‘This Is the Last Time You’ll See Me’

Ellen DeGeneres revealed during a stop on her “Ellen’s Last Stand…Up” tour that she is ready to step away from fame once she completes her final shows, which will be filmed for an upcoming Netflix special. During the Q&A portion of a show at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts in Santa Rosa, a fan inquired if DeGeneres would consider returning to movies or even trying her hand at Broadway once her tour concluded.

“Um, no,” DeGeneres answered plainly. “This is the last time you’re going to see me. After my Netflix special, I’m done.”

Another audience member suggested DeGeneres should reprise her role as Dory in Pixar’s “Finding Nemo” and “Finding Dory,” but she quickly shut down the idea, saying, “No, I’m going bye-bye, remember.”

DeGeneres began the “Ellen’s Last Stand…Up” tour earlier this year but has recently canceled four dates. Throughout her performances, she’s addressed the misconduct allegations that surfaced as “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” was reaching its end after nearly two decades on air.

The talk show concluded amid various reports of behind-the-scenes issues, including accusations of racism, sexual misconduct, and intimidation. Crew members also voiced their frustrations about how the production managed compensation during the COVID-19 pandemic. DeGeneres offered a public apology, and three producers were dismissed following an internal investigation by WarnerMedia.

“Let me catch you up on what’s been going on with me since you last saw me,” DeGeneres mentioned in her Santa Rosa show, humorously adding, “I got chickens. Oh yeah, and I got kicked out of show business for being mean.”

The comedian admitted to being “demanding and impatient and tough” but clarified that she is “not mean” and that her intentions were never to intentionally harm anyone.

“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,” she reflected on the criticism she received from the allegations.

During a prior performance at the Largo at the Coronet Theatre in West Hollywood, DeGeneres responded to a fan’s question by expressing how “hurtful” it was for her show to end the way it did.

“I just thought, ‘Well this is not the way I wanted to end my career, but this is the way it’s ending.’ … I just hated the way the show ended,” she said. “I love that show so much and I just hated that the last time people would see me is that way.”

DeGeneres’ “Ellen’s Last Stand…Up” tour will continue through August 17th.

Source: People, SFGate, Variety