DeGeneres’s fall from grace has been one of the biggest scandals of American television. The talk show host who had kindness imbibed in her brand saw her “nice girl” image crumple. Several controversial truths about her life and work practices surfaced, that television’s friendliest host surely did not want to be known. However, certain revelations resulted in her ostracisation from the television world.
Extremely Privileged and Out of Touch with Reality
Ellen DeGeneres | Credits: Warner Bros Media
It is not uncommon for celebrities to get all caught up in their world of luxury and get disconnected from the real world. However, it is a different thing to be unaware of this disconnect and make ignorant comments. Something DeGeneres has been guilty of.
With her immense success over the years, Ellen DeGeneres has created a lavish lifestyle for herself. Her impressive real estate portfolio is an indication of her superfluous wealth. However, it has also distanced DeGeneres from real-world problems. Something that does not go with the person she has presented herself to be.
From the beginning of her show, Ellen DeGeneres has presented herself to be “one of the crowd”. Initially, with her humble beginnings and struggles, this rang true. But as she achieved more and more success, it changed. And she grew out of touch with reality. An instance that is very telling of this is when DeGeneres made a particularly insensitive remark during the COVID-19 pandemic. Filming for her show at home, DeGeneres made the following remark (via Reuters):
One thing that I’ve learned from being in quarantine is that people – this is like being in jail, is what it is.
This garnered the talk show host a lot of criticism. However, this was just the tip of the iceberg.
Harbored A Toxic Work Environment
Ellen DeGeneres on YouTube | Credits: Warner Bros Media
Safe to say the pandemic marked DeGeneres’s downfall; reports from her show tarnished the image and the brand she had built over almost two decades. Behind the feel-good talk show were underpaid employees, racial discrimination, and incidents of sexual-harrassment.
A report published by Buzzfeed News in July 2020 unmasked the toxic truth behind DeGeneres’s “be kind” mantra. The outlet spoke to several of the show’s former and current employees who revealed what goes on behind the scenes. Employees said that lavish acts of charity are all for show. Furthermore, they revealed many other shocking truths that stank of toxicity in the workplace.
One employee said that taking a sick leave or bereavement leave was reason enough for firing. Another former employee, a black woman talked about how she had to quit working on the show due to the inaction against the racism she faced while working there. She took the step as reporting the issue to her superiors did not help. She told Buzzfeed News:
Whenever I brought up an issue to my white male boss, he would bring up some random story about some random Black friend that he had and how they managed to get over stuff. He would use his Black friend as some way to say, ‘I understand your struggle.’ But it was all performative bullsh*t.
Another former employee complained that DeGeneres was not completely involved in the inner workings of her show.
If she wants to have her own show and have her name on the show title, she needs to be more involved to see what’s going on. I think the executive producers surround her and tell her, ‘Things are going great, everybody’s happy,’ and she just believes that, but it’s her responsibility to go beyond that.
In an article published by Variety, it was reported that the employees were not transparently communicated with about their wages, which caused them extreme distress. There were also reports of the show’s producers sexually harassing some employees.
Ill-Treatment of Guests
Ellen DeGeneres on her show | Credits: Warner Bros Media
The horrible conduct was not limited to employees on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Upon a closer look at her conversations with various celebrities over the years, it can be observed that DeGeneres hasn’t always been a warm and gracious host.
The infamous Mariah Carey incident is a prime example of DeGeneres crossing lines for the sake of sensational content. When the Fantasise singer appeared on the talk show in 2008, DeGeneres forced her to confirm her rumored pregnancy by offering her a glass of champagne. Carey was not ready to tell the world of her pregnancy when DeGeneres forcefully confirmed it. She later had a miscarriage.
Recounting the incident, Carey told Vulture:
I was extremely uncomfortable with that moment is all I can say. And I really have had a hard time grappling with the aftermath.
Oftentimes, she has made her guests visibly uncomfortable by either prying into their lives or making questionable remarks about them. And this behavior is not just for the cameras. DeGeneres’s former bodyguard reported his negative experience with her at the 2014 Academy Awards Ceremony, citing her behavior as “demeaning”. Of DeGeneres, he told Fox News:
I see this person come across as being very enlightened and positive and awesome and everybody loves her and is in awe and that’s really not the case when you meet her in person.
DeGeneres has also been accused of making her guests feel embarrassed for comedic effect.
Allegedly Hypocritical Behaviour
Dakota Johnson on The Ellen DeGeneres Show | Credits: Warner Bros. Media
Ellen DeGeneres’s public image is centered around authenticity and kindness. The TV host put both those factors at risk when she brought more attention to her controversial friendship with former United States President, George W. Bush; by trying to mess with Dakota Johnson.
When the Fifty Shades of Grey actress made an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2019, the comedian asked her why wasn’t she invited to Johnson’s star-studded 30th birthday bash. Johnson, taking the humorous diss in stride, confronted DeGeneres that she was most certainly invited but did not attend the party, saying (via Vox):
Actually, no, that’s not the truth, Ellen. Ask everybody. Ask Jonathan, your producer.
A staff member off-camera confirms Johnson’s claims, which prompts DeGeneres to ask out loud:
Why didn’t I go? Oh yeah, I had that thing.
That thing probably being enjoying a Dallas Cowboys game sitting next to Bush.
The details of DeGeneres’s whereabouts on the day of Johnson’s birthday party, October 5th are unknown. However, she garnered a lot of controversial attention and online scrutiny when she was photographed next to Bush. A president whose administration was staunchly anti-LGBTQ, as DeGeneres herself is gay.
Instances like these make one question DeGeneres’s authenticity.
Disputes with Former Associates
The Ellen DeGeneres Show | Credits: Warner Bros. Media
The friendliest talk show host has allegedly not been a good friend in real life. Over the years, she has had a fallout from several of her peers and collaborators, the intimate details of which could forever ruin her already tarnished public image.
An instance that tells of this is DeGeneres’s fallout from a former friend and fellow comedian Kathy Griffin, who talked about this at the Los Angeles show of her highly successful Laugh Your Head Off world tour.
Griffin discussed her strained relationship with DeGeneres, about how they fought over their perception and love for the late Joan Rivers. And how this argument left her without her good friend in the darkest times of her career (via Variety).
The aftermath of the revelation of DeGeneres’s problematic behavior saw her keeping an exceedingly low profile, which she talked about extensively in her latest and possibly last Netflix special, Ellen DeGeneres: For Your Approval.
Furthermore, recent reports suggest that DeGeneres moved to the English countryside with her wife, Portia de Rossi, after listing her primary residence in Montecito. Some insiders cite Donald Trump’s win as the reason for this. They most likely won’t ever be back to the United States. Netizens now speculate that the real reason is more than that. A source close to the couple confirmed this to the Daily Mail
Ellen really felt she had made her mark on the industry, but that was diminished when she was canceled over her alleged treatment of her staff. Then to have celebrities call her out one by one was so hurtful. With all the ill will towards her, she was looking to move away even before the election. And as things panned out with Trump winning, she is glad she is making the move and going to be away from the US.
DeGeneres continues to be one of television’s iconic figures, although the reasons for this have drastically changed.
