What Ellen DeGeneres Says About the ‘Mean’ Controversy in New Netflix Special

“For Your Approval” begins with DeGeneres going through an edited sequence that goes through the biggest hits and controversies of her career, from her television debut, to the blacklisting she faced after coming out, to her time as Dory in “Finding Nemo”. and finally, to the end of her talk show.

DeGeneres especially unpacks it — here’s what she says.

DeGeneres explains her reactions to claims she’s ‘mean’

After spending the first few minutes of the special making hip jokes and catching up with the audience with her pups, DeGeneres cuts to the chase.

“Oh yeah, I got kicked out of show business,” she says to loud laughter and applause. “Yeah, because I’m mean. Yeah. You can’t be mean and be in show business. No, you’ll get fired. Not mean people in show business.

DeGeneres joked that she first heard about the controversy when she saw a headline declaring her “the most hated person in America.” It was a contrast, she said, to previous polls that indicated she was “one of the most trusted people in the country,” such as one in which people voted her the celebrity they would like the most. more to take care of their child.

DeGeneres reflected on the media fervor surrounding her controversy, saying she had to explain to her therapist that she thought “everybody hated her” because mainstream media outlets were reporting on it. And while she tried to avoid the media, she said she would only know something was up when her friends sent her messages of support.

Ultimately, DeGeneres said, her “be kind” mantra on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” put her in a box.

“I thought it was a good idea,” she said. “But I became a brand, a one-dimensional character who gave things away and danced on the steps every day. Do you know how hard it was to dance on the steps? Should a bad person dance on the steps? I don’t think so. “

DeGeneres said her show was like a ‘family’ – but she was an ‘immature boss’

During the special, DeGeneres said she enjoyed working on her show and that it felt like “family.” He then launched into a moment where he reflected on fun behaviors, such as a years-long office game of tag or other pranks, before realizing he may have threatened his staff.

“We were playing tag and chasing people down the halls, following them around the studio and scaring them all the time. I was jumping, scaring people because I would love to do that,” she said. . “You know, hearing me say it out loud, I realize I was stalking my employees and terrorizing them. I can see where it would be misinterpreted.”

DeGeneres admitted to being an “immature boss,” primarily because she never wanted to be one, despite the show that bears her name.

“I didn’t go to business school, I went to Charlie’s Chuckle Hut,” she joked.

DeGeneres said she has a gendered view of what it means to be a boss because of television shows’ depictions of male bosses barking at employees to come into their office. Women, she said, should adopt a more polite and less direct tone.

DeGeneres reflected on her coming out and how she now weighs on public opinion

DeGeneres came out as gay in a 1997 episode of her sitcom, “Ellen.” At the time, it was revolutionary — and detrimental to her career. She previously said on her 2022 show that it caused her to lose her job for three years.

“For those of you keeping score, this is the second time I’ve been kicked out of show business,” she said. “They fired me before because I told them I was gay. No gays in show business.”

Near the end of the special, DeGeneres said her show was her life — and while working in entertainment, she was forced to care about what people think. That meant people who thought she was “evil” was a “devastating” revelation. As she got older, she said, she realized she couldn’t let outside opinions influence her mental health.

DeGeneres said that after her show ended, she didn’t think she would be able to find humor in her situation and had no plans to do a stand-up special. But doing so, she said, was “healing.”

Ultimately, in the wake of her controversy, DeGeneres said she was happy to step away from the responsibilities of management and her own personal brand.

“If I’m being honest and I have a choice between people reminding me of me as someone bad or someone I love,” she said. – I choose this.

“Ellen DeGeneres: For Your Approval” is now airing Netflix.