point to the fact that Jerry Jones, Charlotte’s father and the owner of the Cowboys, has aligned himself with Donald Trump in the past, but it’s hard to argue with her rationale. There’s nothing wrong with putting politics aside to enjoy a football game.
