Ellen DeGeneres, once beloved as the smiling, dancing queen of daytime talk shows, now finds herself on the receiving end of sharp criticism following her attempted comeback via a Netflix special. Once hailed for her charm and wit, Ellen’s image has taken a dramatic turn—one that many claim reveals a far less flattering side of the TV icon.
Her downfall didn’t begin with a scandal, lawsuit, or a paparazzi meltdown—it started with a tweet. One user simply asked others to share their worst experiences with Ellen, and the internet exploded. Former employees, restaurant servers, and behind-the-scenes insiders began to paint a consistent, unsettling picture: Ellen was allegedly rude, cold, and at times, downright cruel.
Among the most notorious examples was her infamous interaction with actress Dakota Johnson, who called out Ellen for lying on-air about not being invited to her birthday party. The moment went viral and opened the floodgates for criticism. Soon, reports surfaced about strict and bizarre rules on Ellen’s set, including one former staffer claiming employees were not allowed to make eye contact with her.
One viral story described Ellen complaining to a restaurant owner about a server’s chipped nail polish—not because it interfered with her meal, but simply because it was unsightly. The incident almost cost the server her job. Another account claimed Ellen berated a worker for saying hello to her on the lot. These weren’t isolated incidents—they were echoed repeatedly, forming the basis of a larger narrative: that Ellen’s on-screen kindness was little more than a mask.
As the pressure mounted, the backlash became too big to ignore. Articles labeled her a “toxic boss,” and the show was eventually canceled. But in April, Ellen resurfaced with a new Netflix special. Rather than address the criticism head-on, she portrayed herself as a victim, claiming she was “run out of Hollywood.” Her special, laced with sarcasm, mocks the notion that she was canceled for “being mean,” completely sidestepping the deeper issues at hand.
Enter Megyn Kelly and Rob Schneider, who didn’t hold back during a brutally honest segment on The Megyn Kelly Show. Kelly slammed Ellen’s “victim narrative,” pointing out that someone with an estimated net worth of $500 million shouldn’t pretend to be a casualty of injustice. “She’s playing the victim again,” Kelly said, “as if she didn’t create the environment that led to all of this.”
Schneider, while slightly more diplomatic, delivered a pointed message: “You have to get over resentment, or else you’ll fall back into the same patterns.” He also emphasized the importance of humility and real apologies—something Ellen has consistently avoided.
Even fellow celebrities have weighed in. Rosie O’Donnell, a fellow LGBTQ+ icon and daytime talk host, shared her own painful history with Ellen. Despite being a prominent figure herself, Rosie revealed she was never invited onto Ellen’s show. In one particularly hurtful moment, Ellen distanced herself from Rosie during a Larry King interview, saying, “I don’t know Rosie, we’re not friends.” O’Donnell admitted she never got over the slight, calling it one of the most painful professional rejections of her career.
Critics argue that Ellen’s comeback reeks of disingenuousness. Instead of introspection or meaningful atonement, she’s doubling down on her old image—hoping to charm her way back into the spotlight. But the public isn’t buying it. The stories about her behavior go far beyond occasional rudeness; they suggest a culture of fear and manipulation behind the scenes of her seemingly joyful talk show.
What’s perhaps most jarring is how Ellen continues to use her platform not to apologize, but to mock the allegations and cast herself as the wronged party. She jokes about being canceled for being mean, while ignoring the systemic complaints from dozens of former employees. The lack of accountability stands in stark contrast to the expectations of today’s audience, who demand more than just lip service from public figures.
The entertainment industry, already rife with performative activism and shallow apologies, is watching closely. Ellen’s return is shaping up to be less of a redemption arc and more of a cautionary tale.
Unless she makes real changes and offers a sincere, humble apology, this latest attempt at reinvention may go down as yet another failure in the eyes of a disillusioned public.
And judging by the reactions so far, Ellen DeGeneres’ Netflix comeback isn’t just falling flat—it’s reinforcing everything people already suspected about the real person behind the smile.
