ELLEN’S ON-AIR APOLOGY
Hitting the Warner Bros studio stage for the first time in months, talk show host Ellen DeGeneres kicked off season 18 of her scandal-plagued show by addressing the elephant in the room. “How was everybody’s summer? Good? Yeah? Mine was great,” the 62-year-old dryly joked, holding two thumbs up. “Super-terrific.”
As has been widely reported, a BuzzFeed News report in July – based on dozens of interviews with ex-staffers – prompted an internal investigation into The Ellen DeGeneres Show. As a result, three of the show’s producers have stepped down amid allegations of bullying, sexual misconduct and racially insensitive remarks.
During her five-minute opening monologue, DeGeneres – who had been
taping the show from her home during quarantine – was speaking to a virtual audience, with faces beamed in on monitors placed in the audience seats.
“I learned that things happened here that never should have happened. I take that very seriously and I want to say I am so sorry to the people who were affected,” she admitted of the allegations. “I know that I’m in a position of privilege and power and I realise that with that comes responsibility, and I take responsibility for what happens at my show.”
“We have had a lot of conversations over the past few weeks about the show, our workplace, and what we want for the future,” DeGeneres continued. “We have made the necessary changes, and today we are starting a new chapter.”
She then went on to address rumours about her own behind-the-scenes behaviour. This included allegations put forward in a viral Twitter thread in March, which asked for “insane” stories about DeGeneres being “notoriously one of the meanest people live”.
“I became known as the ‘be kind’ lady, which is a tricky position to be in. So let me give you some advice out there. If anybody is thinking of changing their title or giving yourself a nickname, don’t go with the ‘be kind’ lady. Don’t do it,” she said. “The truth is, I am that person that you see on TV. I’m also a lot of other things. Sometimes I get sad. I get mad. I get anxious. I get frustrated … And I’m working on all of that. I’m a work in progress.”
While some social media users slammed her apology as insincere, others were quick to back the star – who was accompanied on the day of the taping by her wife, Portia de Rossi, 47. “You are the person people see on TV. You are kind, generous and caring,” posted Demi Lovato. “This video was a perfect representation of that. I love you Ellen.”
The show then introduced its first guest, Tiffany Haddish, but the talk show host also managed to sneak in some selfdeprecating moments. “Please don’t look me in the eye,” she joked to a crew member. “Kidding,” she added.
As the show moves forward, A-listers are still coming in droves – with Alec Baldwin, Kerry Washington, Kristen Bell and Kris Jenner all slated to appear in upcoming episodes with DeGeneres.
A source tells WHO’s sister publication People magazine that DeGeneres and the staff are “happy to be back at work together”, adding they’re “taking it one day at a time, but so far the environment on set already feels different”.
•
“I am that person that you see on TV” – DEGENERES