The Ellen DeGeneres Show is one of the most popular American talk shows hosted by Ellen DeGeneres. She ended the show on its 19th season in 2022 after an investigation into some behind-the-scenes problems in 2020.
Ellen said in The Hollywood Reporter that she quit because she had become curious to try new things in her work.
“As great as this show is, and as fun as it is, it’s just not a challenge anymore. I need something new to challenge me,”
Netflix's Ellen DeGeneres: For Your Approval, her latest project, opens with a career retrospective of Ellen's comedy special. Her return to stand-up comedy after a six-year struggle makes her the perfect vessel for this response to the scandal that changed the public's perception of her.
We'll examine each significant disclosure made by Ellen in this article.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for Ellen DeGeneres: For Your Approval. Reader discretion is advised.
Looking into all the major reveals made by Ellen DeGeneres in her new Netflix show
In a Netflix special, Ellen DeGeneres: For Your Approval, aired on 24 September, DeGeneres discusses the controversy surrounding her public image, particularly her shift from being known for spreading kindness to being branded unkind and blamed for a toxic work environment.
DeGeneres acknowledges having high standards and describes herself as "demanding and tough" but vehemently denies being mean-spirited.
DeGeneres shares her experiences, admiring that the harsh criticism led her to seek therapy, and candidly admits that looking perfect in public while dealing with personal issues is a challenge; however, humor is still her preferred means of dealing with these challenges. Here are the four major reveals from Neflix's Ellen DeGeneres: For Your Approval.
1) Ellen suffered from osteoporosis
Speaking out publicly for the first time about a serious health issue, Emmy winner Ellen DeGeneres says she's been diagnosed with "full-on osteoporosis" - a condition that makes bones weak and more likely to break.
The 66-year-old comedian announced her health news in her new and final comedy special, "For Your Approval," released Tuesday on Netflix. She discovered her issue with osteoporosis only after taking a bone density test. Sharing about her medical condition, she said,
“I don't even know how I'm standing up right now. I'm like a human sandcastle. I could disintegrate in the shower,” she added, “It's hard to be honest about aging and seem cool.”
2) Ellen DeGeneres suffered from OCD
DeGeneres mentioned how she struggled with OCD. She shared that growing up made it much harder for her to acknowledge that her behavior was weird.
“I may have OCD because a therapist said so and I said, ‘Yes I am very organized,’ because I thought that was the O, I didn't know what OCD was. I was raised in a religion, Christian Science, that doesn't acknowledge diseases or disorders. So when I was growing up, nobody talked about anything. There was no discussion of anything.”
3) Ellen was also diagnosed with ADHD
Comedian Ellen DeGeneres has shared some of her health-related diagnoses, including ADHD. During the special, DeGeneres touched on mental health. Shortly after allegations of a toxic environment at The Ellen DeGeneres Show came to light, DeGeneres went to therapy.
There, she learned she had been diagnosed with OCD and ADHD. DeGeneres humorously talked about having ADHD, explaining how it makes it hard for her to focus and stay on task and how the current health issues affected her work.
4) How constant scrutiny affected Ellen's mental health
She went on to talk about the public opinion that occurred in 2020 when her show was accused of being a toxic workplace. The constant criticism from the public regarding her toxic work behavior affected her mental health. She included all the issues she was accused of and wasn't afraid of any of them; she said she was accused of spreading racism, fear, and intimidation.
Finally, after all these years, now that she has received the medical help she needs, she said that the scandal put things into perspective and that she won't let people's opinions control how she feels about herself. She said:
“When you are a public figure, you are subject to everyone’s opinions, And I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, ‘What other people think of me is none of my business.’
Ellen DeGeneres: For Your Approval is currently available to stream on Netflix.