Ellen Talks About Coming Out on Jerry Seinfeld Show

In a recent episode of Jerry Seinfeld's Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee on Netflix, Ellen DeGeneres opened up about coming out 20 years ago and the impact it's had on her career.

In case you missed it in 1997, then sitcom star DeGeneres came out along with her onscreen personality Ellen Morgan on ABC's Ellen during primetime in front of 44 million viewers, according to Refinery29. Shortly after that episode, ABC canceled the show and DeGeneres was out of a job.

"When I lost the sitcom, I didn't work for three years solid until I got the show, the talk show," DeGeneres told Seinfeld at a coffee shop. "I was bitter and sad and angry. How did this change everything, just by me being honest and saying I'm gay? Why is this such a shock to people? Why is it such a big deal?"

Now, a successful talk show host with The Ellen Degeneres Show celebrating 15 years on the air, DeGeneres in reflecting on her time with constant media attention regarding her sexual orientation. While DeGeneres was one of few out celebrities, the landscape has vastly changed, and that change is captured on her episode with Seinfeld.

Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee (including DeGeneres' episode and others') is available on Netflix.