Ellen DeGeneres says she's 'done' after Netflix special, sets record straight on being 'mean'
SANTA ROSA, CALIFORNIA: Ellen DeGeneres hinted she will be bidding adieu to the showbiz after the conclusion of her ongoing tour and her scheduled Netflix special.
The 66-year-old comedian made the momentous announcement regarding her career during a show of her 'Ellen's Last Stand… Up’ tour in Santa Rosa, California.
This comes two years after her eponymous show, which was on air for 19 seasons, was canceled following allegations concerning toxic workplace culture.
Ellen DeGeneres hints at retirement as she addresses accusations of being mean
Taking the stage on July 1, the 34-time Emmy winner talked about exiting from the spotlight.
As a fan asked about her potential return, she firmly declared, "This is the last time you're going to see me. After my Netflix special, I'm done," as per Daily Mail.
According to the published schedule, DeGeneres’ three-month-long tour would come to an end in mid-August with the taping of her shows in Minneapolis, Minnesota on August 16 and 17.
Apart from hinting at a possible retirement, the comedian also opened up about her time away from the spotlight following the cancelation of 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' in May 2022.
In her characteristic flare, she said, "Let me catch you up on what's been going on with me since you last saw me. I got chickens. Oh yeah, and I got kicked out of show business for being mean."
Her downfall began with a single tweet penned by comedian Kevin T Porter, who asked his internet fans in March 2020 about the "most insane stories you've heard about Ellen being mean." The post garnered an unprecedented number of replies from 2,600 people.
In the same year, WarnerMedia also launched an internal investigation that led to the firing of executive producers Ed Glavin, Kevin Leman, and Jonathan Norman from the show.
DeGeneres too issued a formal apology to her 255 employees.
However, BuzzFeed News released an expose in 2020 where one of her then-current employees and ten former employees accused her of racism, workplace bullying, and sexual harassment.
Remembering her heyday, DeGeneres added, "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."
She shared that the first time she was "kicked out of show business" was when she came out as a lesbian in 1997.
The comedian remarked, "Next time, I'll be kicked out for being old. Old, gay, and mean, the triple crown."
DeGeneres said her intention was never to hurt anyone and noted, "I can be demanding and impatient and tough. I am a strong woman. I am many things, but I am not mean."
When a fan begged her for another voiceover appearance in the 'Finding Nemo' animated series (she voiced the forgetful fish Dory), she swiftly dismissed the idea, saying, "No," and added, "I'm going bye-bye, remember?"
Ellen DeGeneres abruptly canceled shows in four cities
While many shows of DeGeneres' comeback tour have been marked as sold out, the comedian quietly canceled four shows from her 32-date tour.
Her shows in Dallas, San Francisco, Seattle, and Chicago have been canceled with Ticketmaster issuing a notice last week.
It was also reported that she was scaling down her comedy content from her tour as she is not comfortable talking about the controversial segments of her career.
DeGeneres' second and final Netflix special is expected to be released before the end of the year. Her 2018 Netflix special, 'Relatable', was the first of a two-special deal with the streaming giant.
