VIDEO: Ellen and Portia to marry

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi will take advantage of the benefits provided by marriage in California:

Ellen announced their engagement during a taping of The Ellen DeGeneres Show on Thursday, telling the studio audience the news that the California Supreme Court had struck down state laws against gay marriage. The show airs Friday.

"So I would like to say now, for the first time, I am announcing: I am getting married," she said.

The studio audience leapt to its feet for a long ovation, and De Rossi as sitting in the audience, beaming and clapping.

Then DeGeneres cracked: "Thank you. I'll tell you who the lucky guy is soon."