The 5 most controversial Ellen DeGeneres moments
Ellen DeGeneres was a major TV star for her daytime show, but the comedian has also had some awkward and controversial moments...
On Thursday, 26 January, Ellen DeGeneres is celebrating her 65th birthday. After almost twenty years on the air, she said goodbye to ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show.’
Known for her moves and pranks, Ellen’s show became one of the most relevant talk shows, positioning her as one of the most coveted hosts.
However, throughout 19 seasons, the Louisiana native was also the protagonist of a series of awkward moments captured on international television. Below, we share with you the five biggest controversies of Ellen DeGeneres.
Mariah Carey
In 2008, Ellen DeGeneres made Mariah Carey confess her pregnancy to a national audience without the singer’s consent. The news came to light after the host tried to force her guest to drink a glass of champagne; however, Carey refused and confessed her pregnancy.
“I was extremely uncomfortable with that moment is all I can say. And I really have had a hard time grappling with the aftermath,” revealed Carey to Vulture in 2020.
Dakota johnson
In 2019, Dakota Johnson starred in one of the most iconic moments of ‘The Ellen Show.’
During the interview, Ellen accused Dakota of not inviting her to her birthday. Dakota fired back and said that Ellen was invited but that she did not attend, treating the audience with the legendary line:“It’s not really like that, that’s not the truth Ellen.”
Taylor Swift
Although Taylor Swift’s love life has always caused curiosity, its a topic the singer likes to keep private.
The press, however, has not always respected Taylor’s wishes. In 2012, Ellen made Taylor uncomfortable by continuously making jokes that she had dated actor Zack Efron. The singer eventually begged Ellen to stop asking questions.
“This makes me feel so bad about myself. Every time I come here, you put a different guy on the screen and it really makes me question what I stand for as a human being”, said Swift to the host in front of a live audience.
Celine Dion
In 2007, Celine Dion got upset with Ellen because the host started commenting about her son’s hair in the middle of the show. In light of this, the singer couldn’t help but get defensive.
“Look at him. He’s beautiful, but look at his hair. When are you going to cut that hair?” the comedian asked. To which Dion responds, “Do you have a problem with it? Whatever I do, I won’t please everyone.”
A bad work environment?
In 2020, ‘The Ellen Show’ was embroiled in its biggest controversy to date. The program was investigated for being “a hostile workplace and for alleged workplace harassment of staff.” The investigation came after a series of former-employees exposed their cases on social media.
After the accusations became public, Ellen was interviewed on The Today Show and said did not understand where the reports were coming from.
“I really didn’t understand it. I still don’t understand it. I thought something was going on that... because it was too orchestrated. It was too coordinated,” said Ellen. She said that the news caught her by surprise because all she heard from guests was that they noticed the “happy atmosphere.”