Ellen DeGeneres addressed her daytime show’s alleged workplace misconduct scandal that was investigated by Warner Bros. last summer.
The talk show host, 63, said Thursday on “TODAY” that she felt the press coverage surrounding the accusations were “misogynistic” and “orchestrated.”
“I have to say, if nobody else is saying it, it was really interesting because I’m a woman, and it did feel very misogynistic,” DeGeneres claimed.
When anchor Savannah Guthrie asked if the Emmy-winner felt “canceled,” she responded, “I mean, I really don’t understand it. I still don’t understand it. It was too orchestrated. It was too coordinated.”
DeGeneres said she felt confused and hurt above all.
“For me to read in the press about a toxic work environment when all I’ve ever heard from every guest that comes on the show is what a happy atmosphere this is and what a happy place is,” she said.
DeGeneres noted that there are 255 employees that make up her show so she doesn’t know “how I could have known” the alleged behavior was going on.
“There are a lot of different buildings. Unless I literally stayed here until the last person goes home at night, it is my name on the show so clearly it affects me and I might have to be the one to stand up and say, ‘This can’t be tolerated.’ But I do wish someone came up to me and said, ‘Hey, this is something you should know about.”
The comedian added that she is “not bulletproof.”
“No, I do not have thick skin. I’m extremely sensitive to the point that this is not healthy how sensitive I am. When something is coming back at me that I know is not true, I guess I could take one or two of those shots but four months in a row took a toll on me,” DeGeneres admitted.
She told the Hollywood Reporter on Wednesday that her long-running “Ellen DeGeneres Show” will end in 2022 after 19 seasons.
“When you’re a creative person, you constantly need to be challenged – and as great as this show is, and as fun as it is, it’s just not a challenge anymore,” she told the outlet.