Ellen DeGeneres: ‘I Guess I’m Canceling My Trip’

March 8, 2018

Television host Ellen DeGeneres — who has one of the most followed Twitter accounts in the world with 77 million followers — has tweeted about Bermuda’s same sex marriage legislation, saying “I guess I’m canceling my trip.”

The tweet — which was posted this evening and as 15,000 likes/retweets/comments as of this writing — said, “Bermuda just banned marriage equality. I guess I’m canceling my trip. Anybody else?”

Tweets by Ellen DeGeneres

While many have posted on social media about the issue, this tweet – which links to the crowd funding campaign to pay for the legal challenge — is, by far, the most high profile social media posting.

MP Jeff Baron was one of the people who responded, tweeting, “Bermuda didn’t. The Bermuda Government did. As a member of Bermuda’s Parliament who fought FOR marriage equality I stand with thousands of Bermudians who will keep fighting for equality for all. And we will win.”

Another reply said, “And now, the most powerful queer woman in the world uses her platform not to aim to support the queer community that lives on the island – but rather to demolish the industry that serves to keep the sustainable.”

“I mean let’s not forget we weren’t there that long ago,” said another reply. “I’m sure we have all taken trips to places where there are corrupt and stupid people in charge of policies…oh wait, we live in one. I in no way support the ban, but that’s punishing a whole island for decisions of a few.”

Another person said, “I won’t be going to Bermuda as long as they discriminate against love,” while another person posted, “I won’t even wear Bermuda shorts anymore.”

“Too expensive there anyway! Nah, no Bermuda for me,” said another reply, while Tony Brannon also tweeted saying, “Ellen, Invite @rodferguson on to your show….. to give the human face of Bermuda.”

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  1. Kenny F says:

    Why do we need Ellen degeneres to come to Bermuda anyway?

    • sid says:

      And why do you need her 77 million followers? Bermuda will do just fine without tourism. It has limestone, after all.

      • I will be coming back. says:

        Good on you Bermuda. They need to stop degrading the sanctity of marriage and destruction of families with this

        • Daylily says:

          Thank you for allowing Bermuda to have its own culture. Ellen has just limited her and her followers’ travel to only 26 countries.

          It’s rather small minded and arrogant of her to only promote travel to countries who think and believe as she does.

          • Mike Hind says:

            As per usual, “Daylily” is spreading dishonest falsehoods.

            The outcry, which I disagree with, for the record, isn’t about us not having Marriage Equality. It’s about us having it, then taking it away.

            If your position on this is so strong, why do you always have to resort to dishonesty and lies to support it?

          • Kathy says:

            I have to agree. Although I am in favour of the LOVE view and if I had to vote, I would favour every person having the right to a civil union. To each his own and who cares what they decide to do in their bedrooms. That is my personal opinion.

            However, we do have a very large segment of our population who is against gay marriage and gay civil unions and the feel very strongly that marriages and civil unions should be between a man and a woman. They are quite conservative views and we must recognise and also respect that this segment of our population exists and thinks and believes strongly about this for our society.

            I also don’t think we should bow to ANY celebrity, no matter how big the following. Does this mean that those 77 million followers are all gay? Does it meant that those 77 million are cancelling their trips to BDA? Just as we should not allow the USA to bully us into tax regimes and we should not allow the NRA to bully us into dishing out guns in our society, we should not allow US tv personalities bully us into accepting in our society something that obviously does not bode well with the majority of Bermudians. Why can’t we as a free thinking society (outside of the USA), have our own way of thinking? Why can’t we differ from that thinking?

            Again, I am personally not opposed to gay civil unions but I respect the opinion of those who are.

            • Mike Hind says:

              Why should we respect these people?
              They don’t respect their fellow Bermudians, that’s for sure.
              Why should we respect their views when their views, and the subsequent actions, actively harm people?
              People aren’t opposing their views. They can believe whatever they like about their own relationships. No one is stopping them or telling them they can’t hold those views.

              What folks have a problem with is when they demand that those views be held by everyone and demand, through pressure on the Government, that everyone should follow THEIR rules based on those views, especially because this is hurting people! And especially because they lie and mislead and attempt to manipulate every single time they try to support their view!

              Why should we, as a society, have to respect a group of people that are hurting our countrymen?

              As for us listening to foreigners?

              Why is it wrong for Ellen to make a comment, but we hear NOTHING from you about NOM coming down here and running Preserve Marriage’s campaign?
              Why is it only bad when Ellen does it?

              And finally? Why Civil Unions? Why not just call it what it is? A marriage.

              • JON says:

                Because pure and simple its not a marriage and never will be!

        • PBanks says:

          Please list the number of families in Bermuda destroyed by the 8 or so gay married couples?

    • Xpat says:

      Your question above, which is consistent with the sentiment of many others I have interacted with, is truly remarkable. It takes an incredibly high level of ignorance not to understand the economic damage that is caused by Ellen and her millions and millions and millions of followers boycotting bermuda as a tourist destination. Her comment is not inconsistent with what I have heard from many people across the world when they heard the news about bermuda regressing in LBGTQ rights. This will result in lower tourism numbers.

      I do worry about the future of this beautiful island. The narrow minded mentality of many people has the potential to destroy the economy and the lives of the next generation of Bermudians. The protectionist step taken by protesters in recent years to stop xpats, who have lived here for many years, from being citizens was an extremely foolish one. At a time when trump economics and M&A activity in the reinsurance space will reduce the number of people working here, bermuda should be doing everything in its power to welcome people and create a framework for them to stay and raise a family. Doing the opposite compounds an already worrying trend. The fact that protest and resulting decision was recently celebrated by Chris Famous in an article on Bernews was particularly galling.

