Ellen Degeneres has been at the receiving end of some pretty bad press over the last few months, and while she’s remained tight-lipped about most of it, insiders say she’s “at the end of her rope.”
“She thought this was all just sour grapes from a few haters,” an insider tells US Weekly. “But it’s not a passing thing. The hits just keep coming.”
It all started back in March when several of Ellen’s former employees came forward to accuse her of being secretly mean.
Not long after that, beauty vlogger Nikkie de Jager spoke out about the not-so-warm welcome she received from Ellen when she appeared on her show back in January.
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But it didn’t stop there.
A few weeks later, several of Ellen’s current employees came forward to say that, despite claiming she supported them on social media, she used the coronavirus as an excuse to stop paying them and hire cheaper non-union workers in their place.
Then this month, one of her former bodyguards broke his silence to say Ellen was “demeaning” and “very cold.”
According to another insider, Ellen’s wife, Portia, has been helping to manage the emotional toll the onslaught of allegations have had.
“Ellen’s so grateful to have Portia in her life as a soulmate and a sounding board,” the second source says, “but that doesn’t mean it’s been easy.”
“Their home life is strained right now. … Her real friends never ask her to be funny or tell jokes. They accept her as is.”
Despite all the negative headlines, Ellen’s ratings haven’t been impacted… yet.
“Ellen’s been in our homes for so long, it’ll take a lot more than a bodyguard and a blogger to change how people feel about her,” the second source notes. “Her best response is just being happy Ellen on the show every day.”
Related: Ellen’s ex-bodyguard breaks his silence, calls her “demeaning” and “very cold”
Jim
Maybe she needs to take her own advice and be kind.
Not buying her crocodile tears and self victimhood.
Texas Husky
Spot on. I stopped watching her. She was mean on her show with the scaring guests. Then her game show is nothing more than a rich white woman giving money to poor people that she humiliates.
Inspector 57
I stopped adoring her when she welcomed Kevin Hart and agreed with him that everyone who wanted to hold him accountable for his REDICULOUSLY homophobic comments were “haters.” I will not support her in any way again.
Catholicslutbox
Friends never ask her to be funny or tell jokes.
That’s because she isn’t and can’t.
All of “her material” is written for her and yet she stumbles… …and the stuff she’s written on her own? Yikes.
Gandalf The Grey
Neither am I!
rocknstan
I have always disdained game shows, that is to say, any game show that you would care to name. Ellen is an elite person doling out gifts to the little people: “gifts” that she doesn’t directly pay for. It’s embarrassing. She has bought new meaning to the term, “Gay Bourgeois.
John
I think that the press is missing all the middle management that is making the production decisions. There are a ton of Producers that handle this stuff. Ellen is pretty far up the chain of command. I would bet she is not twisting her mustache thinking how she can screw employees of the show and save a few bucks. I support Ellen and all the good she does for all the Human Race.
Dymension
Thank you.
Low Country Boy
At first I was slightly amused at the stories and now I am convinced most of them are BS. Hey, she’s human. She’s allowed to have a bad day. I think people are just piling on and making things up.
Thugsauce
Well said. She has done so much good for so many people. She is human and for as many ppl that she has contact with daily, im sure there is bound to be a few that she upsets.
Inspector 57
If Ellen is at the top of the chain, she’s responsible for what happens below her.
OrchidIslander
I agree with John.
Annaronimo
The dealbreaker for me was stopping paying her employees and hiring cheaper labour instead during the virus. Where’s the loyalty? Everyone can have bad days, but that’s a decision placing money over your people who have worked hard for you, when you have plenty of money to spare.
Gandalf The Grey
Annaronimo, you are right on. She is so filthy rich she should be paying all her employees while they can’t work. And who does she help except other rich people (buying them all new furniture). What has she done to help with the COVID-19 plague that we are going through. That’s a question I’m asking about a lot of celebrities and studios and wondering if I will continue to watch their stupid movies. At least in the theatre. Lady Gaga, Cher, Rhianna are the wonderul exceptions, not the rule. The rest of them are cheap and don’t give a rat’s ass about the rest of us. Just like Ellen.
