Glee co-star Lea Michele, singer
Katy Perry and talk show host Ellen DeGeneres on Saturday cheered
passage of a gay marriage bill in New York.
The
New York Senate late Friday night approved the marriage legislation
championed by Governor Andrew Cuomo with the help of four Republicans
who joined all but one Democrat in voting for the measure. The
Assembly overwhelmingly approved the measure last week. A
last-minute amendment that broadens the bill's religious protections
helped win over two undecided Republicans in the Senate. Upon
hearing of the bill's passage, proponents who had lined the Senate
hallways for days began chanting, “USA! USA! USA!”
Michele, who plays Broadway-bound
Rachel Berry on the Fox musical-comedy Glee, tweeted to her
nearly 1 million followers: “Proud to be from New York!! Such a
beautiful thing!! So thankful and happy!!”
Moments later she added, “Love and
equality prevailed in New York!!”
DeGeneres, who married her wife actress
Portia DeGeneres (formally Portia De Rossi) in 2008, messaged to her
nearly 7 million Twitter followers: “I'm thrilled about the news
from NY. Marriage equality! Every day we get a little closer. What
an amazing feeling.”
“NEW YORK! I [heart] U!,” Perry
tweeted to her more than 8 million followers. “You're OFFICIALLY
the coolest place on the planet.”