      I have been a guest working in bermuda for 10 years and I am very appreciative of being allowed to work here. My family and I would love to stay as citizens and contribute to society but I have come to accept that this will not happen. I write this comment not in my own interest but in the interests of young bermudians. I am not an economics genius but if tourism numbers drop and the reinsurance market leaves the future of bermuda’s economy and its young people is extremely bleak.

      • Onion Juice says:

        Bye bye.

        • sandgrownan says:

          Another, fine, upstanding Bermudian. Nice.

        • DS says:

          That’s right you tell him/her… Let’s take Bermuda to the ground and then we can be kings and queens of the ashes!

        • Created says:

          Good thing is that most people know that Onion Juice is as ignorant an individual that one would find anywhere. Thankfully most people realize that his/her views reflect those of someone that is lets just say…whos elevator does not go all the way to the top.

        • Xpat says:

          “Bye bye”?

          Such a dangerously ignorant comment

        • Gustav says:

          I know meanwhile …..
          you don’t need anyone,
          no IB
          no Tourist

          just your donation from the Government.
          but who will pay it ? YOU ?

      • A.S. says:

        Well Said.

    • Paulette says:

      Ditto

    • Onion Juice says:

      And yet her President is a racist womanizer.

      • Jay_O says:

        Exactly. Such ridiculousness from these ‘celebrities’. we have decided marriage should be upheld as being between 1 man and 1 woman for the building of our society. this is not about picking on homesexuals even though they keep trying to frame it that way.

        in any event, we don’t allow SS couples to marry. ok. somehow this is worthy of boycotting our country, when Ellen’s own country is murdering their own citizens with corrupt and racist policing among MANY other horrible policies. their president is the most racist, divisive, offensive misogynist in history and somehow you want to focus on this issue and pick on Bermuda? talk about hypocrisy!

        hey ellen, why don’t you encourage boycotting oil from Saudi Arabia or go on the offensive against countries that ACTUALLY abuse their citizens in real ways. oh wait- you won’t, because you live in a safe little bubble of wealth and fame and you wouldn’t want that to be popped.

        • sandgrownan says:

          Yes you are. You have determined that gay couples are second class citizens and can’t marry. plain and simple.

          In order to do so, you also allowed the idiots to say that Immigration law trumps human rights law. In doing so, you have created a slippery slope.

        • Onion Juice says:

          They have the islands in the Coral Sea to play, why try to turn Bermuda into your playground.

          • Onion Juice says:

            Cato Island is officially a gay and lesbian island so it aint like you cant go anywhere.

          • warriorprincess says:

            to play? What are you talking about? They – which is already horrible to say – as if “they” were some kind of group of outsiders, don’t want a “playground”, but to lead a normal life with their partner, with no restrictions as everybody else too!

        • spinspinspin says:

          I think you just put forward the dictionary definition of ‘false equivalency’. And that was ON TOP of your prejudice.

      • Infidelguy says:

        This is not about the POTUS. Most Americans know what a racist, womanizing, ‘P’ grabbing idiot he is. This is about the country that we live in and about the poor decision making abilities of our political leaders.

      • Imjustsaying says:

        Prove it. Typical.

    • Hmmm says:

      Wow… you seriously don’t get it. It’s incredible how incompetent you are, I’m actually in shock.

    • Torian says:

      You don’t. Her 77 million followers are who we need

      • Hair says:

        Bermuda, get with it!!!

        • Onion Juice says:

          So 77 million people drink her kool-aid and you want to force us to drink it.

          • Mike Hind says:

            Nope. No one is forcing you to do anything. The only ones forcing look aid around here are folks like you who spread lies and dishonesty in order to get your way.

            Not a single thing in your life has changed since last May as a result of this ruling. You haven’t been forced to do anything.

            Stop lying.

      • Portia says:

        And yet we did not have them before and did just fine.

        • Double S says:

          You think our tourism industry is ‘just fine?’ It has definitely picked up in recent years, but that’s not hard when you’re starting from the very bottom.

        • cha_bouy says:

          what do you consider fine? 3 Billion dollars in debt for a country our size is not fine….

        • Daylily says:

          Exactly. And where were her 77 million followers for the past several months when we did have SSM. We. Certainly didn’t see the impact of 77 million new tourists

          • Zevon says:

            Whay, while we were having our record tourist year?

          • So Tired says:

            Agree…and fior the record, does Ellen even know where Bermuda is? BS’er

      • Onion Juice says:

        So 77 Million people drink her kool-aid and you want us yo drink it too.

        • Mike Hind says:

          The only kool ade around here is the poison you spread.

    • Navin Johnson says:

      Would you feel better if Oprah said the same thing

    • jt says:

      But the minister said he wants her!

    • Thanks Ellen now people know where we are says:

      1 Thank God

    • Infidelguy says:

      You really need to brush up on your critical thinking skills.

    • MB says:

      We don’t, we all have jobs and lots of $$$ and are doing just fine without those gay tourists and the massive publicity people like Ellen can bring us. I guess maybe when you lose your job it will be about the bigger picture finally and not your personal problem with gay people

      • Mike Hind says:

        We have lots of $$$?