Judespeak
A fish rots from the head.
Terrycloth
Cancel her. Network could save the 65 – 77 million per year they pay her.give kelly Clarkson her time slot she’s down to earth , has a more upbeat show , dosent play mean games with audience.Can sing and she down to earth
andrehmoore
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Daniel
Talked with someone who was friends with a guy that works(ed?) on her show. He confirmed that she is terrible to her staff, treats them like dirt – the opposite of warmth, real witch. That being said I like her show personally but her public persona seems nothing like her private persona. Seems narcissistic behavior to me.
orrine
Well, people can be different on camera – more energetic and warm people are usually received better then more quiet ones. The main problem that behind the scenes Ellen is not just reserved or introverted, but rather that she’s a complete opposite of she’s on screen
eeebee333
“Talked with someone who was friends with a guy…”? Well that’s certainly a reliable source.
geb1966
Because third hand information is ALWAYS reliable, right?
Gandalf The Grey
Please ‘bitch’ not ‘Witch’. For many witchcraft is a religion. And Ellen is definitely an evil bitch who thinks mighty high about herself! And I don’t buy her ‘crocodile tears’ either!
kelli
To Ellen, or any of your staffers(that still speak to you), Bitch you are from the SOUTH!!! You know better!! Chill the hell out!!! Get over yourself!! And remember this……EVERYTHING YOU HAVE CAN GO AWAY AS QUICKLY AS YOU GOT IT!!!
hotdogla
What do people mean when they say ” I am from the South” ? When I hear that all I can think about is the brutality and the racism that happened in the south, according to my US History classes. So when people say I am from the south, Im wondering if theyre going to pull a confederate flag or something, I dunnom, as a POC I heard “im from the south and I am uncomfortable”
thenotoriousbla
To hotdogla, when people say im/theyre from the South in that context it means one should know that people are gonna talk & that you cant get away with shady shit bc of ppl talking
Cam
Entitled mean people don’t handle it well when they get called out on their behavior.
One of the telling things about Ellen was pointed out by someone on here. Not one of these celebrities she is supposedly friends with spoke up to defend her. That is not a great sign in Hollywood.
Theweatherman
Everybody has a bad day. It’s hard to be nice all the time. I’m sure there are instances where she has not been perfect. I’m still ticked at her over her beef with Kathy Griffin. I still think she is a kind person at heart.
orrine
She didn’t have a “bad day”, she had bad decades, there are too many reports, it’s her usual behavior
Jeff-in-NC
Why is it that so much of this article reads EXACTLY like the last Ellen article on the same topic, even though this article says it’s one hour old?
drmiller
We (the public) all have mostly the same data at this point, we have all read the same articles. So you evaluate that and either stand behind her or you don’t. I’m standing behind you, Ellen! As an LGBTQ person, you’ve done so, SO much more for good us (and collective humanity) than you have bad. Maybe you aren’t quite as pleasant in your personal life. Maybe you are. That’s not for me to decide, but your actions speak for themselves as far as I’m concerned. #teamellen
Cam
@drmiller,
you said “Maybe you aren’t quite as pleasant in your personal life. ”
________
Except it wasn’t in her personal life. It was abusing people that are under her power and whose paychecks she controls. That is the very definition of a hostile work environment, and if Ellen wasn’t a celebrity she would have been fired or sued years ago for that behavior.
riversider
I have worked with many celebrities. Sometimes their public image is starkly different from the reality. A series of unlinked people coming forward in rapid succession doesn’t just happen out of nowhere.
rand503
Perhaps it’s a plot to undermine her.
Personally, I really do NOT care what her personality really is. Sure it would be sad if she treats employees badly — but is that really the case? People in the biz have a lot at stake, and sometimes you have to be a bitch to make sure people are doing their jobs. I’ll bet you dollars to donuts she is no more mean or nasty than any other talk show host or equivalent in Hollywood. It’s just when you have a dick, it’s considered a good thing.
Babs got a lot of flack for her being a movie director. When a man is a perfectionist, he is a perfectionist. When a woman is a perfectionist, she is a bitch.
