Ellen DeGeneres proves a gay can win over America

Which celebrity would you feel most comfortable leaving your kids with?

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia De Rossi; Jennifer Aniston; Rachel Ray; Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt; or Oprah Winfrey?

If you answered "Ellen and Portia," you agreed with the 10,000 mostly moms who participated in a recent survey on AOL's "Parent Dish."

Thirty-one percent picked the lesbian couple, followed by Aniston (22 percent), Ray (20 percent), "Angelina and Brad" (18 percent), and Winfrey (9 percent).

The perky comedian has captured America's heart since her huge coming out at age 39 in 1997, including on her award-winning "Ellen" situation comedy and the cover of Time magazine.

Twelve years ago, Ellen's move was gutsy, potentially career-crushing. Tennis legend Martina Navratilova says her own earlier coming out cost her millions of dollars in endorsements from companies skittish about having a lesbian advertise their products.

But, over these dozen years, Ellen, her gifts, her personal life and her bank account have blossomed.

After hosting the Emmys and the Grammys, Ellen in 2007 became the first out gay person to host the Academy Awards.

She has done ads for American Express and Advil, teamed up with One-a-Day multivitamins to urge women to get checked for breast cancer and, get this, is a Cover Girl.

Pop culture, I'm quick to admit, is my weak suit. So when I found myself shouting "No way!" at the delightful "Parent Dish" results, it was time to do a little TiVoing of Ellen's daytime talk show: How has this wonder woman pulled off being so 100 percent gay, beloved and successful?

Three shows -- and a lot of chuckles -- later, I understand. Ellen creates an enchanting, playful land, where she, contestants and the audience embrace the basic goodness in themselves and others.

There are winners -- and the also-winners. In one particularly funny contest, audience members Aimee and Pennylane donned huge, padded sumo wrestler outfits and had to answer goofy questions -- "How many inches are in 12 inches?" -- and waddle to grab a football to win a key that might start a $40,000 Ford Taurus.

When it became clear that Aimee had found her true calling, Ellen gave the last key to Pennylane. No foul was called by Aimee.

This is Ellen-land, where fair means share. Aimee got the car. But Pennylane -- and a back-home viewer -- got a Caribbean cruise. Squeals and sumo-size hugs all 'round.

Imagine a win-win world, and you've begun to understand Ellen. It's a world where fun can be as simple as putting on large glasses with fake eyes so you can pretend not to be asleep. And it's a world where Ellen can be Ellen: "Portia and I just became aunts," she explained as she showed off photos of "our" sister-in-law and the new baby.

Culturally, on TVs watched by stay-at-home moms taking a break from the laundry and kids, something magical is happening. Ellen moms are helping our country grow up and become a place where all the Ellens can feel like winners.

You can reach Deb Price at dprice@detnews.com">dprice@detnews.com and (202) 662-8736. E-mail letters to the editor to letters@detnews.com">letters@detnews.com or fax to (313) 496-5253.