"It’s a horrible thing to say about somebody" — Ellen DeGeneres says 2020 workplace controversy led her to seek therapy

Former daytime talk show host Ellen DeGeneres recently opened up about her 2020 toxic workplace controversy. Her farewell stand-up special, Ellen DeGeneres: For Yor Approval released on Tuesday, September 24, 2024. During this Netflix special, the comedian spoke about the newspaper headlines that called her the "most hated person in America." She stated:

"It’s a horrible thing to say about somebody, and to make it worse, there was no trophy, no awards banquet, nothing. Just the title."

The 66-year-old joked:

"I made a sash at home and I wore that around just to feel like I had something."

For the unversed, it all began in 2020 when BuzzFeed News published a report detailing the toxic environment created on DeGeneres' namesake talk show. Several crew members even anonymously accused the producers of racism and s*xual misconduct. This prompted an internal investigation, which led to the firing of three producers.

During the opening monolog for season 18 of The Ellen DeGeneres Show in September 2020, Ellen addressed the controversy and apologized to her staff, taking responsibility for what happened on her show. She said:

“I take that very seriously and I want to say I am so sorry to the people who were affected.

A year later, she decided to pull the plug on the show.

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"It was not a common situation for a therapist to deal with" — Ellen DeGeneres talks about mental struggles post controversy

In the recent Netflix special, Ellen DeGeneres Discussed the toxic workplace environment allegations. She joked that she got "kicked out of show business because (she was) mean." She added that this was the second time she was kicked out, referring to her coming out as lesbian in 1997, which affected her career and her ABC sitcom Ellen. She quipped:

"Eventually they’re going to kick me out a third time for being old — mean, old and gay, the triple crown."

At one point, Ellen noted in jest that she made the mistake of emphasizing to be "kind" on her talk show. She elaborated that had she signed off every episode saying "go f*ck yourselves" instead, people would have been pleasantly surprised to find out she was kind.

In her show, Ellen DeGeneres opened up about her mental health struggles, revealing that the controversy and subsequent fallout led to her seeking professional therapy. She revealed:

"I was in therapy for a while trying to deal with all the hatred that was coming at me. And you know, it was not a common situation for a therapist to deal with."

She quipped:

"At one point, my therapist said, ‘Ellen, where do you get this idea that everyone hates you?’ And I said, ‘Well, New York Times, Washington Post, Entertainment Weekly, Us Weekly. I think Elmo may have said something recently on an episode of Sesame Street."

The comedian explained that her therapist advised her to avoid looking at the news. However, she countered, saying she already was avoiding media, but she kept getting "texts from friends saying thinking of you or sending love."

Earlier this year, the comedian embarked on her final stand-up tour culminating in Minneapolis' Orpheum Theater last month. The Netflix special was taped during the Minneapolis show. Ellen took the stand to a sold-out crowd with her wife, Portia de Rossi in attendance.

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Ellen DeGeneres: For Your Approval is currently streaming on the platform.