Ellen DeGeneres Admits Scandal ‘Consumed’ Her, Ultimately Changing Her Perspective on Fame

In 2020, a shocking report was released alleging a toxic work environment The Ellen DeGeneres Show shocked the country (and maybe even the world). After all, Ellen DeGeneres was, for many, one of the kindest and most energetic people in Hollywood, so the accusations that she was mean and cruel came as quite a surprise.

And now, more than four years later Buzzfeed News after the article was published, the actress and comedian recalls it all in her new Netflix comedy special, Ellen DeGeneres: For Your Approval.

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“I’m happy that I’m not a boss or a brand or a billboard, I’m just a human being,” DeGeneres said on stage, according to People. “(I’m) just a multifaceted person with different feelings and emotions, I can be happy and sad, compassionate and frustrated. I have OCD and ADD. I’m honest. I’m generous. I’m sensitive and caring.”

“But I’m tough, impatient and demanding. I’m direct,” she continued. “I’m a strong woman.” Of course, that last line was met with applause from the audience.

DeGeneres then explained how the scandal and her 2022 farewell to her daytime talk show have changed her perspective on fame.

Ellen DeGeneres attends Variety’s Power of Women Gala Presented by Lifetime at The Beverly Wilshire on October 11, 2019 in Beverly Hills.

“When you’re a public figure, you’re open to everyone’s interpretation,” she explained. “And I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, ‘What other people think of me is none of my business,’ because people are going to say things and you have no control over that, but you know the truth and that’s all that matters,” she said.

Instead, DeGeneres admitted that fame, especially in comedy, leaves her with no choice but to “care about what people think” because “that’s our only real currency of success.”

“If they like you, you’re in, and if they don’t, you’re out,” she continued. “And I spent my whole life trying to make people happy and cared way too much about what people thought of me. So the idea that someone might think I was mean was devastating to me and consumed me for a long time.”

However, as she struggled with these feelings, her view of what the outside world thought of her also changed.

“After a lifetime of worrying, I just can’t anymore,” she admitted. “So no.”

“But to be honest… and I have a choice, whether people remember me as someone who was mean or someone who was loved. Loved? Loved? Loved. Someone who is loved?…” DeGeneres said. “I choose that.”

DeGeneres seems to have come to terms with the scandals and all the accusations against her, whether she learned the right lessons from them or not. DeGeneres’ comedy special is now available on Netflix.

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