And even if the stories are true, and she is much worse than her male peers. So what? I’m tuning in to see her show and that’s all I really care about. What she does behind the camera is of little interest to me.
azjeff17
Karma is a bitch, and apparently so is Ellen.
ronniebs
It’s just clickbait. The source is a gossip site. I’m sure she’s not on all the time & we all have bad days. I mean she could retire & count her money if she wants to. Why would she continue doing it if she’s miserable.
v6origal97
I can’t vouch for all of the stories, but I’ve worked in entertainment for 20 years, and she’s not a nice person. Some people behind the scenes are genuine, she is not. She’s not a victim. This is just a glaring light being shone on her actual personality.
AxelDC
The individual anecdotes are just gossip, but how she treated her show crew is abominable. She should have either kept them working for her, or gave them paid leave. She makes plenty of money to pay them half a season or so.
Instead, she replaced her union staff with scabs who worked for less pay. Terrible thing to do when you are supposed to be Ms. Nice.
Max
i think her meanness is currently underscored by how she makes Andy be outside her home window all the time. it’s not funny anymore.
social distancing is one thing. to demean is another.
corgimel
“Talked with someone who was friends with a guy…”? by eeebee333. The majority of media report using the same method. Most of the time it is “anonymous sources” and the gullible public suck it up. Let’s face it, these people are actors and I believe very little that comes out of their mouth.
TonyPSP
Ellen sometimes has an attitude that comes off like she doesn’t care. Maybe she and some other stars should stop trying to do so much. It’s not like she doesn’t make enough money already. If you have to be a bitch to get something done your in the wrong business. She preaches be kind. Isn’t that just another way of saying don’t be a bitch.
Black Pegasus
She needs to announce her retirement.
Joe
All along I thought this whole thing was one big joke!! Hmmmm… I met Ellen a long time ago, I showed her a house for sale on the Westside of Los Angeles. I was shocked when she was actually there in person ~~ I thought it would be the usual lawyers, business managers etc. Though she did not purchase that property she was quite kind in person [this was some time before daytime… actually not that much after she came out]. I know she knows what is like to regress and have to build again, if you all recall. That said I again saw her at a birthday party for my boss at the time, she knew me from nothing but that 20 minute showing… however, she walked in the door and said, “Hello, Joe…” like she’d known me all my life. I was elated to say the least that she had even remembered me yet truly mesmerized by her memory.
Black Pegasus
@Joe
I wish more celebrities would learn that little encounters like yours will go a long way in creating good will among people long after you’ve met them. (actually some celebs do get it but others don’t)… Thanks for sharing
UCLADave
This has been common knowledge in Hollywood for years that Ellen is a cee you next Tuesday from people who have been on her staff from people who have worked at the studio where she tapes her show it’s been common knowledge for many many years that her on screen persona does not match her off screen persona at all
Wheelerman
Don’t watch her. Don’t know; don’t care.
winemaker
Cry me a river, no wait, cry me an ocean! Why is this unimportant nonsensical S**T being rehashed when most people don’t really give a rats ripe ass about this overcompensated and ungrateful bag of gas. She had the guts to get up on television from her 24 Million dollar Santa Barbara mansion where she’s ‘sheltering in place’ and say we’re all in ts together all while sitting on her rich wrinkled ass living in the lap of luxury most likely with few financial worries. Really you say. Many thousands have lost their jobs, can’t get unemployment and you have the gall to condescend to people. Really time for her to fade into oblivion and enjoy her rich lifestyle with all the other hollyweird wackos. Enough updates on ellen degenerate. And yes I’m gay.
Mamesboy
Trust. You did not have to say you were Gay. Your comment has Jaded Bitter Jealous Gay all over it. Mary
Cam
@Mamesboy
Interesting, the account that’s defending Ellen lashes out with stereotypes to attack LGBT people.
batesmotel
I don’t buy it when a blogger says, “An insider says…” That means this is fiction. I think Ellen Degeneres could careless, if she’s even aware of it. Posting an unrelated photo of Ellen crying is the way the media manipulates.
Harley
Well, I would think sitting down and palling around with a war criminal (W) would be a clue.
Mamesboy
I Don’t believe any of these nobodies.
