Lori Welbourne hopes to join Ellen DeGeneres to discuss topless interview with Kelowna mayor

Kelowna broadcaster and columnist Lori Welbourne says she's been misunderstood.

The former Straight employee rocketed to international fame after going topless during a videotaped interview with Mayor Walter Gray.

Welbourne placed pixels over her breasts, which infuriated some men.

"I want them to experience the message of gender equality with the humour that was intended," Welbourne says in a new videotaped message to talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres. "Please invite me on your show. We could have so much fun with this topic—and I promise I'll keep my top on."

Welbourne's video with the mayor went viral, topping three million page views within 10 days.

"Here's how the video happened," Welbourne explains. "For Women's Equality Day and International Go Topless Day, I wrote a column and made a video to go along with it. Like all my videos, it was just supposed to be light and fun while continuing to point out the continued sexualization of women."

She says that should have been obvious, but the media missed the point.

That's despite her silly questions to Gray, such as: "Are you aware that we are naked, bare naked, underneath our clothes?"

Afterward, Welbourned was condemned as a "stupid, unprofessional, hypocrital, exhibitionist reporter".

She takes exception to the criticism.

"I am not a reporter!" she quips.

Gray makes a cameo appearance in the new video. You have to hit "play" to see where he shows up.