Adam Lambert

DeGeneres: Simon, I guess this is as good a time as any to tell you – I’m gay.

Cowell: Are you serious? No one told me that. Let me tell you something: We are the least racist, homophobic show in the world. What we do have, thank God, is a sense of humor. I hate political correctness. I wouldn’t go into any show saying anything is off-limits. If we have to abide by a ton of rules, we might as well call it a day now.

EW: Is that cool with you, Ellen?

DeGeneres: Well, I don’t go by that rule, where there’s no political correctness at all. If we lived in a world where there was no such thing as racism or homophobia, then obviously there would be no off-limits. Unfortunately, there are people in this world that don’t like other people, and that was one of the issues that was brought up about Adam Lambert. So I’m sensitive to it just because I’ve experienced that kind of discrimination. At the same time, the stuff that Simon and Ryan do – none of that has ever been offensive to me. I’m more offended by people who make jokes about something sounding like an animal that’s been caught in a lawn mower or whatever. Because there are sick people out there that would go, “What’s that sound like?”

"I'm proud of him. Obviously, a lot of people speculated. But you can't just guess that a guy is gay just because he wears makeup," she said. "I'm a huge advocate for someone living their honest, truthful life. I think that's what our responsability is. We have this life, this opportunity - not only for ourselves to be truthful because that's a healthy way to live, but if you can help other people who are struggling."

She was then asked if Adam should have come out during American Idol. "Who's to say? He didn't have to do it all To say the timing is convenient after the fact. He's just starting his career," she answered. Then she said that maybe, "he was told, let's just get through American idol. Everyone has a lot of people saying you should do this and you should do this. The fact is he's just really starting his career. I'm really proud of him, and there are a lot of people who are still not out in the business."