Ellen DeGeneres Reflects on Becoming 'the Most Hated Person in America' During Comeback Comedy Tour
Insiders said Ellen is being 'refreshingly honest' about backlash she faced amid her 2020 scandal.
April 26 2024, Published 1:00 p.m. ET
Ellen DeGeneres, once known as America's favorite TV host, admitted that the toxic workplace scandal tarnished her reputation, branded her the "most hated person in America" and turned her into a recluse.
However, she has now embarked on a comeback journey with her stand-up comedy tour, marking her first return to the spotlight since the scandal erupted, RadarOnline.com has learned.
Ellen claimed she was 'kicked out of show business.'
The scandal surrounding her show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, led to its cancellation in 2022 after 19 successful seasons on NBC.
As RadarOnline.com reported, former employees accused her of fostering a toxic work environment rife with alleged bullying, racism, and sexual harassment. Despite this, DeGeneres maintained that she was unaware of any toxicity behind the scenes.
This prompted WarnerMedia to launch an investigation, ultimately leading to the show airing its series finale on May 26, 2022.
'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' went off the air in 2022 after 19 seasons.
Performing at Club Largo in front of a sold-out audience, DeGeneres addressed her downfall and claimed she was "kicked out of show business" for "being mean."
Her stand-up show, "Ellen's Last Stand ... Up Tour," is her first comedy tour since 2018. According to Rolling Stone, she received a roaring applause, signifying a positive response from her fans during her show on Wednesday, April 24.
Ellen and her wife, Portia de Rossi.
"The hate went on for a long time and I would try to avoid looking at the news. The 'be kind' girl wasn't kind. That was the headline," Ellen told the L.A. crowd.
"There's no mean people in show business... I became this one-dimensional character who gave stuff away and danced up steps," she continued. "Do you know how hard it is to dance up steps? Would a mean person dance up steps? Had I ended my show by saying, 'Go f--- yourself,' people would've been pleasantly surprised."
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The former TV host admitted she "didn't know how to be a boss," telling the audience she "went to 'Charlie's Chuckle Hutt'" instead of business school.
"The show was called Ellen, and everybody was wearing T-shirts that said 'Ellen,' and there were buildings on the Warner Brothers lot that said 'Ellen,' but I don't know that that meant I should be in charge," she explained.
"For those of you keeping score, this is the second time I've been kicked out of show business," she told the crowd. "Eventually they're going to kick me out for a third time because I'm mean, old, and gay."
"I love that show so much, and I just hated that the last time people would see me is that way."
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Sources claim Ellen pokes fun at herself and her workplace scandal in her latest act.
The former talk show host said she spent two years "laying low" but eventually was able to dance without "crying."
"I'm making jokes about what happened to me, but it was devastating. It took a long time for me to want to do anything again."
She ended her set by telling her audience that she thinks the world needs "more laughter and less drama."