        Since when? Aren’t we in debt?

        Has something changed?

        Or are you just talking nonsense?

        • Anonymous says:

          Calm down Mike, this person was obviously being sarcastic.

  2. Kenny F says:

    Rachel & I don’t care

    • Onion Juice says:

      Gotta admit she has a pretty wife.
      Goes to show you if you have money you can make things happen.

      • campervan says:

        Nice classy comment to make on International Women Day OJ. Misogynist too eh? No surprise there.

      • Created says:

        Man you are probably the most ignorant person on this forum. Just goes to show us that no matter how much money you pour into our education system, some people chose not to pay attention in class, and get stuck on stupid.

  3. Kenny F says:

    Rachel S & I would rather invite Tiger Woods to visit Bermuda than ellen

    • Onion Juice says:

      So Tony Brannon thinks Rod Ferguson is the face of Bermuda?
      SMFH

      • Double S says:

        Hopefully you don’t think hate filled people like you are.

      • JohnnyB says:

        He’s the face of this lawsuit… are you blind or just lacking proper education?

      • campervan says:

        Shut De Island Down!!!!
        Equal rights for all!
        24/12
        Whats good for the goose.
        LMFAO.

      • Brady says:

        Keep shaking your head – it might shake some sense into that dormant organ in your skull.

    • Peace says:

      I would like to invite you and all like minded people to leave Bermuda. We want to be progressive and you are holding us in the dark ages. This is racism, you really need to stop.

      • Onion Juice says:

        This has nothing to do with race.

        • nerema says:

          You keep linking it to race. But when you’re a racist, I guess you have nothing else.

          • Onion Juice says:

            Black people cant be racist but prejudice, Black people are not in position to deny people of economic and social progression because of race and we never usurped another race to benefit economically and socially because of race or created the ideology of being superior to another race.
            There for I submit Blacks can be prejudice but not RACIST.
            That position has been occupied for the last 400 years.

            • Double S says:

              Black Bermudians dominate the Government, the judiciary, the education system, the civil service etc.

              So yes black Bermudians are in such positions.

              All you have done is parrot a an American centric manipulation of the definition of racism as a means to justify your, well, racism

            • Mike Hind says:

              Oh, but you wish you could, don’t you?

              As for superiority, aren’t you he one who keeps pushing the lies that it isn’t “your culture” and that it’s a “nasty European habit”?

              You may not support oppressing someone based on their race, but you certainly do support oppression based on YOURS!!

            • Zevon says:

              You take every chance you can get to use race to get a social and economic advantage. You’re the absolute epitome of the word racist.

        • campervan says:

          OJ you have gone on record as saying that the act of homosexuality is a “dirty European habit” so according to your weird logic it kinda does.

        • cpm says:

          You are always about race

    • p Ant says:

      narrow minded and blind aren’t we

    • sandgrownan says:

      Ah…a serial philanderer….good role model on International Women’s Day.

    • wahoo says:

      Go ahead and invite him I bet he would say no just like he did when dreb was trying to get him here.

      • Zevon says:

        He might come now he doesn’t have to pretend he likes dreb.

  4. Do it right says:

    Ellen tries to tout herself as a person who says “be kind to one another”. I don’t see how her action against the entire population of Bermuda is being kind? Double standard at best and I for one will not be watching her show!

    • DeathVallyBear! says:

      Guess she thinks that an elected government actually represents the people who elected them! That’s how the real world works. The days of stepping on anyone and not having any reprcoions are over.

      • Mixitup says:

        So the random killing of Black men in the US has come to an end? Oh right, that was yesterday’s news. America/cans with all of its inequities has no moral authority to be passing judgement on any county. As much hell as they have brought on this earth.

      • Mike Hind says:

        The way it’s SUPPOSED to work is that the government represents ALL of the citizens of the country, not just those who elected them.

        This kind of thinking is why we’re in the mess we’re in.

    • D'unbelievables says:

      I’m sure she’ll be gutted to hear this.

    • Me says:

      Agreed

    • Victor says:

      Do it Right — She doesn’t owe you tourism dollars. No one does. Her decision to cancel is an act of kindness – kindness to her own dignity and her own marriage, which is no longer recognized by Bermuda.

      • Portia says:

        Ellen is a not truthful. There was no “decision to cancel”, she did not have a trip booked to Bermuda, has never been to Bermuda, and likely doesn’t even know where it is.

        • sandgrownan says:

          Citation please.

          However you, as normal, miss the point entirely.

    • campervan says:

      “I for one will not be watching her show!” Do you see the irony in your statement?

    • Onion Juice says:

      Jeff says he fights for equality for all, never seen his face in any protest in Bermudas History.

      • sandgrownan says:

        You trot out this false equivalence on every thread on this topic. It’s a stupid argument, no matter how many times you use it.

        • Onion Juice says:

          Thats your opinion, but Ive never seen him in any protest Civil or otherwise.
          Not even in archive pictures from yesteryear.

          • sandgrownan says:

            It’s not even relevant, but you know, keep flogging that point….

          • Mike Hind says:

            No one has ever seen you at any of these protests, either, coward.

      • Double S says:

        There have been no true equality protests in recent history. Just anti-immigrant, anti-aging and anti-airport.

        Basically just protests of hate.

      • sooo says:

        Fighting for equality does not mean blocking the road with a placard.