Jealousy is an ugly thing Dorothy.
And so are you in anything backless!!
Ellen is entitled to have an off moment, Day, etc. I hope she doesn’t listen to this at all.
Cam
@Mamesboy
Hmmmm, how interesting, the account defending Ellen, attacks the people on her staff pointing out how abusive she is, and how she is breaking employment rules as “Nobodies”.
That seems like the kind of attitude that an entitled, spoiled abusive person would use.
Ellen, is that you?
Mamesboy
I have a friend that spoke to a girl who’s boyfriend is cousins with the guy who is boyfriends with her bathroom wallpaperer.
He said that he overheard the dog sitter and it could be true. But then again yesterday my cousin who’s teacher went to school with a producer of the Tonight Show, not Jimmy Fallons but Jay Leno’s. He said she was nice.
Cam
Except this is coming from Staff with written proof that they were screwed over.
It’s interesting though, so far, this account has used negative stereotypes to attack LGBT people, has called the people who exposed Ellen as “Nobodys”, and here tries to lie about the facts behind the case.
Please tell your manager at Ellen’s P.R. firm that you were really bad at this.
averageguy40
If you don’t want to watch her, please don’t. She does a lot for a lot of people. There are many people calling the shots and just as many people pulling her in a million different directions. It must get tiring. Add to that, everyone has an opinion of how she should act or behave. If she doesn’t live up to those expectations, how quickly people are to throw stones.
hotdogla
The show starts and ends with Ellen, she is the executive on that show, what she says goes.
Toofie
US Weekly is a very reliable news source…?
Yooper
Man, nobody enjoys eating their own like us gays.
succubus
who cares?…dear god…what a vapid group of queens
ElPillo
Queerty, move on. You are becoming the hater and promoting hate too.
just me
Queerty, what’s this anti Ellen crusade you’ve started. just back up. stop ganging up for clickbait! shame on you
Woteva
Karma.
What you give out, you get back.
jackscott
What goes around… never cared for her!
Trekbike
I can see that Russia is all over the comments on here. I’m on here all the time and I don’t recognize most of the screen names that are on here commenting. Most of the comments are trying to sow division. Go to hell little boy Putin.
Cam
What was done to her employees broke employment laws. If this didn’t happen, the folks at the Ellen show are welcome to dispute the claims. The fact that they haven’t is telling.
Also telling is that none of her famous “friends” have stepped up to defend her.
cynthia_foxe
she be worth half a billion and cant help oout her crew and staff during this non work time?
screw her and her dam show!!!
Rich85
Ellen not being nice is old news for those who work in L.A. in the TV industry. I guess the rest of the world is simply finally catching up. Kind of like when Rosie O’Donnell had her talk show and was dubbed “The Queen of Nice”, ha, what a crock!! Here’s an idea for Ellen, apologize to your staff and give them full back pay, it’ll cost less than remodeling a kitchen in one of your multimillion dollar house flips. Then going forward just be nice and grateful for all you have, it’s really not that difficult. Maybe Jimmy Kimmel can give you some pointers on kindness, generosity and humility!
Gary Q VV
A lot of these comments appear to be nothing more than vile attitudes with no firsthand knowledge of Ms Ellen’s actions. But, “where’s there’s smoke, there’s fire”. If so many of Ms Ellen’s employees are making these allegations, then she’s most likely a real “beeach”, as are many other high profile celebrities. Ms Ellen, stop your pitiful attitude and treatment of others, and be a better LGBTQ representative to the public.
gord.sabean
Poor Ellen. Guess she knows now how it feels
to be on the other side of the stick. Looks good on her. It may be just another act anyway.
jomax36
Yeah you might want remember while people are dying from coronavirus she is saying dumb things like it’s like being in jail being at home. Guess what average family lives in 1200 sf and under home. She lives in a mansion the size of a football field with everything necessities to entertain a football team. For what she gets paid. Learn some manner and respect for the people that feeds your greed.
Gary Q VV
Nicely noted @jomax36
gary69mike
I really hope these claims aren’t true. I was a fan, but now I’m not so sure. Never liked the game show, thought it was cruel.