Ellen DeGeneres recently announced during her “Ellen’s Last Stand…Up” tour that she is stepping away from fame after her final Netflix special. During a Q&A session at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts in Santa Rosa, a fan inquired if DeGeneres would consider returning to movies or trying her hand at Broadway after the tour. DeGeneres responded unequivocally, “Um, no. This is the last time you’re going to see me. After my Netflix special, I’m done.”
Another fan asked if she would reprise her role as Dory from Pixar’s “Finding Nemo” and “Finding Dory.” DeGeneres humorously replied, “No, I’m going bye-bye, remember.”
The “Ellen’s Last Stand…Up” tour, which began earlier this year, has seen DeGeneres cancel four dates without explanation. The tour has also served as a platform for her to address the misconduct allegations that surfaced as “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” was concluding its nearly 20-year run. The talk show ended amid reports of racism, sexual misconduct, and intimidation behind the scenes. Crew members also expressed frustration over how the production handled compensation during the COVID-19 pandemic. DeGeneres issued an on-air apology, and three producers were fired following an internal investigation by WarnerMedia.
At the Santa Rosa show, DeGeneres humorously updated the audience on her life, saying, “I got chickens. Oh yeah, and I got kicked out of show business for being mean.” She admitted to being demanding, impatient, and tough, but firmly stated, “I am many things, but I am not mean.”
Reflecting on the public backlash, DeGeneres said, “I used to say, ‘I don’t care what people say about me.’ Now I realize I said that during the height of my popularity.” During a previous tour stop in West Hollywood, she described the end of her show as “so hurtful” and lamented, “I just hated the way the show ended. I love that show so much and I just hated that the last time people would see me is that way.”
DeGeneres’ tour continues through August 17, and she has made it clear that her upcoming Netflix special will be her final public appearance. “This is the last time you’re going to see me. After my Netflix special, I’m done,” she reiterated during her Santa Rosa show.
The comedian, now 66, has kept a low profile since her talk show ended in May 2022 following toxic workplace claims. In 2020, current and former staffers anonymously shared their experiences on set, leading to an apology from DeGeneres and the exit of producers Ed Glavin, Kevin Leman, and Jonathan Norman. DeGeneres acknowledged in a memo that she had relied on others to do their jobs as she would have wanted, but admitted, “Clearly some didn’t.”
At her July 1 stand-up show, DeGeneres addressed the controversy, saying, “I got kicked out of show business for being mean. I can be demanding and impatient and tough. I am a strong woman. I am many things, but I am not mean.” She also reflected on her previous attitude towards public opinion, noting, “I used to say, ‘I don’t care what people say about me.’ Now I realize I said that during the height of my popularity.”
During a performance in West Hollywood in April, DeGeneres spoke about the accusations against her, saying, “The hate went on for a long time and I would try to avoid looking at the news. The ‘be kind’ girl wasn’t kind. That was the headline.” She joked that she became the “most hated person in America.”
Two weeks before the final episode of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” DeGeneres told the Hollywood Reporter that her decision to end the show had nothing to do with the behind-the-scenes controversy. “When you’re a creative person, you constantly need to be challenged – and as great as this show is, and as fun as it is, it’s just not a challenge anymore,” she insisted.
DeGeneres’ upcoming Netflix special, announced in May, will be her last. “To answer the questions everyone is asking me — Yes, I’m going to talk about it. Yes, this is my last special,” she said in a press release.
Ellen DeGeneres has made it clear that she is ready to leave the public eye and move on from her career in show business. Her final Netflix special is set to air in late 2024, marking the end of an era for the beloved comedian and talk show host.
Source: People, SFGate, Variety, Hollywood Reporter, Rolling Stone, E! Online