      • JohnnyB says:

        He’s probably working unlike those who use any excuse to get out of work

      • nerema says:

        Your protests are anti-democratic and anti-Bermudian.

      • Mike Hind says:

        never seen your face anywhere. Just that hood you wear.

    • p Ant says:

      narrow minded and blind aren’t we

    • sandgrownan says:

      Ah, the old you’re the bigot if you call me out on my bigotry argument. It. Doesn’t. Stand. Up.

    • ag says:

      you will not be missed…plenty of non homophobes will watch…that’s most people with nothing to hide

  5. frank says:

    She can go to jamaica

    • Thanks Ellen now people know where we are says:

      LOLOLOLOLOL yes Jamaica

  6. Hmmm says:

    The PLP have single handedly ruined Bermuda. I have never been this embharased to be Bermudian. Why are you all such HATERS! If you are pro banning SSM then you are pro Racism, plain and simple. You can cut the cookie however you want to sleep better at night but know that you are 100% a racist and are the reason why this world is being held back. I hope that you all rot in hell

    -EMBHARASED TO BE BERMUDIAN

    • Portia says:

      Friend, the only hate I see is coming from you. By making such hysterical and nonsensical statements that anyone who doesn’t agree with you must be racist, you are single-handedly undermining the pro-SSM position and devolving the conversation. Please stop and regain some composure.

      • Double S says:

        “By making such hysterical and nonsensical statements that anyone who doesn’t agree with you must be racist,”

        But that approach seems to work for the PLP.

      • Mike Hind says:

        Just because you agree with the hate doesn’t mean it isn’t hate.

        Spreading lies about a section of our population in order to oppress them, as you so often do, is, in fact, hate.

    • Hmmmm says:

      Single handedly? No. That is false.

      On this issue, they had a lot of help from the OBA in screwing things right up.

  7. Bob says:

    Isn’t it “Bermudians first”? Not “rich from the US”….she’s not Bermudian…who cares what she thinks…just because she has money and 70,000 followers? What does it say about a government who caters to the rich and popular? #byefelicia

    • nerema says:

      It’s 70 million followers, not 70 thousand. Big difference.

      If you don’t want to ‘cater to the rich and popular’, then don’t.
      Live in your slimy little lonely world.

      But don’t whine and complain when people choose not to come here and spend their money. You lot denied it would happen, because you’re too stupid and short-sighted.

    • sandgrownan says:

      You aren’t very bright are you?

    • Created says:

      77 MILLION FOLLOWERS BOB, not 77 THOUSAND. Pretend it was Oprah making the same statement. Maybe that would help you understand the reach she has.

    • Mike Hind says:

      And yet, y’all don’t have a problem with foreigners coming down here and spreading hate… weird, that.

      Why the hypocrisy when it comes to NOM?

  8. Cow Polly says:

    Perhaps if Tiger Woods or Oprah Winfrey tweeted they weren’t coming to Bermuda you would realise the impact Ellen’s tweet is having on our industry? And for those who are passively aggressively implying that she is hurting all Bermudians with her tweet, where were you when we were demonstrating on the hill for SSM? This is no different than the withdrawal of labor by our Unions to force a conclusion to an issue. The decision by our Government to repeal SSM is far bigger than our 21 sq miles and we must be prepared to become the poster child of homophobic bigotry.

  9. lovelifeandlive says:

    Bandwagonist! She likely had no real plans to come here anyways.

    • JohnnyB says:

      It’s not about her, it’s about the 77 million followers. Does that make sense? Or do you need better education?

      • Jay_O says:

        so now we bow to others and allow them to dictate how we run our country? ridiculousness. disagree if you want but if we determine that marriage should be between a man and a woman for the building of our society (which is all that’s taken place- we have not targeted homosexuals or discriminated against them, as much as they try to convince people or frame it that way!) then people should disagree and accept.

        this liberal attitude of ‘submit or pay’ or the concept of ‘agree with me or i’ll label you a bigot’ is the height of ridiculousness and hypocrisy. we live in a society where people have different views and convictions.

        • Double S says:

          “agree with me or i’ll label you a bigot’ is the height of ridiculousness and hypocrisy.”

          That is the exact tactic PLP use against any and all opposition.

        • Anbu says:

          You used religion to do it. U forced your religion down everyones throats. What cant u understand about that? But thats cool cause some dudes who wrote the bible said so. Smh. This place deserves to sink. And then certain bermudians have the gall to say they r treated rough. HA!! Place is a joke.

        • Mike Hind says:

          You bowed to those foreigners in NOM and let them tell you how to run our country…

  10. A says:

    Thing is, she doesn’t need you to watch her show.
    However, Bermuda do need the tourism. Considering her huge international and American following, not to mention the severe impact of social media at present, this is significant and will have a massive impingement.

    #LoveisLove

  11. Warlord2 says:

    Kenny F you muppet,it’s not really Ellen I am worried about it’s her millions of twitter and Instagram followers that worries me.

    • Portia says:

      But you’re assuming that everyone who watches her show is pro-SSM and agrees with her stance, which is not the case. Many do not. It seems to me that many on here believe that Ellen’s followers are nothing more than mindless muppets (I believe “sheeple” is the popular word here?) who can’t think for themselves. If so, that indicates a much bigger problem, and I should think we would be more worried about their mental well being then where they choose to spend their vacation dollars.

