Ellen DeGeneres has opened up to say she became the “most hated person in America” over toxic work environment allegations.
Her final stand-up special has hit Netflix, and sees the comedian leaving no stone unturned in the name of content as she addresses the issues she faced over controversial allegations surrounding her talk show.
Addressing the controversy, she tells the audience: "Oh yeah, I got kicked out of showbusiness."
"Yeah, ’cause I'm mean. You can't be mean and be in showbusiness. No, they'll kick you out. No mean people in showbusiness. I'm out.”
The comedian then revealed what her life was like following the drama: "Everywhere I go, I know everyone's heard that I'm mean. I know when I walk into a restaurant, people are watching, waiting to see if I'll be mean."
She also disclosed on the special about the moment she first learned about the claims, saying that the first headline she saw was: "How Ellen DeGeneres Became the Most Hated Person in America."
She says in the show: "It's a horrible thing to say about somebody and, to make it worse, there was no trophy, no awards banquet, nothing.
"Just the title. Just, you know, I made a sash at home and I wore that around just to feel like I had something, you know?"
For Your Approval is now available to watch on the streaming service, and has been met with mixed reviews so far, with one reviewer from Variety calling the special “painfully indulgent”.
But why was DeGeneres “kicked out” of showbusiness? Here’s what happened...
What was Ellen Degeneres accused of?
In 2020, the talk show host became the subject of the news herself when a Buzzfeed News investigation claimed her show was a toxic environment rife with bullying as well as alleged racism, sexual misconduct, and intimidation.
The allegations were made against three executive producers on the show mainly, although the entire work environment was labelled as toxic and, following an internal investigation by Warner Bros., three executive producers and one co-executive producer were removed from the show.
DeGeneres was forced to publicly apologise for the talk show's workplace culture, and the series ultimately ended in 2022 after 19 seasons.
What did she say at the time?
When asked at the time, DeGeneres insisted she had “no idea” about any issues on the show.
Asked by Today host Savannah Guthrie on US television about the allegations, DeGeneres denied that they had factored into the decision to end the show. “If it was why I was quitting, I would have not come back this year,” she said. “I really did think about not coming back because … it was devastating,” she said of the report. “I am a kind person. I am a person who likes to make people happy.
“I had no idea, never saw anything that would even point to that.”
However, an internal review by Warner Bros found “deficiencies related to the show’s day-to-day management”, and DeGeneres apologised to staff.
Speaking on air during her final season of the show, she added: “I learned that things happened here that should never have happened. I know that I’m in a position of privilege and power, and I realise that with that comes responsibility, and I take responsibility for what happens at my show.”
When was the Ellen Degeneres Show taken off-air?
The show ran for 19 seasons, from September 8, 2003, to May 26, 2022, in which it broadcast 3,339 episodes.
What’s next for the talk show host?
DeGeneres has repeatedly told fans she is “done” with showbiz, and will soon be retiring.
She is now doing one last comedy tour for Netflix, aptly titled Ellen’s Last Stand … Up, and on a tour stop in California last month, she told the crowd: “This is the last time you’re going to see me. After my Netflix special, I’m done.”
