The Fall Of A Legend
Ellen DeGeneres is a huge figure in the TV industry and an LGBTQ icon. She’s been through her fair share of trials and tribulations, but the largest of them started in 2019. It had the momentum to completely derail her career—and we’ve collected all the sordid details for you.
1. Ellen Stood For So Many Things
Ellen DeGeneres built her brand around kindness, positivity, and feel-good messaging through her long-standing series, The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Many received their first major booking by featuring as a guest, and many celebrities came and went like old friends.
2. Ellen’s Dreams Came To Fruition
The show was just how Ellen wanted. After facing harsh criticism for coming out as a gay woman in 1997, she wanted to create something positive to bring people together. And for a long time, she did exactly that.
3. Ellen Cared For Her Crew
Ellen would later comment about the sense of family she and her crew had. Some would come into their sexuality while working alongside her, and others would find inspiration in Ellen’s encouragement. From the outside, Ellen put all her words into action. But some called out these platitudes as lies.
4. Her Empire Had Cracks At Its Foundation
For a few, this warm-hearted community only ran skin-deep. But Ellen’s huge presence as a positive role model kept those comments quiet for a long time. That is, until the weight of it was too much to carry, and one last straw broke the camel’s back.
5. Dakota Johnson Appeared On The Ellen DeGeneres Show
While not the first time the star has appeared on Ellen’s show, this was her most explosive appearance. Johnson appeared for what was supposed to be a casual conversation with the host, but the tone of the interaction soured quickly, and you’ll never guess why.
6. The Casual Catch-up Took A Turn Against Ellen
Ellen joked that Johnson hadn’t invited her to the actress’s 30th birthday party. Dakota Johnson called out her lie, saying, “That’s not the truth, Ellen. Ask everybody". The upbeat vibe the show usually had dissipated, leaving shock in its wake.
7. The Shadow Of Doubt Expanded Over Ellen
When someone off-camera confirmed the invitation, the audience was left with questions. The host tried to play it off, but the damage had already been done. Her reputation was in question, and little did she know, her career was on the line.
8. Ellen Took A Misstep Into Untruth
With the confirmation of the invitation, there was no denying it. It was clear she had lied, and there was no recovery from that. Ellen’s fib, and the way she refused to accept Dakota Johnson’s correction, appalled the audience.
9. The Audience Investigated Ellen
Many sought out answers to where Ellen was during Johnson’s birthday. They scoured the internet for any clues that the excuse the TV host refused to give. Ellen was under fire when they finally assembled the puzzle.
10. Associations With A Former US President Worsened Ellen’s Reputation
Online sleuths discovered Ellen’s location: a Dallas Cowboys game that she attended alongside former US President George W Bush. The former president’s administration was distinctly anti-LGBTQ. Ellen, as a lesbian and queer icon, should have thought twice about this association.
11. Celebrities Supported Dakota Johnson’s Statements
Dakota’s experience with Ellen wasn’t a one off. In fact, comedian Kevin T Porter tweeted out a request for others’ bad experiences with the host, and even went so far as to claim Ellen is “notoriously one of the meanest people alive". This really started the grand reveal of what was below the surface.
12. The Rumors Of The Real Ellen Spread
After this appalling discovery, rumors about Ellen’s real behavior started to spread. Many stated that she wasn’t the kind and welcoming figure once the cameras were off, but nothing concrete had come to light. Then, the pandemic struck.
13. Ellen’s Pranks Took On A Dark Tone
Pranking guests was par for the course on Ellen’s series, but little did the audience know, it extended to the crew. Ellen pranked her nervous employees and passed it off as typical behavior for employees and the show.
14. Ellen Used Fear For “Humor”
One of the ways she pranked her crew was horrifying. She had a button in her office that would release fake snakes from the ceiling if she pressed it. This doesn’t do much to support her earlier statement about the crew being family. The illusion would continue to shatter as more misconduct and mistreatment came to light.
15. Ellen Snubbed Her Crew
While many filming and production endeavors shut down, Ellen brought on a tech company to help her film remotely from her home. She already had a whole crew at her disposal from her existing studio, but she didn’t give them any work. At a time when many were in need of income, this came as a huge blow for the studio employees.
16. She Left Her Team In The Lurch
While Ellen filmed with a different crew, her own employees were left in confusion. They received no communication about their jobs, and pay was withheld for over four weeks. During the Covid lockdown, many employees struggled to make ends meet in the face of losing many hours of paid work. But that wasn’t all they endured.
.jpg){kind=link}
17. She Kept Them In The Dark
Ellen even kept her remote set a secret from them. This shocked her crew members, many of whom were loyal to the show for many years. They didn’t understand why she would opt for a third-party crew to help her film remotely. But then, Ellen added insult to injury.
18. Ellen Made A Critical Mistake
During a time when many folks needed as much financial security as they could find, Ellen took that security from them. Her employees finally got news about their pay—and it left them furious. Ellen built her character around being financially generous, but that generosity had met its end.
19. Ellen’s Betrayal Of Her Employees
Not only did she dock their pay significantly, but many of them either lost their jobs or quit. Some of them had been working on the show since 2003. This was a huge dismissal of their years of loyalty—almost two decades for some.
20. The Pandemic Pressure Got To Ellen
Like many celebrities during the pandemic, their privilege obscured their perspective of the situation. Ellen compared the lockdowns to “being in jail,” which was a real insult as she was lucky enough to be living in a beautiful home with access to everything she needed.
.jpg){kind=link}
21. The Mask Falls—Ellen’s True Face Is Revealed
Dakota Johnson’s stand against Ellen’s statement inspired others to come forward with their own stories. 10 former employees stepped forward with their trials and tribulations with the comedian. Many of the stories spoke of a much darker side to the TV host’s behavior.
22. The List Of Accusations Grew
The former employees who came forward brought several accusations against Ellen, each more horrifying than the last. Everyone’s story was different, but their general experience with the toxicity of the workplace was a consistent theme. The details of their accusations speak to a truly horrifying and belittling experience.
23. Many Employees Claimed Wrongful Termination
Several employees claim management fired them after taking time off. It didn’t matter that the time off was for mental or physical health leave. Upon returning, they found their positions either eliminated or that the producers didn’t want them at the studio any longer. And this is only one of the accusations leveled at Ellen and her team.
24. Some Claimed Ellen Encouraged Divisions Within Her Crew
Every workplace has more favorable employees, but playing favorites isn’t part of a proper code of conduct. Employees claimed Ellen and her team treated those who behaved as they wanted—which included overworking without complaint and ignoring poor behavior toward other staff—better than other staff. The division didn’t stop there.
25. Victims Were Blamed For Their Mistreatment
Some of the show’s employees stood up for the toxic dynamic. They claimed this sort of work culture was common throughout TV production. And this wouldn’t be the only time Ellen and the producers would disregard the experiences of many.
26. Under Ellen’s Watchful Eyes
All this occurred under Ellen’s supervision of the series. Her presence on set should have been enough to take note of the juxtaposition between the show’s messaging and her crew’s reality, but it wasn’t. Though, she went on to claim she should have been more aware of day-to-day operations at the studio.
27. Ellen’s Former Bodyguard Spoke Out
A former bodyguard’s statement spoke to Ellen’s general character. Specifically, they referenced a bad experience they had at the 2014 Oscars, and called Ellen’s behavior demeaning toward others. This corroborated many other stories told about the TV host, but it wouldn’t be the last to tarnish—and even destroy—her reputation.
28. The Bait And Switch Of Ellen’s TV Personality
It was a devastating blow for audiences to learn about Ellen’s behavior behind the scenes. One of the employees said, “That ‘be kind’...only happens when the cameras are on. It’s all for show". This isn’t something a person can come back from easily, but that didn’t stop Ellen from trying.
29. The Investigation Began
Telepictures and Warner Bros Television took the accusations against Ellen seriously. They launched an internal investigation, interviewing current and former staff members to learn about their experiences with the comedian and on set.
30. Executives Tried To Take Responsibility
At the time of the accusations and the investigation, the series lost some high-level support. Three executives took the blame for the daily on-set operations, but later, the employees who came forward accused all three of perpetuating different toxic behaviors on set. This didn’t mean Ellen wasn’t to blame, though.