      • Cow Polly says:

        Oh pleeeze……… clearly you don’t watch her show because if you did you know that Ellen is the poster child for tolerance in all forms and in particular homosexuality. Therefore it is safe to conclude that those who watch her show are also tolerant of homosexuality otherwise they wouldn’t be watching! As for calling her followers mindless muppets, do you also class those who watch the BET channel or Joel Osteen mindless muppets????
        Your homophobia is ripe this morning Portia.

        • Portia says:

          There’s your mistake, and this is what drives a wedge in society. Why can’t a person who supports traditional marriage watch a show hosted by a gay person? By insinuating that, it is actually YOU who is coming across as narrow-minded and intolerant. I have seen her show many times and the focus of the show is not about gay marriage, so why try to create division in society by assuming that her audience is only the gay community? If it were, her show would not have lasted long on the air to begin with.

          And if you read my comment, I was not the one calling her viewers “mindless muppets” rather it is comments on here that assume her viewers can’t think for themselves that belittle them, by saying things like “When a talk show host tells you to jump, her viewers ask how high.”

          • Cow Polly says:

            And your mistake is assuming that all gay people want to talk about is gay rights. It isn’t. They’d rather not have to talk about it at all and just be accepted. However, if a person who supports traditional marriage wants to watch Ellen’s show then there’s nothing stopping them but they are not going to hear anything to support their beliefs whether its gay marriage or gay rights or gay sex, if they are tolerant enough to listen to another’s view point then go for it. The more the merrier but the shear fact that supporters of ‘traditional marriage’ (whatever that means) are intolerant of a certain minority group in our community being allowed to marry points the finger of narrow-minded directly at them!

          • Mike Hind says:

            No. What drives a wedge in this country are privileged folks demanding that we treat other citizens as less worthy of rights for absolutely no reason whatsoever.

            It’s not the folks fighting for equality that are the problem. It’s folks like you that are causing all this.

  12. Clarke says:

    Guess I’ll no longer be watching her show or anything Produced by her.

    • sandgrownan says:

      Ouch..I’m sure she’s rethinking….

    • JohnnyB says:

      Cool story Clarke…

    • Facts: says:

      Oh no, Clarke! Say it isn’t so! Ellen will be really hurt if you stop watching her show. sad face.

      • Real Deal says:

        i never watch her show. poor example for young females. i never support it

    • Created says:

      So now she will be down to 69,999,999 followers. I trust she will miss you.

  13. ImJustSayin says:

    Who cares, she’s annoying and not funny.

    • sandgrownan says:

      Recent history would suggest otherwise…but carry on…

    • JohnnyB says:

      Aaannddddd this is why we need better education in Bermuda.

  14. Wahoo juice says:

    Get used to it Bda plp just have a way of wreaking havoc on our 2 economic pillars. When celebs start making noise about this kind of thing it ain’t good.

  15. yo says:

    poor Bermuda stuck in its own bigotry all the money spent by preserve marriage could have been spent to bring holy Joe rallys and conferences to the island nothing like Holy money

    • Sorry sir says:

      Faith-based tourism was tried 10 years ago and failed quite miserably.

      • wahoo juice says:

        Dat der is because de bye took de money and never did nuffin wiff it.

  16. Rada Gast says:

    Was she ever coming here in the first place?

    • sooo says:

      She has been here 4 or 5 times, wouldn’t be surprised if she was planning another trip.

    • JohnnyB says:

      Probably not but I’m sure some of the 77 million followers planned on it, which is the real point of all of this.

    • Andrew says:

      Comments like this are totally missing the point. SMH

  17. Joey Bag O'Doughnuts says:

    Like she even knows where Bermuda is. Bermuda will survive all this stuff as it always has.

    • HarryTuttle says:

      Surviving and evolving are two different matters. And the former does not imply growth, only stagnation.

    • sandgrownan says:

      I’ve been actively telling people not to visit Bermuda – Ellen has just done a much better job of it, as I don’t even have 7 Twitter followers!

  18. Rosie Marangiello-Donovan says:

    This season will not be like last year, island will lose in big way. Ellen has huge following (and her preference is non-issue) and cancelling her trip will have implications, Oprah isn’t coming, Suzy Orman too, many others publicly saying they were looking forward to visiting but no longer … and whether you agree or disagree with locals or visitors’ sexual preference (again, non-issue to most), island and tourism will suffer greatly because of this thinking. Please remember, God loves everyone.

  19. Cranberry says:

    While I agree with her sentiment let’s not forget that not so long ago all these celebrities were going to move to Canada if Trump got in.

    Personally, I believe no one wins when celebrities get involved in politics.

  20. HarryTuttle says:

    In the wake of a better year of tourism from the AC, you really want to be going from strength to strength, not alienating ANY legitimate group of people from coming here. I think government underestimated the fallout of rolling back SSM. At the end of the day it doesn’t matter whether Ellen, Rosie O’Donnel, Oprah Winfrey or Kermit the Frog comes here. They all have huge influence on their followers and an offhand remark about something they believe in has massive influence on their viewership.

    I remember the days when if Oprah Winfrey told her followers to jump they would say “How high?”, Ellen on her daytime shows and other subsidiary shows is a massively influential person who also struggled with the stigma of being gay. In the early days of her career coming out as openly gay would have been a death sentence to her acting career. Now she also waves a magic wand – and like it or not her viewership is not only gay and lesbian but also straight and loyal to her show.

    Wasn’t it yet another ill conceived policy of the former PLP government who scared off another reportedly influential entertainer due to the short sighted real estate laws?

