Ellen DeGeneres Opens Up About “Mean” Reputation and Her Talk Show’s End

Ellen DeGeneres is reflecting on the controversies that⁣ led to the end of her long-running talk⁤ show, “The Ellen DeGeneres show,” and the public perception that she was “mean.” In her 2024 tour and accompanying Netflix stand-up special, the comedian addressed the allegations of a toxic workplace culture that surfaced from former staff members, which contrasted sharply with her show’s signature sign-off: “be kind to one another.”

addressing‍ the “Mean” Label

the fallout from the allegations saw three producers sacked amid claims of misconduct and sexual harassment. The final⁤ season of⁤ the show commenced with DeGeneres issuing an on-air apology. She candidly discussed how she grappled with the media’s portrayal of her as “mean” without wanting to sound⁣ like a victim.

“No matter what, any article that came up, it was like, ‘She’s mean’,” DeGeneres shared. “And it’s like, ⁤how do ⁤I deal with this without sounding like a victim or ‘poor me’ or complaining? But I wanted to address it.”

She offered a simple⁣ explanation for the perception: “It’s as simple as, I’m a direct person, and I’m very blunt, and I guess sometimes that means that… I’m mean?”

degeneres also found it “kind of crazy” that the label ‍”mean” could be considered the worst possible thing to say about a woman. She elaborated on the societal expectations placed upon women, stating, “How dare us have any kind of mood, or you can’t be anything other then nice and sweet and kind and submissive and complacent.”

The comedian expressed⁢ her deep hurt over the lasting reputation, admitting, “I don’t think I can say anything that’s⁣ ever going to get rid of that [reputation] or dispel it, which is hurtful to me. ⁤I hate it.I hate that people think that I’m that because I know who I am and I know that I’m an empathetic, compassionate person.” She concluded that the ⁢situation made for “certainly⁤ an unpleasant way to end” her talk show.

“Would Love” a British Talk Show

Despite the difficult conclusion to her daytime career,DeGeneres admitted she misses “a lot” about her show. However,she expressed ⁢doubt⁢ that a similar format would resonate in today’s media landscape.

“I mean, I wish it did, because I would do the same thing⁤ here,”⁣ she said. “I would love to do that again, but I‍ just feel like people are watching⁣ on their phones,⁤ or people aren’t really paying attention as much to televisions, because ‍we’re so inundated with‍ with facts and entertainment.”

Looking ahead, DeGeneres remains uncertain about her next professional move but is committed to choosing it “very carefully.”

“I just ⁣don’t know what ‍that‍ is⁢ yet,” she stated. “I want to have fun, I want to do something. I do like my chickens⁣ but I’m a little bit bored.”