Ellen DeGeneres Emerges to Talk About Show Scandal

It's been nearly two years since Ellen DeGeneres bid adieu to her eponymous daytime talk show, which during its final stretch was accused of harboring a "toxic" work environment. On Wednesday, the 66-year-old comedian emerged to address the issue during a sold-out standup performance in Los Angeles, per People. DeGeneres said she became the "most hated person in America," and that "the hate went on for a long time." She added, "I would try to avoid looking at the news. The 'be kind' girl wasn't kind. That was the headline." Standout quotes from DeGeneres' performance and the Q&A she held afterward, per People and Rolling Stone:

• 'Elephant in the room': "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," DeGeneres said as she kicked off the show. "Right now I'm hoping you're thinking, 'This is marvelous, I'm so happy to be here.' But you could be thinking, 'Let's see how this goes.'"

• Fallout: "It's been such a toll on my ego and my self-esteem," DeGeneres said, calling it "devastating." "There's such extremes in this business, people either love you and idolize you or they hate you, and those [latter] people somehow are louder."
• Portia de Rossi: DeGeneres said the "funk" she became mired in began to affect her wife of nearly 16 years, noting, "She went through it with me."
• Strike two: "For those of you keeping score, this is the second time I've been kicked out of show business," DeGeneres noted, referencing the cancellation of her 1990s sitcom. "Eventually they're going to kick me out for a third time because I'm mean, old, and gay."
• On that alleged meanness: "Would a mean person dance up steps?" DeGeneres asked, referencing her famous onstage dance moves. "Had I ended my show by saying, 'Go f--- yourself,' people would've been pleasantly surprised."
• Dancing through the tough times? "It's hard to dance when you're crying," DeGeneres said. But, although she noted that she definitely "had a hard time" dealing with everything, "I am dancing now." She added that she has no plans to seek revenge: "I really don't hold onto stuff. It's just not who I am."

Much more here. (More Ellen DeGeneres stories.)