    I think I hear a gunshot – it’s the sound of Bermuda shooting herself in the foot again.

    • Rebecca says:

      Very well said. What many do not realize is that you have used religion to stop what each of you personally do not want to discriminate another. This is called hypocrisy! Did you not read in the Bible “what man thinks in his heart, so is he”, “though shall not judge” and gluttony and greed is also a sin. If you don’t believe in something don’t practice it, but taking the freedom of another because you believe is wrong will only take your freedom in the end. Read your bibles more carefully. The battle is between God and these people you call sinners. It’s not your battle! Every being deserves freedom of choice as long as they do not hurt another. Our community will now lose financial freedom from these judgements on SSM. Stop molding Bermuda to your personal beliefs and welcome freedom of choice. We each deserve to live our lives the way we want.

      • sage says:

        How about those that choose to smoke ganja and hurt no-one else? Do they deserve freedom of choice too?

        • Mike Hind says:

          Yes. Yes they do. You Lee trying to push this false equivalence of Marriage Equality supporters being against decriminalizing or legalizing pot.
          And every time, it’s shown that many of us support it.

          Why do you keep spreading this nonsense? Do you think it’s helping anyone?

        • Rebecca Wallington says:

          Yes! I’m actually sending a petition around if you want to sign it. I’m the next one to sue the government. Legalize cannabis and stop using my health as COMMODITY!!! This just shows the hypocrisy in the Bible pushers. We have 76% overweight and obese population here, which is a sin yet they are more concerned of others going against their Bible the sins they commit daily. I’m spiritual and believe we all have the right to liberty. God gave us free will and yet we allow man to take it from us.

  21. reasons48 says:

    All Publicity is good Publicity. Thank you Ellen for making our country accessible to your 77 million twitter followers.!!!!!

    • HarryTuttle says:

      I guess the upside is that many of her followers can’t tell the difference between Bermuda, Bahamas and Barbados so someone else might take the hit instead.

      • PBanks says:

        After the hurricane kerfluffle last year, you probably have a point.

  22. Vince Vega says:

    LGBTQ – Out of Bermuda
    No new insurance capital – Out of Bermuda
    World Cup – Out of Bermuda

    Increased government jobs – in to Bermuda

  23. Onion Puke says:

    Well done PLP and your loyal following of bigoted sheep.

  24. Haa... says:

    I guess she and all others that think like this will be cancelling their trips to the “United” States that are still on the same page as Bermuda as well?

    http://www.governing.com/gov-data/same-sex-marriage-civil-unions-doma-laws-by-state.html

  25. Stephen Thomson says:

    Really bad news for Bermuda.
    Crazy how we seem to keep shooting ourselves in the foot.
    We should have simply left this issue alone.
    A massive mistake in my view

  26. Izzypop says:

    Well the PLP slapped Oprah in the face when she tried to buy a house here
    Just think of the contribution she could hv made to our economy
    Like it or not these celebrities have a lot of power
    Their fans/followers will listen
    It’s probley a good think our Premier is punching the 60/40 change. Pushing for more overseas companies
    He knows tourism is done here.
    He knows there is no other way to build our economy

  27. Brady says:

    This is not about Ellen or whether anyone likes her – I find her very annoying. Its about the damage to Bermuda due to our own idiocy.

  28. Bermuda Mom says:

    I would like to know if Ellen will be boycotting other counties that don’t support her American lesbian marriage? She lives in the United States where her Same Sex marriage is recognized.
    She is not a citizen of Bermuda. She can come and visit if she wants, but whether we recognize her US marriage has nothing to do with Bermuda.
    Bullying at its core to use her platform and audience in this way.

    Not all Americans support SSM either.
    An example- the US Supreme Court vote was 5 to 4.

    • Facts: says:

      Sorry Mom, you missed the point. Completely.
      Ask your kids to explain it to you.

  29. puzzled says:

    After reading these comments I know for sure after all these years Bermuda’s people of today are really F-*G#$ up.

    Enjoy your final few years.

  30. What is happening IS progressive. Bermuda DOES NOT have to do exactly what the rest of this world does.
    Get that!!!
    hahahahaha!!!

    • Anbu says:

      Hahahahaha and when you are all poor and cant even afford a peanut, make sure u kiss waltons feet and say thank u with a big smile on your face. Im sure u will be laughing then muppet

  31. Oh!! If Ellen Degeneres does not want to come here, friends and relatives from elsewhere will!!

  32. yo says:

    David Bitcoin is silent or on a trip trying to spin Bermuda but don’t grant full equality for all his people I am so glad its a PLP government who brought us backwards real history there bad move guys
    the regressive PLP party don’t evn see some of their own party members as equal beyond a joke

  33. DJ says:

    I had been considering returning to Bermuda this fall, after an amazing visit a few years ago. However, like Ellen (but not because of Ellen) I’ve decided to spend my vacation elsewhere (the Azores, as it turns out).

    That’s not an attack on Bermudians; I simply believe that happily injecting my money into your economy represents tacit, if not explicit, approval of your stance on same-sex marriage.

    While I’m not surprised by the backlash against Ellen in the comments above, I assume those doing the criticizing would defend their own right to boycott companies/places they saw as abusing human rights.

    The thing is, we believe this is a human rights issue. Bermuda will, too, when it catches up with the rest of the civilized world – you just need a little longer. Take your time. Until then, you can find me sipping port in the Azores.

