Ellen DeGeneres revisited the controversy surrounding her previous television show as she returned to her stand-up comedy roots.
After leaving her daytime talk program two years ago amidst the controversy of fostering a toxic work environment in its final years, Ellen revisitsn the issue and its impact on her.
During her stand-up comedy set at the Coronet Theater in West Hollywood on April 24, Ellen joked, “I got kicked out of show business. There are no mean people on stage.”
The 66-year-old continued, stating, “The ‘be kind’ girl wasn’t kind. I became this one-dimensional character who gave stuff away and danced up steps. Do you know how hard it is to dance up steps? Would a mean person dance up steps?”
In 2020, 11 current and former crew members of The Ellen DeGeneres Show detailed their experiences on the syndicated program, describing it as a toxic workplace, in a revealing BuzzFeed News report. Some cited microaggressions, favoritism from executive producers, and allegations of sudden terminations.
In addition to issuing an internal reminder promising reforms, Ellen apologized in the opening speech of the show’s 18th season, stating, “I take that very seriously, and I want to say I am so sorry to the people who were affected.”
Two years later, as the show ended, Ellen asserted that its conclusion wasn’t because of workplace allegations but because she felt it was time. Nonetheless, after maintaining a low profile during that period, she returned to the stage for her comedy show, Ellen’s Last Stand…Up Tour.
For her, returning to her comedy roots seems to be a way of processing the turmoil from the show. Nevertheless, Ellen admitted she “didn’t know how to be a boss.”
“I didn’t go to business school,” she continued. “I went to Charlie’s Chuckle Hut. The show was called Ellen, everyone was wearing shirts that said ‘Ellen,’ and there were buildings on the Warner Brothers lot that said ‘Ellen,’ but I don’t know if that meant I should be in charge.”
She also compared the 1998 cancellation of her sitcom Ellen to her own experience of coming out as gay.
“For those keeping score, this is the second time I’ve been ousted from show business,” Ellen remarked. “Eventually, they’ll kick me out for a third time because I’m mean, old, and gay.”
Beyond the humor, Ellen expressed grappling with challenges into her mother Betty DeGeneres’ battle with dementia and her own struggles in this new chapter of her life.
“My mom doesn’t know she’s my mom and I’m trying to figure out who I am without my show.” She revealed.