Ellen DeGeneres Says She’s ‘Done’ With Entertainment Biz After Netflix Special

Former talk show host Ellen DeGeneres told an audience she’s planning to be done with showbiz after her Netflix special.

The 66-year-old comedian made the remarks last week during a stop in Santa Rosa, California, on her “Ellen’s Last Stand… Up” comedy tour, per SF Gate. The tour will reportedly be the basis for her upcoming Netflix show.

“Let me catch you up on what’s been going on with me since you last saw me,” she said during the set. “I got chickens.”

“Oh yeah, and I got kicked out of show business for being mean,” DeGeneres added.

“I used to say, ‘I don’t care what people say about me.’ Now I realize I said that during the height of my popularity,” she continued.

Her popular daytime talk show ended in 2022 following a Buzzfeed report alleging a toxic workplace and personal character allegations against DeGeneres herself. One X thread went viral after a fellow comedian asked people to share their stories about the talk show host being mean.

“I can be demanding and impatient and tough. I am a strong woman,” DeGeneres continued during the recent stand-up set. “I am many things, but I am not mean.”

During a Q&A session, one fan asked if the celeb planned to appear on Broadway or in movies in the future.

“Um, no,” DeGeneres replied. “This is the last time you’re going to see me. After my Netflix special, I’m done.”

Another fan persisted, saying she’d love to see the former talk show host reprise her role as Dory from the animated Pixar film, “Finding Nemo.”

“No, I’m going bye-bye, remember,” she said.

DeGeneres began this comedy tour in June and recently canceled several stops without giving a reason, according to Entertainment Tonight. 

“To answer the questions everyone is asking me — yes, I’m going to talk about it. Yes this is my last special,” DeGeneres said in a statement about the tour. 

During a West Hollywood stop, DeGeneres said it was “so hurtful” how her long-running show ended.

“I just thought, ‘Well this is not the way I wanted to end my career, but this is the way it’s ending.’ … I just hated the way the show ended,” she said. “I love that show so much and I just hated that the last time people would see me is that way.”