31. Ellen Wasn’t Off The Hook
The executives might have taken responsibility, but a former employee called her out for standing idle. Since her name is on the show, it’s her responsibility to care about the inner workings and machinations of the series and its creation. Ellen hadn’t been stepping up that way, nor truly standing for her motto of “be kind,” and it wouldn’t be the last time.
32. She Addressed Her Off-Camera Personality
Ellen tried to get off the hook by arguing that she is a multidimensional person off-stage. She said people can’t expect her to be the happy TV host personality all the time. But she shouldn’t expect that to excuse her poor behavior, not in light of the ongoing conflicts with her staff.
33. Ellen Couldn’t Say She Wasn’t Aware Of The Goings-on
While Ellen has stated she wasn’t aware of what went on, a former employee claims otherwise. They claimed she knew what was going on, but she turned an ignorant eye to it all and refused to hear about it. Just another lie from the comedian, but this isn’t the end of her blatant disregard for what happened.
34. Ellen Apologized… Kind Of
After seeing the devolution of her reputation and the imminent downfall of her career, Ellen took steps to take accountability. She apologized to her staff via letter, addressing the accusations and making promises for change.
35. The Letter Came With A Note Of Irony
At the top of this apology letter, Ellen noted the irony of the accusations stemming from a show that prides itself on positivity. None of the former employees who brought the issues to light were pleased by the conflict of reality versus image. It was another place she was a hint out of touch with the general consensus, and it wouldn't be the last nor the largest example of this.
36. Ellen Took The Opportunity To Remind Us Who She Is
Also included in the letter was a reminder of the first time Ellen was ‘canceled’ by Hollywood. Producers exiled Ellen from television when she came out in 1997, and she claimed this gave her the knowledge and understanding of the crew’s situation. But this wouldn’t win her any sympathy points with those who accused her, nor the media.
37. Ellen Claimed Misrepresentation
In the letter, she stated that others who worked for and with her are representing her inaccurately on her behalf. It’s unclear who she was speaking of, but it wouldn’t be a stretch to say she felt personally attacked by the accusations. You can’t blame her—it’s hard being held responsible for your actions, and potential inactions.
38. Ellen Fell Back On An Old Tactic
In an effort to defend herself, Ellen claimed the industry’s deep-rooted misogyny influenced the accusations leveled at her. She felt that the whole incident had this undertone, and that the claims confused her. But this isn’t all she would say on the subject.
39. She Claimed Sinister Undertones To Her Cancelation
Including the claim of misogyny, Ellen claimed something even more absurd. She stated, “It was too orchestrated. It was too coordinated". Something about the incident felt intentional to Ellen, like she was personally being attacked with the intent to take her down. It’s hard to know what the truth really is, but everything else that occurred tells a specific story.
40. Portia Rose To Support Her Wife
Portia de Rossi stood by Ellen through thick and thin and cancellation. She expressed her support publicly though an Instagram post featuring tags such as #IStandByEllen. Spousal support was important to the former TV host during these hard times, and de Rossi came through. But not everyone running in celebrity circles supported Ellen.
41. Ellen Found Support In Friends
Luckily for Ellen, many of her celebrity friends stood by her side during these unprecedented times. Celebrities like Katy Perry and Ashton Kutcher said they were always well treated on the series, and they never saw anyone being mistreated.
42. She Brought These Pals Onto Her Last Episode
Ellen ended her series with a bang. She brought on several well known names to surround herself with positivity during the last episode. Pink, Billie Eilish, and Jennifer Aniston all appeared on the episode to commemorate and celebrate all that The Ellen DeGeneres Show stood for. It was a heartwarming moment for Ellen, one she would cherish for a long time.
43. Equally, She Was Condemned By Other Celebrities
The flip side to the support Ellen received was that other celebrities called her out for being rude. Figures including Brad Garrett, Mark Ruffalo, and Lea Thompson called the host out for her actions, both to agree with rumors of ill-treatment and adding fuel to the flames.
