On Wednesday night, Ellen DeGeneres spoke publicly about her recent experiences with a toxic work environment on her talk show. She opened up about the difficult time she has been through and how it has impacted her ego and self-esteem.
Appearing on stage in Los Angeles for the first show of her “Ellen’s Last Stand… Up Tour,” the 66-year-old comic shared that she used to say she didn’t care what others thought of her, especially at the height of her popularity. However, she now realizes the impact of those words.
DeGeneres addressed the fallout from a 2020 BuzzFeed News report that led to the cancelation of her show in 2022. She mentioned the negative experiences her employees had with executive producers and the allegations of sexual misconduct and racism. Despite making an on-air apology and firing senior producers, the show still came to an end in 2021.
Reflecting on how she became the “most hated person in America,” DeGeneres revealed that the hate took a toll on her. She spoke about the challenge of dealing with extreme reactions in the entertainment industry, where people either love or hate you, with the haters often being the loudest voices. The comedian also discussed how the ordeal had impacted her wife, Portia de Rossi, and how they both had been laying low for a while.
Despite making jokes about her experiences, DeGeneres emphasized the devastating effect it had on her mental health and well-being. She opened up about how it affected not only herself but also those close to her, including family members and friends who were also caught up in all this drama.
Overall, Ellen’s speech was honest and raw as she shared some difficult truths about what happened behind closed doors on set during her talk show’s run.
Ellen concluded by thanking all those who supported her throughout this tough time and promising to use this experience to become a better person overall.
The audience applauded as Ellen took center stage once again to deliver an emotional speech that touched many hearts around Los Angeles and beyond.