In what has formed a public debacle, Ellen DeGeneres has framed herself as a victim and ignored past allegations of promoting a toxic workplace, citing “creative” reasons for ending her long-running daytime show in interviews with Oprah Winfrey and TODAY‘s Savannah Guthrie.
In her words, she is not ending the show because of her tanking ratings or the widespread backlash against her, which she characterized as “too orchestrated.”
She said “If it was why I was quitting, I would not have come back this year.”
In a recent development, DeGeneres welcomed Winfrey onto her show for a friendly chat during which the pair discussed Ellen’s decision to end The Ellen DeGeneres Show after 19 seasons next year. DeGeneres also appeared earlier in the day on Today, which airs on the same NBC network as her own show.
DeGeneres insisted in both interviews that she’s leaving her show because it’s not a creative “challenge” anymore. Also, she dismissed allegations that she was a toxic boss, didn’t address talk about her ratings and claimed that the backlash against her has been “misogynistic,” “orchestrated” and “coordinated.”
“I have to say — if nobody else was saying it — it was really interesting because I’m a woman, and it did feel very misogynistic,” she told Guthrie on TODAY.
“It started with attacks on me and attacking everything that I stand for and believe in and built my career around.
“I am a kind person. I am a person who likes to make people happy.”
It was reported that Winfrey, who is friends with DeGeneres, did not delve into the toxic workplace allegations in their chat on The Ellen Show. Instead, she hailed DeGeneres for deciding to wind down the show with a final season.
Oprah said “I’m proud of you for trusting your instinct”. She also spoke at length about how TV hosts see their staff as “family.”
DeGeneres said “I do love everyone here,” before citing them as the reason she is doing another season. “I wanted to give them a year,” she said.
President of unscripted TV at Warner Bros, Mike Darnell confirmed the show’s demise in a statement made available to newsmen.
He said “Although all good things must come to an end, you still have to hope that truly great things never will”.
It would be recalled that DeGeneres launched her talk show in 2003 and built her personal brand as the “be kind lady,” with a show that focused on upbeat interviews, dancing and acts of kindness.
NCNC gathered that many soured on her last year amid a string of damning reports about her behind-the-scenes behaviour, including a plan to slash staffers’ salaries at the start of the pandemic.
In view of the latest development, DeGeneres’ show will end with the conclusion of her 19th season next year. Her contract with WarnerMedia also expires at that time, reports said.
