Ellen DeGeneres has fired back at a pastor who claims "The Ellen Degeneres Show" "celebrates" the host's "lesbianism and 'marriage' in between appearances of guests like Taylor Swift to attract young girls."

DeGeneres addressed Pastor Larry Tomczak's criticism during her talk show's monologue on Wednesday.

"The only way I'm trying to influence people is to be more kind and compassionate with one another; that's the message I'm sending out," she said as applause erupted from the studio audience. "I don't have an agenda."

Watch the monologue below:

Pastor Tomczak listed a dozen references on television that promote the LGBT community and have a "gay agenda" in a Jan. 8 op-ed column of the Washington, D.C.-based Christian Post.

"The indoctrination and propaganda coming from those advocating a gay lifestyle in our country, classrooms and culture are increasing," he wrote. "All of us need to take note and take action to guard those we love."

In true DeGeneres fashion, the talk show host had a sense of humor about the matter. On Wednesday's episode of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" that she doesn't usually read stories about herself "unless it's about me being pregnant, and then how else would I know?"

DeGeneres, however, made an exception to address Tomczak's statements, saying she doesn't know what it means to celebrate "lesbianism."

"Well, I guess I do," she then quipped before pulling a party favor out of her jacket pocket,

"I'm gay!" DeGeneres then shouted.

The pastor's solution to "Hollywood promoting homosexuality" is to watch more "wholesome" television shows like "Gunsmoke" and "I Love Lucy."

"It's not like 'I Love Lucy' is a great example for kids: She's shoving all that chocolate in her mouth; that's not good for kids," DeGeneres retorted on Wednesday.

DeGeneres also addressed Tomczak's list of gay or lesbian relationships on television.

"If you ask me, Larry's watching a lot of gay TV," she said.

Related