Billy Bob's
TV Guest Appearances
ELLEN (1997)
| Network:
ABC
Episode: The
Puppy Episode
Character:
Grocer
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Quote
GROCER: Mmm hmm!
Plot
After meeting and finding herself attracted to a fascinating
lesbian named Susan (an Emmy-nominated performance by Laura Dern),
Ellen is thrown into emotional turmoil as she realizes how
deeply in denial she has been about her sexual identity.
With the help of her therapist (Oprah Winfrey, who else?), she
works up the nerve to tell her close pals the truth and find out
if Susan might be interested in her as well. During she
has been. Attract
What Billy Bob Gets To Do
Looking like he just escaped a Hot Dog on a Stick stand, he gets
to clear his throat and display a large watermelon slice. During a dream sequence, Ellen imagines herself walking through a
supermarket, where she encounters a Grocer who
clears his throat like Karl Childers while offering her a symbolic
pair of melons.
Backstory
Coming off of SLING
BLADE, Billy Bob was hired to play the produce jockey after the writers put
a bunch of SLING BLADE jokes in the script and Ellen Degeneres
decided she wanted the real thing to appear in this pivotal two-parter.
The
episode was hilarious, controversial, and ultimately won an Emmy
for writing despite the national uproar over Ellen Degeneres'
coming out on the cover of Newsweek Magazine.
The episode also featured guest appearances
by Demi Moore, k.d. lang, Gina Gershon,
and Melissa Etheridge. It won the show its highest ratings
ever.
Prior to Ellen, American sitcoms bold enough to include
recurring gay characters (Billy Crystal in SOAP and Tony Randall
in LOVE SIDNEY) were almost non-existent. Since this
ice-breaking episode, television has grown up to accommodate
such successful shows as WILL AND GRACE, QUEER AS FOLK, QUEER
EYE FOR THE STRAIGHT GUY, and THE L WORD. They owe it all
to Ellen for insisting to the end to being true to
herself. Seven years later, she is still on top as a
comedian and talk show host.
Relevant
Links
EpGuides episode guides
TV Tome Page for
The Puppy Episode
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