Ellen DeGeneres Says She Should Have Told Viewers Something Way Nastier Than ‘Be Kind’ On Talk Show

The Ellen DeGeneres Show ended in 2022 amid much controversy about show host Ellen DeGeneres’ toxic workplace culture. The comedian continued her Netflix shows with her upcoming special, For Your Approval, streaming later this month.

The trailer caught a moment where she said she should have used a less kind catchphrase like “go f**k yourselves” on her famous show, rather than her go-to “be kind to one another.” This special would be her last before she retires to focus on her family with Portia De Rossi.

Why does Ellen DeGeneres regret former ‘be kind’ catchphrase?

Ellen was known to close out her shows by telling viewers to be kind; however, reports got out that she was in fact, very unkind to her staff, causing an uproar online. She joked that the news would not have dented her career so much if she did not place herself on a pedestal by signing off like that.

RELATED: Ellen DeGeneres To Retire After Final Project: ‘I’m Done’

In defense of her alternate catchphrase, “Go f**k yourselves,” it would have buffered the outrage as people would have been less surprised if they heard she was not so nice. She owned up to the accusations and apologized to affected persons, however at that time, she had lost the public’s affection, alongside 3 of her top show producers.

Now that she is retiring from show business, Ellen says she has taken up hobbies like gardening and chicken-rearing, and is dedicating her time to focus on her family. There have been rumors about Portia feeling suffocated by Ellen’s continued presence as of late, since she does not work either.

The 66-year-old TV personality reflected on her reasons for establishing The Ellen DeGeneres Show, claiming it was not for the money but was her way of making people happy. She also admitted to using the show to treat childhood wounds, after figuring out that people’s love for her made her feel good about herself.