‘Ellen Degeneres Show’: Why Did the Comedian Receive Backlash Recently?

Many have watched Ellen DeGeneres sit opposite some of the biggest names in the industry, building one of the most popular talk shows to have come around. But, following a controversy that rocked her show, the once-praised LGBT+ icon's platform is ending.

The "Ellen DeGeneres Show" ends May 26, 2022, with Season 19 after almost two decades on the air. Jennifer Aniston and Pink will be her last guests to walk the stage.

Before this final season began, the "Finding Nemo" voice actor said that it would be a commemoration of her 18 years as the world-famous talk show host.

DeGeneres has stated that she doesn't find her show a challenge anymore. That's not to say that she doesn't have deep feelings about the ending of her show, as she expressed:

“I knew going in that this season was going to be my last season, so I really tried to take everything in. And it’s funny because the last couple of months I was more emotional than I was in the last week or two.”

The comedian also expressed surprise at the tender reactions of some of her celebrity guests that came on the show this last season, such as Zac Efron tearing up.

THE ELLEN DEGENERES CONTROVERSY: THE WORKPLACE SCANDAL THAT ROCKED THE POPULAR SHOW

In 2020, two years before the final season, DeGeneres and her talk show were hit with a scandal that challenged the host's "Be Kind" mantra and ruined her reputation.

Allegations of the show as a toxic workplace emerged as employees came forward in July 2020, telling BuzzFeed that they were being bullied and threatened with losing their jobs. This all eventually led to an internal investigation.

One Black ex-employee of the talk show told the publication that she allegedly faced racism through discriminatory remarks. There were also reports of payment issues during the pandemic.

On top of that, there were allegations of sexual misconduct toward Kevin Leman, the show's head writer and executive producer.

During the backlash, many celebrities came out, either supporting or criticizing DeGeneres. Her wife Portia de Rossi and "Modern Family's" Sofia Vergara made it clear online that they would be standing by her side.

Beyond other attempts to fix and atone for the accusations, DeGeneres wrote an apologetic letter to her employees and also made an apology in the first episode of season 18 of her show.

But these are not the only controversies she has been involved in. The friendship between her and former US president George W. Bush Jr., a conservative figure, has also come under scrutiny.

This is especially an issue for many as DeGeneres has always been viewed as a trailblazer for the LGBTQ+ community. So, for her to associate with a right-wing conservative does not sit well with many people.

WHAT'S NEXT FOR ELLEN DEGENERES?

Once famous, it doesn't just take one scandal to knock someone off their pedestal. And so, as a source claims, DeGeneres has multiple possible projects lined up with Fox, NBC, Discovery, and HBO.

But, she said that rather than jump into anything new, she will take the advice that Oprah Winfrey gave her – to take a break, reset and think about what her next move will be.