Elton John shuts down critics of the friendship between Ellen DeGeneres and former President George W. Bush

Musical superstar Elton John, 72, spoke out recently in defense of the lengthy friendship between LGBT icon Ellen DeGeneres and former Republican President George W. Bush.

What's a quick background?

DeGeneres sparked outrage last week when she was spotted having a joyful laugh with Bush during a recent Dallas Cowboys football game.

In her own defense, DeGeneres issued a matter-of-fact statement that did not back away from her relationship with Bush.

"Here's the thing: I'm friends with George Bush," DeGeneres said. "In fact, I'm friends with a lot of people who don't share the same beliefs that I have. We're all different and I think we've forgotten that that's OK that we're all different."

This Photo of Ellen & George W. Bush Will Give You Faith in America Againwww.youtube.com

What are the details?

During a recent interview with NPR, John said that DeGeneres is entitled to be friends with whomever she chooses.

"I admire Ellen for standing up and saying what she did," he said. "George Bush has made a lot of mistakes. I made a lot of mistakes. Ellen DeGeneres has made a lot of mistakes. People need to come together. ... They need to respect people's view on life. Except when it's heresy, and I don't think George Bush is that kind of guy."

Elton John on his autobiography, "Me"www.youtube.com

Anything else?

DeGeneres, who is openly gay, admitted that a lot of people were angered as a result of her friendship with the former president.

"They thought, why is a gay Hollywood liberal sitting next to a conservative Republican president?" DeGeneres said. " A lot of people were mad."

She offered some reasonable advice to those people with a chip on their shoulders.

"When I say, 'be kind to one another,' I don't only mean the people that think the same way that you do," DeGeneres continued. "I mean be kind to everyone."

The Bush family also released a statement on the friendship following the controversy.

"President and Mrs. Bush really enjoyed being with Ellen and Portia, and they appreciated Ellen's comments about respecting one another. They respect her," Freddy Ford, Bush's chief of staff, told CNN in a statement.