In her final stand-up tour, Ellen DeGeneres (pic) is denying the “mean girl” allegations that put a swift stop to her mainstream success.
The 66-year-old former daytime talk show host, who has taken a backseat from the spotlight since ending her eponymous show in 2022, told her crowd in Santa Rosa, California, that while she’s “many things,” mean isn’t one of them, according to SFGate.
“Let me catch you up on what’s been going on with me since you last saw me,” she told the audience during Ellen’s Last Stand ... Up earlier this week. “I got chickens. Oh yeah, and I got kicked out of show business for being mean.”
As “a strong woman,” the Emmy winner went on to admit she “can be demanding and impatient and tough” — but insisted she’s “not mean” as she never had the intention of hurting anyone.
The comedian’s remarks came four years after a Buzzfeed report on claims made by former DeGeneres Show staffers, who alleged they experienced a toxic workplace that included “racism, fear, and intimidation.”
DeGeneres announced the following spring that the once-beloved talk show would end with its 19th season.
During this week’s stand-up, DeGeneres also confirmed she plans to quit showbiz completely after her upcoming special for Netflix.
“This is the last time you’re going to see me. After my Netflix special, I’m done,” she told the crowd during a Q&A.
Her North American tour — which DeGeneres announced in May — is slated to run for most of the summer, with a stop at Radio City Music Hall on Aug 1, before she takes a final bow in Minneapolis on Aug 17.
However, on Wednesday, four shows in July and August for Dallas, San Francisco, Seattle and Chicago were canceled, per an announcement on the Ticketmaster website.
A reason for the cancellations has not been given. – New York Daily News/Tribune News Service
