In an emotional monologue, Ellen Degeneres officially announced the end of her show. The show put out the monologue on Youtube today but will air it on tomorrow’s episode. It takes a different tone than the comments she made to The Hollywood Reporter, where she explained that her show is “not a challenge anymore.”
Her Monologue focused more on the fact that she believes it’s simply time. She peppered the monologue with her signature brand of comedy.
“I want you to know I thought a lot about this decision,” Ellen Degeneres said. She also noted that season 19 is the end of her contract, which she won’t renew.
“Two years ago I signed a deal for three more years. I always knew in my heart that season 19 would be my last.”
And why won’t she sign a new contract? Well, there are probably a lot of reasons. If speculation, her rough year, and her Hollywood Reporter interview are anything to go by, it goes beyond “instinct.” But Ellen Degeneres said the move was based on her gut.
“My instinct told me it’s time. As a comedian, I have always understood the importance of [she pauses] timing. And in all seriousness, I truly have felt like next season was the right time to end this amazing chapter.”
Ratings for Ellen Degeneres’s Show Have Tanked Since Scandal
But of course, the ending of Ellen Degeneres’s show comes with a pretty infamous elephant in the room. The show has undergone a very tumultuous year, with accusations of a very toxic work environment and a lack of decency from Degeneres. The controversy came as a particular shock to fans considering Degeneres’s brand was all about being kind to one another.
The accusations weren’t just about Ellen Degeneres being unkind. They ranged from descriptions of racism to bullying to sexual harassment from producers, three of which were fired following the multitude of accusations. Degeneres was said to be incredibly mean to staffers to the point where many couldn’t look her in the eye.
The ratings reflect that Degeneres’s attempt to bounce back from the scandal wasn’t as successful as she would have hoped. Her apology monologue, which aired as soon as she returned to the show, was criticized by many for being disingenuous.
There’s a lot of scrutiny surrounding Ellen Degeneres’s show ending and whether or not she’s honest about the reasons. For those who are curious, Degeneres will sit down with Oprah on her show tomorrow to further discuss her departure.
However, for those speculating that Ellen Degeneres was secretly fired, it’s not likely. In fact, the president of Unscripted TV at Warner Bros. allegedly asked her to stay on longer, but eventually conceded that “Although all good things must come to an end, you still have hope that truly great things never will.”
You can watch her monologue below:
