Ellen DeGeneres has revealed the toxic workplace allegations are not the reason she’s ending her show.
On Wednesday, the 68-year-old announced her popular chat show would be ending after its 19th season.
The news came after a number of Ellen’s current and former staff members alleged they were subjected to a “toxic work environment” while working on the show.
The controversy sparked an internal investigation by WarnerMedia, which resulted in the firing of her show’s top producers – Ed Glavin, Kevin Leman and Jonathan Norman.
Speaking with Today, the comedian said that the allegations were not the reason for her departure, telling the show: “If it was why I was quitting, I would have not come back this year.”
“I really did think about not coming back, because it was devastating. 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… I just kept saying to [my wife] Portia, ‘If I was a fan of somebody, and even if I loved them, I would think there must be some truth to it because it’s not stopping.”
“No, I’m not bulletproof. And no, I don’t have thick skin. I’m extremely sensitive to the point of it’s not healthy how sensitive I am.”
“When something is coming back at me that I know is not true, I guess I could take one or two of those shots, but four months in a row took a toll on me.”
The chat show host added she “really didn’t understand” the controversy she was involved in, saying: “It was too orchestrated. It was too coordinated People get picked on, but for four months straight?”
“For me to read in the press about a toxic work environment when all I’ve ever heard from every guest that comes on the show is what a happy atmosphere this is and what a happy place it is.”
Ellen claimed she had “no idea” that there were problems behind-the-scenes of her show.
“I don’t know how I could have known when there’s 225 employees here and there are a lot of different buildings. Unless I literally stayed here until that last person goes home at night.”
“I don't have a thick skin. I mean, I'm extremely sensitive.” -Ellen DeGeneres pic.twitter.com/lOhBTjryCv
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) May 13, 2021
“It is my name on the show, so clearly it affects me, and I have to be the one to stand up and say this can’t be tolerated. But I do wish somebody would’ve come to me and said, ‘Hey, something’s going on that you should know about.'”
Ellen admitted the backlash reminded her of the time her sitcom was cancelled in 1997 after she came out as gay.
“My therapist is like, ‘Very few people go through such huge public humiliation twice in a lifetime.’ She was making me aware that I’m supposed to experience this for a bigger reason.”
“How can I be an example of strength and perseverance and power if I give up and run away?”
“I don't have a thick skin. I mean, I'm extremely sensitive.” -Ellen DeGeneres pic.twitter.com/lOhBTjryCv
— TODAY (@TODAYshow) May 13, 2021
“So it really is one of the reasons I came back. I worked really hard on myself. And also 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.”
Ellen also said the reason she was ending her show was not because of the ratings declining in the past year.
“It’s more for this one because we had further to fall. And everybody else was at a lower place, so they didn’t have as far to fall. To be honest. I mean, that’s the truth, we were very, very successful… Everything in television is down.”
“It’s got nothing to do with why I’m leaving. If I was having fun, I would do this show with nobody watching. So it’s got nothing to do with that.”
