And one of my favorite things to do on this show is to surprise audience

members but I just found out that there's a few people in the audience that have

a surprise for me, and I think we're supposed to watch.

>> Hi, my name is Sarah Kate Ellis.

>> Hi, I'm RJ.

>> Hey, I'm Liz.

>> I'm H Allen.

>> My name is Christopher McDonald.

>> I am Shawn Goucher.

I was that kid in middle school that was different.

>> Not admitting who you are and being closeted, and

living your life on a day-to-day basis not out, it's really painful.

>> The pressure, when you're in the closet, to you don't wanna talk about

something gay, cuz then people are gonna know you're gay.

So I wanted to distance myself as much as possible from the episode.

But at the same time, inside, I was dying to talk to someone about it,

[LAUGH] cuz I was so excited.

>> I was so excited.

I was literally counting them and it's that day to go home and

watch her come out on television.

>> When the episode aired, I threw a big party.

I think there are about 45 to 50 people.

>> Yeah, I watched it.

[LAUGH] Ironically, with my wife.

>> I knew, in a way, that I was watching history.

But, I didn't know how much that was gonna impact my own life.

>> It's like watching the Superbowl.

This was our hail mary as, I think, a gay community.

>> The whole time I was like, please just get to it.

Please just get to it.

Please just say it, please just say it.

>> Susan, I'm gay.

>> [APPLAUSE] >> It was a triumphant moment,

we all felt we're seen.

>> I'm gay. >> [APPLAUSE]

>> It was this huge feeling of relief,

that was the very first time in my life that I didn't feel alone.

>> The credits had just started to beginning to roll and

ring, and I picked up and my father didn’t even say hello,

he just said, we know, and we love you.

>> My mother was in the kitchen,

she asked if I had watched Ellen's coming out, and I said no.

She said, you should have, it was brave.

It's like you wanna tell your mother thank you for that, and you want to,

but you can't say the words.

>> She could not say the word gay.

I could relate to that so much, because saying that word

means you can't go back, and I was right there with her.

>> She's an icon.

She's a hero.

She's someone that helped me become the person that I am.

>> She put her career on the line to not open doors but

to kick down doors and swing them flying open.

>> You've made a lot of people laugh, but you saved lives.

>> You took that on so that people like me could be here.

[MUSIC]

You saved my life.

>> Ellen, you gave me a great gift.

I didn't think I would ever have a partner.

I certainly never thought I could say the word wife.

My daughters can walk up to friends and say, I have two moms.

And people come up to my daughters and go, well, aren't you lucky.

>> Thank you for giving a 14 year old fat,

gay, sort of sissy kid, who had a really large personality and

hid behind his humor, the ability to continue to foster that humor.

>> You've given me a dream which 20 years ago wouldn't have even have been possible.

>> Thank you for being you and for being brave, and bold,

and courageous, for me, for my kids even,

because I learned from you how to be brave, and bold, and courageous.

And now I'm giving that to my kids.

So thank you, Ellen.

[APPLAUSE].

You're still alive to hear it.

>> Yeah, amazing.

Thank you all so much.

>> Wow.

>> We'll take a break, we'll be right back.

[APPLAUSE]

[MUSIC]