Every day, millions of people attend The Ellen DeGeneres Show to see Ellen DeGeneres deliver hilarious monologues about current events, interview celebrities from all walks of life, and play games with her studio audience. But stand-up comedians are no stranger to controversy.
Two decades into his career, DeGeneres entered the 1990s with the ABC sitcom Ellen. The show was a success – some critics even called it “Seinfeld woman” – but it all collapsed amidst its popularity. In 1997, the star appeared as a lesbian, both in real life and as a character on television. At the time, same-sex marriage was not yet legal in the United States, so the news caused quite a stir. Ellen’s ratings dropped soon after, and the network eventually canceled the show in 1998.
DeGeneres returned to the top in 2003 with the start of their Daily Talk Show, which won many Emmy Awards and other awards. In 2020, the hosts have come under fire again. After years of rumors in Hollywood, some have accused DeGeneres of being mean to co-workers and others around them. BuzzFeed News then published a featured report detailing past and current allegations by Ellen DeGeneres Show employees about the toxic work environment.
At the time, the star apologized via email to his staff and publicly discussed the scandal during the premiere of the show’s 18th season later that year.
“I’ve learned that things happen that should never happen. I take them very seriously,” he said in the air. “I want to say that I feel sorry for those involved. I know that I am in a position of privilege and power, and I understand that there is responsibility involved. And I am responsible for what is on my show. It happens. is the Ellen DeGeneres Show. “”
Amid the reactions DeGeneres has received in the press and on social media, she has the support of her celebrity friends, including Katy Perry and Kevin Hart.
“They know Ellen can be tough, but they took it for her and they know that it takes a lot of work to run a ship as tight as their show,” she told us Weekly in 2020. “You get that.”
The author of The Seriously… I’m Kidding also received love from his wife Portia de Rossi, who shared the “I Stand by Ellen” meme on Instagram in response to the rumors.