Ex-‘Bachelorette’ star Ali Fedotowsky-Manno claims Ellen DeGeneres made her ‘feel stupid’ on talk show

BURBANK, CALIFORNIA: Ali Fedotowsky-Manno is pulling back the curtain on her encounters with Ellen DeGeneres, and her recollections aren't exactly glorifying.

The former 'Bachelorette' star, 40, shared her candid feelings during a recent episode of Kaitlyn Bristowe's 'Off the Vine' podcast, where she reflected on her appearance on 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show'.

Ali Fedotowsky-Manno opens up about disappointing Ellen DeGeneres encounter

When asked by Kaitlyn Bristowe, 39, if she had ever met the talk show icon, Ali Fedotowsky-Manno confirmed that she had — but the experience left her feeling less than stellar.

"She made me feel pretty not great," Fedotowsky-Manno admitted, as reported by People.

"I hate that," Bristowe responded. "I've heard that so many times."

Fedotowsky-Manno was quick to clarify that DeGeneres wasn’t overtly mean to her. "It’s not that she was mean, per se, she just made me feel stupid," she explained.

The former reality star recalled her excitement about appearing on the popular talk show but hinted that her reality TV background might have influenced DeGeneres’ perception of her.

"Here I am, this 24-year-old, famous for no reason, comes on her show, and she's like, 'I gotta talk to one of these idiots again'," Fedotowsky-Manno said.

Describing her first appearance on the show, she noted, "I was dancing, and everyone comes out dancing, like, 'Hi.' And I was trying to be funny and personable. And instead of laughing with me, she was laughing at me. Do you know what I mean?"

For Bristowe, the conversation struck a chord. She expressed relief that she never made it onto DeGeneres’ show, confessing that DeGeneres had once been her idol.

"I think the world protected me from ever going on her show, because they say, don’t meet your heroes, and she was mine all the time," Bristowe shared. "But I think it would have been really disappointing for me."

The 'Bachelorette' alum didn’t hold back her opinion on DeGeneres, adding, "Now I dislike her because of everything I’ve heard from very reliable sources. ... I don’t get treating people like s**t, but I get being over it."

Ali Fedotowsky-Manno reflects on Ellen DeGeneres' awkward comment from 2010 interview

Ali Fedotowsky-Manno, who appeared on 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' multiple times, recalled specific moments that left bitter memories.

In one 2010 appearance, she discussed leaving her job because she couldn’t secure time off to film 'The Bachelor'.

After explaining her mistake of not reading her leave-of-absence papers thoroughly, DeGeneres curtly remarked, "Sure, read things."

During another appearance, Fedotowsky-Manno recalled being asked by DeGeneres if she was drunk because she was giggling.

These anecdotes take on added weight in light of the allegations made against DeGeneres in 2020.

In a damning BuzzFeed News report, former and current staffers accused the host of fostering a toxic workplace culture. Allegations ranged from racial microaggressions to retaliation against employees who took medical leave.

While DeGeneres’ executive producers took responsibility for the show's day-to-day operations, the host’s "be kind" mantra came under fire, with former employees alleging that her on-screen persona was "all for show".

Ellen DeGeneres reflects on her show's end and backlash over allegations

Ellen DeGeneres ended her show in 2022 after 19 seasons but denied that the allegations influenced her decision.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, she stated, "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."

In her Netflix special 'For Your Approval,' released in September 2024, DeGeneres didn’t shy away from addressing the backlash.

"The 'be kind' girl wasn’t kind, that was the headline," she quipped.

"Here’s the problem: I am a comedian who got a talk show and I ended the show every day by saying, 'Be kind to one another.' Had I ended my show by saying 'Go f**k yourselves,' people would've been pleasantly surprised to find out I'm kind," she said.

“Although all good things must come to an end, you still have hope that truly great things never will,” said Warner Bros' unscripted TV president Mike Darnell, who had urged Ellen DeGeneres quite a few times to reconsider her decision of pulling down the curtains on her show.

He describes her iconic show as “an absolute phenomenon", noting its nearly two-decade legacy “as the premier destination for both superstars and incredible heartfelt human-interest stories".