The New Zealand MP is hesitating about following in the footsteps of Michelle and Barack Obama by dancing on the Ellen DeGeneres Show.

Maurice Williamson was asked to appear on the popular American talkshow after his pro-gay-marriage speech, in which he said he saw a 'big gay rainbow' over his electorate that morning, went viral.

Ellen DeGeneres is well-known for her comedy but on her daytime talk show, she will also turn serious at times to address major news events.

Monday (15 April) was one of those days when during the taping of a show to air today, DeGeneres learned of the bombing at the Boston Marathon.

At the end of the show, she takes a moment to address the tragedy.

‘I want to tell everyone in Boston that we’re thinking about you,' DeGeneres says. 'We’re watching the news and it’s incredibly sad.’

Anderson Cooper was ranked fifth in OUT magazine's annual top 50 list of powerful gay men and lesbians - the first year he made the list as an openly gay man.

Cooper had made the list year after year - one year even appearing on the cover of the magazine with Jodie Foster - but it wasn't until last summer that Cooper he publicly acknowledged being gay.

Foster, despite her very public coming out speech at the Golden Globe Awards in January, did not make the top 50 list which was unveiled today.

Popular American talkshow host Ellen DeGeneres and her wife Portia are being treated like royalty on their Australia tour - with airline Qantas laying on personalized treatment and Victoria state premier Denis Napthine holding a black tie dinner in their honor tomorrow night.

The couple arrived in Melbourne today and were greeted by dedicated fans wearing Ellen t'shirts and displaying banners outside their hotel.

Openly gay comic Ellen DeGeneres’ daytime talk show was renewed for four more years, it was announced today (11 March).

After marking its 10^th year on the air, the syndicated show was renewed through to the 2016-17 by NBC.

Valari Staab, NBC President, described the show as ‘the crown jewel’ of the daytime lineup.

‘In fact, “Ellen” is the top choice for women 25-54 in her time period in seven of our markets, including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, this season,’ Staab said.

Ellen DeGeneres showed her serious side to Australian talk show host Tracy Grimshaw in an interview broadcast on Monday night.

The usually light-hearted TV presenter and actress talked frankly about the dip in her career after she came out publicly in 1997.

Soon after she came out on The Oprah Winfrey Show, DeGeneres' sit com Ellen was cancelled.

Ellen DeGeneres has weighed in on the debate going on within the Boy Scouts of America organization which is considering lifting its ban in openly gay members and leaders.

But being Ellen, she did so by mixing humor with politics to make her point.

During the monologue on her daytime talk show Thursday (7 February), DeGeneres brought up the debate which has now been extended at least through May after the BSA national board delayed taking action this week.

The forever young Ellen DeGeneres turns 55 on Saturday (26 January) and celebrated the occasion on her daytime show today with special guests Katy Perry and Jude Law.

To get us in a pre-celebration mood, Ellen shared highlights from her on-air birthday parties from the past 10 years on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

They have included surprise appearances from the likes of Julia Roberts, Colin Farrell and Pink as well as wife Portia de Rossi performing Happy Birthday as Marilyn Monroe in a funny parody of Monroe singing to John F. Kennedy when he was president.

It's safe to say that the people really love Ellen DeGeneres.

The ever-popular television personality won her 13th People's Choice Award on Wednesday (9 January), this time in the category of Favorite Daytime Talk Show Host.

'It’s 2013, this is my 13th People’s Choice Award,' DeGeneres said as she accepted the honor. 'It is exactly as the Mayans predicted. So far, they got one right.'

DeGeneres, accompanied the Los Angeles ceremony by wife Portia de Rossi  also thanked everyone 'on her team.'

Ellen DeGeneres showed up to tape her daily talk show with a heavy heart on Monday (17 December) in the aftermath of the massacre at an elementary school Newtown, Connecticut, that left 20 children and six adults dead.

'We're going to do the show and it's going to be a struggle because my heart is broken for those families and for all the people of Newtown,' a subdued DeGeneres said during the show's opening. 'We're holding you in our hearts and today's show is dedicated to you.'

New Saturday Night Live cast member Kate McKinnon is clearly a standout and is helping to fill the void left by Kristin Wiig who departed at the end of last season.

McKinnon, who is also a lesbian, nailed an impersonation of Ellen DeGeneres that is getting raves - including DeGeneres herself.

'She’s really funny,' DeGeneres told viewers on her daytime show as she showed clips of McKinnon as her.

'I’m going to invite her to LA because I want her to go to Thanksgiving for me,' she joked.

Ellen DeGeneres, honored in Washington DC this week with the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, had a few things to say about who will be occupying The White House come January.

She's hoping it's not Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney.