Ellen DeGeneres' critics are outraged that the comedian took home an award for best daytime talk show at the E! People's Choice Awards on Sunday. "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" has been facing allegations of a toxic workplace as well as sexual misconduct. Furthermore, several former employees and guests have said DeGeneres is nothing like the "nice" image portrayed on her talk show.
Despite the controversy, DeGeneres stepped onto the stage to receive her award and thanked her staff and fans in a humble acceptance speech that left many unconvinced.
"Thank you. From deep, deep down in my heart, I thank you," DeGeneres began, per Fox News. "I am not only accepting this award for myself, I'm accepting it on behalf of my amazing crew, my staff who make the show possible. They show up every single day, they give 100% of themselves, 100% of the time. That's 250 people, times 170 shows a year, times 18 years, if you carry the 2 and divide it by 11 ... my point is, I love them all and I thank them for what they do every single day to help that show be the best that we try to make it every single day."
DeGeneres continued to thank her fans for their support amid the drama. "I cannot tell you how grateful I am and what this means to me. It's more than I can possibly tell you, especially right now," she added.
Viewers were quick to slam the award show for allowing DeGeneres to take home the win.
"And the bully of the year award goes too... This award sends a message that bullying is okay. The hypocrisy!" one Twitter user wrote.
"Umm, why was she even a nominee? Did y'all forget how she treated her staff and EVERYONE?!" another added.
"How is she the winner?? Didn't she just go through a bunch of controversy?" a third viewer wrote.
"How did the Ellen DeGeneres show just win the People's Choice Award for best Daytime Talk Show? I thought we were all on the same page that her work conditions were horrible and that she is a terrible person?" another tweeted.
DeGeneres has apologized multiple times to staff for allowing what happened to occur under her watch. When "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" made its return in September, the daytime talk show host used her first monologue to again address the multiple reports of a hostile working environment.
"I learned that things happened here that never should have happened," DeGeneres said. "I take that very seriously and I want to say I'm so sorry to the people that were affected. I know that I'm in a position of privilege and power, and I realize that with that comes responsibility. I take responsibility for what happens at my show."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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