It seems like Ellen DeGeneres has expressed her intention to step away from show business after her upcoming Netflix stand-up special releases later this year. She made this announcement during her comedy show in Santa Rosa, California, on July 1.
“This is the last time you’re going to see me. After my Netflix special, I’m done,” she said, according to a source.
When a fan asked DeGeneres if she’ll voice Dory again from “Finding Nemo” and “Finding Dory,” she replied,
“No, I’m going bye-bye, remember.”
It appears Ellen DeGeneres is currently on her “Ellen’s Last Stand … Up” tour, but there’s been speculation and concern as she recently canceled four shows without providing an explanation. This has sparked curiosity and discussion among her fans and the public.
After ending her eponymous talk show in May 2022 following allegations of a toxic workplace environment, Ellen DeGeneres kept a low profile before embarking on her “Ellen’s Last Stand … Up” tour.
The allegations emerged in a 2020 BuzzFeed News report where current and former staffers anonymously spoke about their experiences on set.
DeGeneres apologized to her staff at the time, and three producers—Ed Glavin, Kevin Leman, and Jonathan Norman—exited the show amidst the controversy.
“As we’ve grown exponentially, I’ve not been able to stay on top of everything and relied on others to do their jobs as they knew I’d want them done. Clearly some didn’t,” she wrote at the time in a memo, per the source.
“That will now change and I’m committed to ensuring this does not happen again.”
“I got kicked out of show business for being mean,” she told the crowd, per SFGate.
“I can be demanding and impatient and tough. I am a strong woman. I am many things, but I am not mean,” she added.
The Emmy winner went on,
“I used to say, ‘I don’t care what people say about me.’ Now I realize I said that during the height of my popularity.”
During a performance in West Hollywood in April, Ellen DeGeneres addressed the accusations against her regarding the toxic workplace environment that surfaced in 2020.
This incident prompted her to confront the issue publicly, likely sharing her perspective or addressing concerns raised about her show’s environment at the time.
“The hate went on for a long time and I would try to avoid looking at the news. The ‘be kind’ girl wasn’t kind. That was the headline,” she said to fans at the Largo.
She also joked that she became the “most hated person in America.”
In an interview, two weeks before the final episode of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” aired, Ellen DeGeneres stated that her decision to end the show was not influenced by the behind-the-scenes controversy or the allegations of a toxic work environment.
This clarification from DeGeneres aimed to separate her personal reasons for ending the show from the public scrutiny surrounding the workplace allegations.
“When you’re a creative person, you constantly need to be challenged – and as great as this show is, and as fun as it is, it’s just not a challenge anymore,” she insisted.
Ellen DeGeneres announced her upcoming Netflix stand-up special in May. This special is anticipated to be a significant event in her career, especially given her recent comments about stepping away from show business after its release.
“To answer the questions everyone is asking me — Yes, I’m going to talk about it. Yes this is my last special,” the comedian said in a press release.
