Ellen DeGeneres tees up what she says is her ‘last’ comedy special: ‘Yes, I’m going to talk about it’
By Alli Rosenbloom, CNN
(CNN) — Ellen DeGeneres is set to star in a new Netflix comedy special where she will address the controversy surrounding her long-running talk show.
According to DeGeneres, who was quoted in a news release, the upcoming hour-long comedy special will be her “last special.” It will stream later this year and marks her second Netflix stand-up special after 2018’s “Relatable.”
“To answer the questions everyone is asking me- Yes, I’m going to talk about it,” DeGeneres said in a statement on Monday, likely referring to the rocky final run of her daytime talk show “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.” (“The Ellen DeGeneres Show” was produced by Warner Bros. Television, which, like CNN, is part of Warner Bros. Discovery.)
In 2020, staffers alleged in a Buzzfeed report that the production environment on set was toxic – a contrast to the happy tone of the show and her public image. She later apologized on air saying that she “learned that things happened here that never should have happened.”
“I take that very seriously and I want to say I am so sorry to the people that were affected. I know that I am in a position of privilege and power and with that comes responsibility and I take responsibility for what happens at my show,” DeGeneres said.
The talk show’s final episode aired in 2022 after 19 seasons. She has previously claimed that the controversy was not her reason for ending the show.
Last month, DeGeneres performed a stand-up comedy set at West Hollywood’s Largo at the Coronet Theater.
According to Rolling Stone, she broached the topic of how she “got kicked out of show business” during her set, perhaps giving the audience a preview of what’s to come in the Netflix special.
“For those of you keeping score, this is the second time I’ve been kicked out of show business,” she said, referencing how her sitcom “Ellen” was canceled in 1998, not long after she publicly shared that she is gay. “Eventually they’re going to kick me out for a third time because I’m mean, old and gay.”
DeGeneres will kick off her “Ellen’s Last Stand… Up” comedy tour in San Diego on June 19, marking her first major project since “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” finished its run.
The-CNN-Wire
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