44. One Of Her Friendships Was Critiqued By An Avengers Star
Mark Ruffalo entered the fray to counter a statement made by Ellen defending her friendship with George W Bush. He stated that she couldn't stand on a basis of kindness and friendship until Bush took his own accountability for actions he took as president. Once again, Ellen missed the mark when it came to standing by her values.
45. Ellen’s Second Apology
She apologized a second time during the opening of The Ellen DeGeneres Show ‘s 18th season in 2020. She claimed that what had occurred “never should have happened” during her apology on air, and attempted to take responsibility for her role and her lack of action in preventing the events that transpired.
46. The Longstanding Series Came To An End
It had been 19 years of (arguably) good times at set. But in 2022, The Ellen DeGeneres Show came to an end. Ellen was sad to see the series come to an end, especially on such a negative note. It took her several years to recover from the loss, and one could argue she’s still recovering.
47. Ellen Commented On The Allegations
In a separate video posted after her on-air apology, she acknowledged her position as being the face of the show. Her comments came laced with humor intended to bring some light back to the video, but they felt forced and mismatched with the rest of her remarks. She genuinely tried to rectify the situation, but her efforts were met with more pushback.
48. Her Cancellation Came In Full Force
People weren't about to let Ellen get off the hook so easily, and they started to find more examples of her less-than-savory pranks and harmful workplace culture. After the series ended, it felt like a success for those who were fighting against Ellen’s recent actions. But for Ellen, the cancellation took its toll. The former host articulated that she had been “kicked out of show business". She retreated from society and from the spotlight to recover.
49. Her Wife Felt The Ripple Effect
Portia de Rossi had a lot of empathy for her wife. Ellen’s cancellation didn’t affect just the former host—the effects bled into her home life. It's fortunate that they had one another during those trying times.
50. Her Devastation Hit New Lows
In 2022, her close friend and The Ellen DeGeneres Show DJ, Stephen “tWitch” Boss, took his own life. The pair worked together on the series for many years and many seasons. The news of what happened shook Ellen to her core and “devastated” her. She didn’t think her situation could get worse—she was wrong.
51. Ellen Distracted Herself With An Expensive Side Gig
Since the start of Ellen’s titular TV series, she and wife Portia de Rossi have had a costly side-gig: flipping properties. The most recent home they acquired was $22.5 million dollars, and after the renovations finished, it sold for $32 million. Talk about a big (and expensive) distraction.
52. Ellen Turned To Other Hobbies
In addition to flipping houses, Ellen has turned to caring for rescue chickens to fill the void left by the abrupt upheaval. She often posts about them on her Facebook and Instagram pages, keeping her rapt audience in the know with what’s happening. She even encourages others to invest in their own flock, should the interest strike.
53. The Damage Done Doesn’t Outweigh Ellen’s Dream
Despite the backlash, Ellen still wants to do what she does best: entertain. A friend of the comedian stated, “...she’s an artist, she wants to entertain". We can hardly blame her for returning to what she loves.
54. Ellen Returned To Her Roots
During her time away from the stage, Ellen wrote and worked on a new hour of stand-up comedy. She spent months premiering it on stage in her last stand-tour titled Ellen’s Last Stand…Up. This brought the comedian back to her roots, on smaller stages with fewer cameras, as she prepared for an even larger not-quite-comeback.
55. Ellen Filmed Her Last Comedy Special
Ellen’s return to the spotlight has been gradual. After touring with the material, she felt it was ready for the big stage. Teaming up with Netflix, her special, For Your Approval, was filmed in August. She claims this will be her last comedy special, and she is sad to be leaving the industry.
56. She—And The Special—Suffered From A Lack Of Perspective
This isn’t the first time a celebrity has been out of touch with their viewers. The New York Times claims the only insightful revelations in Ellen’s latest comedy special are that she wasn’t a good leader for the workplace and that women in leadership positions have to deal with different expectations. Still, she made a valiant attempt to find common ground with her audience.
57. Ellen Addressed The Controversy In Her Show
She tried to take advantage of the sympathy her audience might have for her. Ellen positioned herself as a celebrity “kicked out of show business”, and once again leaned on her identity and gender as a reason for her harsh critiques. This would only frustrate and anger people further.
