Two decades ago, Ellen DeGeneres made history when she revealed she was gay on her eponymous TV show.

Since dubbed the “coming out scene,” the television moment, which came way before Will & Grace, continues to inspire since airing on April 30, 1997.

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Oprah Winfrey and Laura Dern made cameos on the iconic episode of the Ellen sitcom, which marked the first time a lead character had come out on the small screen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kw0yWmjdXUM

“This is so hard. I think I realized that I am… I can’t even say the word. Why can’t I say the word? I mean, what is wrong… why do I have to be so ashamed? I mean, why can’t I just say the truth?” Ellen says on the episode before leaning into a microphone and proclaiming, “Susan, I’m gay.”

We still get goosebumps!

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Recently, the 59-year-old talk show host reunited with her co-stars Oprah and Laura to celebrate the 20th anniversary of her coming out and revealed why it was called “The Puppy Episode.”

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“We wanted to keep it a secret until it aired and because ‘Ellen Throws Her Career Away’ seemed too on the nose…” she jokingly said. “Actually the real reason we call it ‘The Puppy Episode’ is because when writers told the executives that they wanted me to come out, because my character needed to be in a relationship after four years of not being in a relationship, someone at the studio said, ‘Well, get her a puppy. She’s not coming out.’”

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Oprah also praised Ellen for her bravery, saying, “You wouldn’t have been able to open hearts and touch hearts and change people’s minds and make a difference in the world had you not had the courage to do that.”