There won’t be any horrific clowns leaping out of furniture to scare unsuspecting guests in Ellen DeGeneres‘s future after the former daytime talk show host and comedian revealed she’s “done” after her upcoming Netflix special. During a standup routine at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts in Santa Rosa, the once-celebrated DeGeneres updated the crowd about her life after exiting the spotlight.
“Let me catch you up on what’s been going on with me since you last saw me,” she said. “I got chickens. Oh yeah, and I got kicked out of show business for being mean.”
Well, that’s a bit reductive. DeGeneres lost her position high atop Celebrity Mountain after staff members of The Ellen DeGeneres Show said she ran a toxic work environment. When staffers came forward about the subpar treatment, DeGeneres issued the following statement:
“On day one of our show, I told everyone in our first meeting that ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’ would be a place of happiness – no one would ever raise their voice, and everyone would be treated with respect,” DeGeneres said. “Obviously, something changed, and I am disappointed to learn that this has not been the case. And for that, I am sorry. Anyone who knows me knows it’s the opposite of what I believe and what I hoped for our show.”
Most waved DeGeneres’s apology away, leaving her career in a state of flux and uncertainty. During her recent standup routine, DeGeneres “admitted to being harsh and said she was a very immature boss,” according to SFGate.com. “I used to say, ‘I don’t care what people say about me,'” DeGeneres reportedly said. “Now I realize I said that during the height of my popularity.”
Sometimes, canceled celebrities hibernate briefly before returning to the scene to salvage what’s left of their career. Conversely, DeGeneres is not interested in returning to people’s good graces and would instead burn up rather than fade away. When asked if she’d pursue a different Hollywood path, DeGeneres said, “This is the last time you’re going to see me,” she said. “After my Netflix special, I’m done.”
Do you think Ellen DeGeneres deserves another chance at success? Are you disappointed she’s quitting the business for good after her Netflix special? Let us know in the comments section below.