Ellen DeGeneres: "I was expelled from show business"

Ellen's Last Stand... Up Tour, her new comedy show that will also be available on Netflix, has her as the opening act on its inaugural night.

Commencing her Hollywood presentation, the 66-year-old expressed, "I realized that at the height of my popularity, I didn't care what other people thought of me." Following accusations by Ellen DeGeneres show staff members of having a "toxic workplace," DeGeneres has faced a challenging few years.

'No mean people in show business'

In the wake of accusations of misconduct and sexual harassment, three producers were fired, and although DeGeneres apologized live, the program would conclude the next year, in May 2021, following 19 seasons.

As a former talk show presenter, DeGeneres admitted to the Los Angeles audience that she had been enjoying the pressure of having to lay an egg every day in addition to gardening extensively and keeping chickens as pets since the show's conclusion.

She went on, "What else can I tell you?" Indeed, I was expelled from the entertainment industry. In entertainment business, there are no nasty individuals."

People's Esther Kang, who was at the show, wrote: "Even though Ellen DeGeneres is looking back at her talk show with a sense of humor, she can't deny that her unceremonious exit left deep wounds."

Kang added: "After musing about how she became the 'most hated person in America' amid the swirling headlines, DeGeneres said that the ordeal reduced her television persona into a shell of its former glory.

"'The hate went on for a long time and I would try to avoid looking at the news,' she recalled. 'The 'be kind' girl wasn't kind. That was the headline.'

"Noting how she ended her talk show each day by saying, 'Be kind to one another,' DeGeneres joked that it became a 'problem' because people started to think of her as a 'one-dimensional character who gave stuff away and danced up steps.'"

The comic also made reference to her sitcom's cancelation in the 1990s, which happened following her gay announcement.

This is my second expulsion from show industry, for those of you keeping score.They're going to throw me out for a third time eventually because I'm queer, elderly, and mean," she murmured.

Additionally, she stated that the backlash she endured had "been such a toll on my ego and my-self esteem" because of how long she had been in the public eye.

"There's such extremes in this business, people either love you and idolise you or they hate you, and those people somehow are louder," she stated.

During the question-and-answer period that followed the stand-up performance, one audience member mentioned feeling inspired by DeGeneres' ability to bounce back after a recent tough period.

It’s hard to dance when you’re crying,” DeGeneres said. “But I am dancing now.”