Ellen DeGeneres Says She’s ‘Done’ with Public After Netflix Special

Ellen DeGeneres has announced that she will be stepping back from the public eye following her upcoming Netflix special. The 66-year-old comedian and former talk show host made this revelation during her three-night stand-up performance in Santa Rosa last week. DeGeneres jested about the cancellation of her well-known talk show and shared her plans of retreating from the spotlight once more during the show.

While on stage at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts for her tour titled “Ellen’s Last Stand…Up,” DeGeneres didn’t avoid the controversy that engulfed her in 2020. She had faced significant backlash at that time over allegations that she had fostered a toxic work environment on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.” Addressing the audience, she humorously recounted, “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.”

Reflecting on her past attitude towards public opinion, DeGeneres said, “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.” With a hint of sarcasm, she added, “Next time, I’ll be kicked out for being old. Old, gay and mean, the triple crown.”

Later in the show, DeGeneres tackled the allegations more straightforwardly, expressing, “I can be demanding and impatient and tough. I am a strong woman. I am many things, but I am not mean.” She stressed that her intentions were never to be mean, and if her behavior was perceived as such, it was not deliberate.

During a Q&A session with the audience, DeGeneres was forthright about her future in showbiz. When a fan inquired whether she would be seen on Broadway or in movies, she decisively replied, “This is the last time you’re going to see me. After my Netflix special, I’m done.” When another fan asked if she might reprise her role as Pixar’s Dory, she bluntly responded, “No, I’m going bye-bye, remember?”

Her upcoming Netflix special is set to premiere later this year. Earlier in the month, DeGeneres canceled four of her scheduled performance dates, just a month after she had kicked off the stand-up tour. Ticketmaster informed fans with the message, “Unfortunately, the Event Organizer has had to cancel your event,” and assured that those who had purchased tickets would receive automatic refunds. DeGeneres has not provided a statement regarding the cancellations.

Source: SFGate, Ticketmaster