Comedian and LGBT activist Ellen DeGeneres is set to executive produce a new NBC comedy starring a lesbian character, according to Deadline.  Although television has come a long way since DeGeneres’s character on ABC sitcom “Ellen” came out as openly gay and shocked viewers, many still believe the LGBT community is lacking a presence in America’s living rooms. 

DeGeneres has paired up with openly gay writer and creator of “Two Broke Girls” Liz Feldman to create the sitcom, which is set to focus on a lesbian’s pregnancy with her straight male best friend just as he meets and eventually marries his bride-to-be. 

NBC is no stranger to shows with gay themes and story lines, with “Will & Grace” garnering a cult-like following and the more recent “Sean Saves The World” and “The New Normal.” The response to “Sean Saves The World” has been mediocre at best, and if cancelled will join a slew of gay-themed shows like ABC’s “Happy Endings” and NBC’s “Smash” that failed to resonate with audiences. 

DeGeneres and Feldman might just have the television chemistry to create a hit though; Feldman worked on DeGeneres’s talk show for two years and co-wrote DeGeneres’s material when she hosted the Oscars in 2007. DeGeneres’s star quality may pull viewers from more “mainstream” demographics as well as the LGBT community who DeGeneres largely supports. 

DeGeneres has garnered success as a television host and actress, but has also opened doors for the LGBT community in the entertainment industry. Degeneres remains a prominent advocate for animal rights and uses her talk-show “Ellen” to promote such causes. In 2011 Degeneres was named a Special Envoy for Global Aids Awareness by Hillary Clinton. 

Warner Bros Television and Degeneres’s A Very Good Production will produce the sitcom alongside executive producer Jeff Kleeman, Deadline reports. 

Reach Staff Reporter McKenna Aiello here, and follow her on Twitter @McKennaAiello.