Ellen DeGeneres was once one of the most powerful and recognizable stars on daytime television. After nearly twenty years on the air, The Ellen DeGeneres show ended amidst a major scandal and rumors of employee mistreatment.
In the years since, Ellen has largely remained quiet, with a few roles here and there. However, she recently announced her intention to leave show business forever.
A Rising Comic
Ellen DeGeneres got her start as a young comic in New Orleans. The city isn’t known for comedic performances, or turning out high-profile comics. Ellen managed to defy the odds and ended up getting roles in TV shows and movies by the late 80s.
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In the early years of her career, Ellen regularly did standup comedy, in addition to performing. She eventually landed in a sitcom named after her in the 90s. Around this time, Ellen also came out as a lesbian on an episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show.
Ellen eventually put her standup comedy career on hold as she starred in her hit daytime talk show. In addition to the talk show, Ellen starred in a number of movies and most notably lent her voice to Dory in Finding Nemo. She even had a ride themed after her in Disney World where she and Bill Nye explained how energy works.
Troubling Accusations
Back in 2020, several former writers for Ellen’s daytime talk show spoke out and accused the host of creating a “toxic” work environment. They also alleged on-set mistreatment, including “racism, fear, and intimidation.”
If that was one employee speaking out, it could be chopped up as an isolated incident or a disgruntled former employee. However, the sheer number of people who backed up those sentiments was shocking.
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The complaints were coming out at the height of the pandemic, so many people were home watching the show. That made the accusations sting even worse. One of the more troubling stories was that she tried to fire union workers early in the pandemic, only to replace them with non-union workers shortly after.
Public backlash against Ellen was swift and brutal. Many longtime fans stopped watching, while others demanded NBC cancel the show. The initial report inspired many people to recount their interactions with Ellen. It is unclear how many of the accusations are true, but there has to be some merit to them considering the number of people with similar experiences.
The End of an Era
The Ellen DeGeneres Show parted ways with several employees, and Ellen vowed on air to make changes. Although it was never the confirmed reason, the negative publicity likely led to a drop in viewers and the show’s eventual cancellation.
Despite working on a few projects after the show’s end, Ellen has remained relatively quiet. However, she recently announced that her upcoming Netflix special would be her final performance. She went so far as to say “This is the last time you’re going to see me.”
The news of her retirement came as a surprise to many, but the 66-year-old has had a fulfilling life and probably wants to spend her remaining years with her wife outside of the public eye. Unfortunately, that means fans won’t get to hear her voice in any Finding Nemo sequels, but comebacks are always possible.