58. She Called Herself Out For Losing Herself In The Role
Sadly, she felt that in all her time hosting The Ellen DeGeneres Show, she became a “one-dimensional character”, whose existence relied on giving things away and dancing around on stage. She performed as this person for 18 seasons of her series. It makes sense that there would be a lasting impact on her, and there was.
59. Ellen’s Self-Esteem Took A Dive
This reduction of who Ellen was left its mark on her confidence and concept of self. The highs and lows of being in the TV and Film industry would have compounded this. Taking two years away from the spotlight must have felt good for her mental health.
60. Ellen’s Off-The-Mark Description Of The Incident
Ellen’s comments in the special drew the attention away from what happened and instead, positioned herself as the victim of the industry. In her special, she said, “The thought of anyone thinking that I’m mean was devastating to me”. She soon found herself “victimized” again.
61. She Got Called Out For The Inaccuracies
One of her former employees commented on this, stating, “She was misrepresenting the narrative and trying to frame herself as not a bully”. This sort of glancing over the incident was disappointing to many.
62. This Only Earned Her More Backlash
Six former staff members spoke out for a second time, claiming Ellen “continues to invalidate and deny our experience". Some even called her out for having a lack of empathy, surprising considering Ellen’s own history as a gay woman in show business, something she continues to refer to in her own rhetoric.
63. The Special Had A Lack Of Comedy
The comedy special isn’t as hilarious as one might expect. Ellen makes some pointed observations, but doesn’t manage to find anything especially revelatory. Her jokes detail mundane subjects that lack a certain relatability for most viewers. This shouldn’t matter, though, because Ellen has other plans.
64. Ellen Blames Her Neurodivergence
Ellen has struggled with many different things in her life, one of these being neurodivergence. But in her comedy special, she claims she wasn’t a good boss because of her ADHD and OCD. Even so, she must have felt a certain amount of responsibility to change how she interacts with employees moving forward. Though that might not have been necessary considering what happened next.
65. Her Special Was Widely Disliked By Critics For Its Tone
Many reviews laud For Your Approval as an example of “self-flattering revisionism”. Ellen ignored the true impact she and the show’s executives had on their employees. Whether this is blatant ignorance or a calculated attempt to make people forget what happened is unclear. Regardless, she doesn’t seem to care.
66. Her Return Was A Flop—Though She Didn’t Consider It That Way
Ellen didn’t think of this as a return to entertainment. She stands by her statement that this was her last comedy special. Instead, she’ll spend time with her wife, her chickens, the houses she flips, and the fans who have stayed with her through everything.
67. A Friend Commented On Ellen’s Future Plans
While she doesn’t currently intend to return to comedy, a friend claims otherwise. Ellen’s work as a comedian is who she is, and to say she’ll never return to performing is a bold statement. Or as her friend put it, “Why wouldn’t she get back on stage?”
68. Ellen Relocated After This Dramatic American Event
Ellen and her wife moved from their home in Montecito, CA to the Cotswolds in England after Donald Trump’s reelection. Like many LGBTQ individuals, they left in advance of his inauguration and “do not have plans to return”. While some of her fans might feel betrayed by the departure, Ellen still amasses a sizable fanbase.
69. At Least She Has Her Fans
Wholehearted Ellen fans have stood by her side no matter what. Through the allegations, stepping back from her work, and coming out with a comedy special, the fans she had during her time as a daytime TV host have stuck by her. Ellen doesn’t have to worry about being funny or likable—so long as she fosters those relationships, she’ll have fans at her back. Yet, there are still some
70. Videos Of Ellen Bullying Guests Resurfaced
Remember when Ellen made her second apology for the scathing allegations about her show's toxic work environment? Well, online detectives quickly got on the case to highlight just how much a pattern Ellen's unkindness was. They pulled up videos of celebrities like Mariah Carey, Ariana Grande, and Justin Bieber. They also found a damning video of one of Taylor Swift’s appearances on the show.
In the video, Ellen shames Swift for her dating history, despite Taylor exclaiming her discomfort and begging for Ellen to stop. If Ellen was unclear about the morality of her actions before, she wasn’t after this additional backlash, which only solidified the end of The Ellen DeGeneres Show and the once-beloved comedian's downfall.