    • Jay_O says:

      more ridiculousness. so have you cut off every friend and family member in your life that you don’t agree with? I hope so. because in order to be consistent with what you’re professing here, you should be sure to boycott or ‘cut off’ and cease all communication with anyone who has different views from you. otherwise, they might interpret your friendship and communication as ‘tacit support’ for positions that you disagree with.

      LOL- what utter stupidity on your part. you don’t truly or consistently live your life that way, nor should you. grow up and learn to live in the real world instead of being so fragile and childish that you threaten anyone who disagrees with you.

      • Mike Hind says:

        This isn’t about disagreement. It’s about demanding that we treat our fellow citizens as less than human. Less than equal.

        And for no reason.

        At all.

        Please stop spreading this falsehood.

  34. KidsRtheFuture says:

    Just so you all are aware, The whole of Europe is on the same page as Bermuda when it comes to Same Sex Marriage, decided by the Highest court, unanimously voted by the 47 countries of Europe, so I guess she, Ellen, will not be going there too right?! and her followers, the millions that are living in Europe or are from Europe, will turn against Europe too. I doubt it. In life there is always give and take. You can not have it all. Its impossible. So her followers are a fraction of the rest of the world. Look at the positive in every situation Bermuda.

    • Navin Johnson says:

      May want to check your facts…..the whole of Europe is not on the same page as Bermuda…

    • Cow Polly says:

      Don’t know what map of Europe you’re looking at but it can’t include the UK, France, Germany and the other 12 countries that support gay marriage

    • Mike Hind says:

      Nothing in here is right.

      Why do you guys have to lie to support your position? Surely if it’s a solid position, the truth will suffice, no?

  35. Navin Johnson says:

    77,000,000 followers plus millions of other people and but at least Walton Brown and a few local churches are happy….

  36. Realist says:

    To all the persons who think it doesn’t matter if Ellen was coming to Bermuda or not, this IS what matters, she has an outreach/influence of 77 million followers and if you can’t do the math here, let’s see how well you’re doing come the slow tourism season. What if the same statement was said by Oprah, then would you get it? Influence matters.

    • Wow says:

      Oprah has been here several times!! Not hear say…I have had the pleasure of talking with her and Stedman.
      But Ellen can say what she likes… but I can almost guarantee she will come…very quietly! Just like other gay celebrities!

    • puzzled says:

      The irony is ‘Realist’ the fact that if Oprah said it would be gospel

  37. new day says:

    All of her viewers dont take travel advice from Ellen.

    Nothing to worry about.

  38. facts of the rock says:

    the plp needs to be removed forever from Bermuda.

    • Mike Hind says:

      No, they don’t. They just need to do a better job. ALL our politicians need to do a better job.

  39. Triangle Drifter says:

    Consequences. There are always consequences to stupidity. Fewer hotel bookings mean fewer hours needed for hotel to work. Fewer hours mean less pay. Happy?

    • wahoo juice says:

      I am sure that we can have a march and everything will be fine.

  40. Sigh! says:

    Who cares if Ellen and Co. comes to Bermuda or not – yawn. Most likely she never had plans to come here anyway… geesh! Ellen and Co. can go Jamaica

    • PBanks says:

      Wouldn’t it be preferrable though, if a highly-followed celebrity posted some encouraging messages about Bermuda and it inspired a couple hundred people to visit the island and spend some $$?

      We should be regretting that this is a lost opportunity, not shrugging our shoulders and being all ‘who cares’?

  41. sandgrownan says:

    It’s interesting, isn’t it, that the knee jerk reaction is to double-down on the stupidity. There’s no possibility of self-reflection, the thought that maybe we’re wrong, that we’re on the wrong side of history and the zeitgeist.

    Just – nah, bollocks to the world, little old Bermuda is right.

    Incredible. But then again, Bermudians have never been accused of being smart.

  42. Keepin' it Real!...4Real! says:

    Well well well…imagine that…Ellen Degenerate threatening Bermudas economy huh…was she planning on vacationing here and enjoying what bermuda has to offer or was she coming here to get married..? Her becoming vindictive only solidifies…definitely not someone I would welcome here…and don’t for one minute think that being the largest tweeter followed means a damn thing…as for Tiger Woods…he’s all discombobulated with his problems…and Oprah has become a member of an evil Cabal of the worlds wealthiest puppet masters…absolutely no loss to bermuda unless you would sell your own souls to the Devil.

    • Mike Hind says:

      This is just the ranting of a madman!

      • Keepin' it Real!...4Real! says:

        And you’re just a parrot…

        • Mike Hind says:

          Nope. Not true at all. You’re making things up again.
          I’m begging to at least TRY to be honest and show some integrity.
          Why is that so hard?

  43. Whatever says:

    I know none of my friends will lose sleep because Ellen won’t come. I know there are folk out there who will come to Bermuda because we stood up for Marriage between one man one woman. Stand firm Bermuda because these are definitely the last days and the gay agenda is being shoved own our collective throats as a human rights issue and you have these same people who don’t bat an eye at what’s happening in Syria right now. Want to fight a cause? Fight for the reparations owed to black people for the hundreds of years of disenfranchisement which still persists today in this racist world we live in. Does that bother you.???? Didn’t think so. Mic Drop.

    • Mike Hind says:

      This is all lies and misrepresentation of reality.

      Why do you Preserve Marriage peoplehave to lie like this to support your position?

