Ellen DeGeneres Doubles Down on Being ‘Mean’ With New Standup

‘ I became this one-dimensional character,’ DeGeneres said.

Ellen DeGeneres has returned to the spotlight with her Last Stand… Up tour, which kicked off in San Diego, California, on Wednesday. An eyewitness in the audience told Entertainment Tonight that the 66-year-old entertainer used this platform to address the scandal that led to her temporary exit from the entertainment industry.

DeGeneres wasted no time in tackling the elephant in the room – her alleged “mean” behavior that resulted in a highly publicized fall from grace. She said, “I got kicked out of show business because I’m ‘mean’… You can’t be mean in show business, they’ll kick you out.”

The comedian didn’t shy away from discussing the media frenzy that surrounded her during the height of the controversy. She recalled reading a headline that dubbed her the “most hated person in America,” which she lamented carried no prize.

In addition to rehashing old wounds, DeGeneres gave insights into her own growth. Although the media firestorm was initially devastating, she said it ultimately gave her clarity and contentment.

Throughout the show, DeGeneres frequently glanced at her wife of 16 years, Portia de Rossi, whom she affectionately referred to as her “best friend” and “soulmate.” DeGeneres seemed to find comfort and support in seeing de Rossi in the audience.

The comedian’s set was peppered with jokes about her past experiences, including what she referred to as her first “cancellation” when she came out on her TV sitcom, Ellen, in 1997. She even predicted a future cancellation, humorously suggesting it would occur when she reaches an age where Hollywood has no more use for women.

DeGeneres didn’t shy away from addressing the allegations of a toxic workplace environment that plagued her talk show in 2020. She acknowledged the toll these accusations took on her mental health, admitting that her identity had become intertwined with her show. 

“The ‘be kind’ girl wasn’t kind. I became this one-dimensional character who gave stuff away and danced up steps,” she said during a recent comedy set, as reported by Rolling Stone. “Do you know how hard it is to dance up steps? Would a mean person dance up steps?” she added. “Had I ended my show by saying, ‘Go f— yourself,’ people would’ve been pleasantly surprised.”

The comedian’s new tour marks her first major return to the stage since the scandal that led to the end of her long-running daytime talk show after 19 seasons. DeGeneres is set to visit approximately two dozen cities across the United States between June and August, with tour dates and locations available on her website.

In a candid moment during the Q&A portion of her San Diego show, DeGeneres revealed that it took her two challenging years to reach a point where she genuinely doesn’t care about others’ opinions of her. She said, “I used to say that I didn’t care what other people thought of me and I realized… I said that at the height of my popularity. It is such a waste of time to worry about what other people think.”‘

DeGeneres also used her stand-up comedy show to offer words of encouragement to audience members who might be struggling with mental health issues. She emphasized that change is necessary and that things do improve, urging those in need to seek help.

The tour is not just a comeback for DeGeneres; it’s also the basis for what will be her final Netflix stand-up special, coming six years after her last special, Relatable. In a pre-released statement about the tour and the upcoming special, DeGeneres teased, “To answer the questions everyone is asking me — yes, I’m going to talk about it. Yes this is my last special. Yes, Portia really is that pretty in real life.”