      You seem to have a problem with people being persecuted and being treated as less than equal… except when it’s YOU doing the persecution!

      That’s just evil.

    • PBanks says:

      You do know it looks silly when you ‘mic drop’ a forum comment?…

      On your topic, perhaps PM should reach out to popular religious leaders and see if they can get an influx of visitors?

      If Joel Osteen or Creflo Dollar or Kirk Cameron tweets something about “Bermuda stands for traditional marriage, I’m gonna visit”, then see what the reaction’s like?

      • Toodle-oo says:

        *You do know it looks silly when you ‘mic drop’ a forum comment?…*

        That and dropping hashtags on an internet discussion board.

  44. I quiver with fear says:

    So I am to believe all 77mil followers of Ellen subscribe to gay marriage. Ok then I am a believer. Keep trying to shove the gay agenda down everyone’s throat. Population control is behind all of this as if those behind this agenda are gonna live forever.

    • Mike Hind says:

      Another lie.

      Why can’t you lot just be honest?

  45. Real truth says:

    There are several hundred million straight people who have money, that are still interested in Lovely Bermuda, Ellen is just a blip on the map…..lets move on…..

  46. campervan says:

    Hosting gay marriages with natty Bermuda shorts and pink sand weddings could have netted the Island half a billion $$$. We could have become an iconic gay wedding destination.
    The current furore from over turning the EXISTING right to gay marriage here will cost us another half billion $$$
    That is a one billion dollar mistake.$$$
    Nice one Flip Flop, you just put the nail in the tourism coffin and ensured that Bermuda will be saddled with debt it cannot recover from.

  47. Eve says:

    Media personalities like Ellen, Kardashians and Ohpra have so much power they can influence and control the opinions of millions of people just by tying a few words on social media….this is dangerous!! They have the power and money to control elections, governments and anything they like or dislike. Ellen should know better than to tweet this kind of rehtoric, she had to know the damage her opinion can do!!!!!

    • Warrior says:

      hold on Media personalities can move many yes, but was Ellen truly coming to Bermuda? Media reports so full of lies and confusion

  48. Justsaying says:

    If we told Oprah she can’t own a home here do you really think we care what Ellen has to say

  49. Kai says:

    All im saying is if a man going lay down with another man than how the baby born?????

    • Bermy says:

      When you come up sterile or your wife, barren, you may change your tune mate!

    • Mike Hind says:

      What does that have to do with marriage?

      Are you actually suggesting that procreation is a requirement for marriage?

      Please stop desperately grasping at straws to justify your hate.

      You are hurting people.

    • PBanks says:

      Hey Kai, what’s that got to do with marriage?

  50. Well, Ellen!!
    Try Sweden or Russia.
    Because the laws in Bermuda do not suit this woman, she will need to change her travel itinerary.

  51. garth says:

    keep fighting against this bermuda

  52. warriorprincess says:

    Oh man … I just stumbled across this and all these comments made me angry. You all miss the point! What Ellen wants to say is, how can a country/island in today’s socetiety ban same sex marriage? Wether you are born straight, gay or something inbetween, everyone is the damn same and OF COURSE has the same rights to live its life to the fullest with all priviliges which come with it. You really wanna tell a gay person: NO, you’re not! You are born “wrong”! I mean seriously, today?!

    A lot of people say, this is not racist. But what is it, when you exclude a group of people of certain rights because of biological differences. It’s the same as to exclude people of something because of their colour of skin.
    And I know, a few people state their religion as a reason for their conservative opinions. And they can have that opinion and their religious bond. But the government should be for all people, no matter if religious or not, no matter what race, gender, etc…they should be the voice for everyone in their community! And if some don’t like a gay marriage, well you don’t have to do it! But let the other ones have their life!

    You all shouldn’t be so defensive about the economy at risk, if she is welcome here or not, but actually listen to what she is saying! She doesn’t want to harm bermuda, she wants to make a point!

  53. New day says:

    Do gay people Work here in Bermuda?

    Would seem to be stupid to support Ellen if she is trying to cut off your own ablity to make a living but…..

    The gay market for tourism is very small, in fact it is very very small. Dont kid yourselves into believing you are “that” important.

  54. So Tired says:

    If she had intentions on coming to this island, she would have been here years ago. The law has always been the same. FAKE NEWS!

    • Mike Hind says:

      Don’t you guys ever get sick of being wrong?

      You DO know the law changed last year, right? That’s why Mr. Brown had to put forth this hateful legislation.

      Or did you miss that completely?

  55. Mike Hind says:

    And so we see another thread that looks exactly like all the others.
    PM supporters and anti-equality folks post outright lie to spread their hate, they get proved wrong, AGAIN, they run away like cowards, refusing to stand up for what they claim to believe in.
    What frustrates the most is the ones who rail on about foreigners Corning down and telling us how to run this country, when that’s EXACTLY what they supported… a foreign hate-group came down here, found a couple of easy, not terribly bright pawns who can take orders and taught them how to spread anti-gay propaganda without having to show an ounce of integrity.
    These “useful idiots” were told “don’t worry about going against what you say you stand for – love, truth, peace – you’re fighting for a good cause! It’s ok when you do it because God is on your side!”

    This is bad for Bermuda and it’s bad for the world to let these hate mongers win. I can assure you that when they start on you, for whatever arbitrary reason they choose to hate you, you’ll be saying the same thing and fighting them just as hard.

    Come back to what you TRULY believe in and throw away this hate. Please.