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Ellen DeGeneres speaks onstage during the 62nd Annual GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center on January 26, 2020 in Los Angeles, California© Getty Images

Ellen DeGeneres' final Netflix special's biggest bombshells: from being 'mean' to health issues

The talk show host starred in the new Netflix special Ellen DeGeneres: For Your Approval

Ahad Sanwari
Ahad Sanwari - New York
Senior WriterNew York
September 25, 2024
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Ellen DeGeneres has taken her final bow as a comedian and public figure. The 66-year-old ended her long-running eponymous talk show in 2022 after allegations of a toxic workplace came to light.

Now, she's on her farewell journey with the newly released Netflix special Ellen DeGeneres: For Your Approval, a filmed presentation of one of her stand-up shows in August at Minneapolis' Orpheum Theatre.

While the special promised an in-depth look inside the controversy that led to her decline from the top of ratings charts and her eventual exit from show business, the comedian and actress also utilized it as a way to share some more personal insight into her life.

Take a look at some of the biggest bombshells from Ellen in her For Your Approval special, from health issues to being "the host hated person in America"...

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Ellen Degeneres hosts 'The Ellen Degeneres Show' Season 13 Bi-Coastal Premiere at Rockefeller Center on September 8, 2015 in New York City© Getty Images

Cosmetic surgery

At the top of the show, Ellen talked about not caring what people thought of her and getting cosmetic surgery to enhance her appearance as a means of combating that.

"I used to say that I didn't care what other people thought of me. I realize now, looking back, I said that at the height of my popularity…If I look older than when you saw me last, it's because I'm older than when you saw me last."

SEE: Ellen DeGeneres confuses fans with intimate wedding photo with wife Portia inside grand home

She also admitted that she'd stopped getting botox and filler. "And also, I stopped doing Botox and filler…I used to do Botox back when I didn't care what other people thought of me."

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Comedian Ellen DeGeneres seen onstage during "A Conversation With Ellen DeGeneres" at Rogers Arena on October 19, 2018 in Vancouver, Canada.© Getty Images

Health battles

On the special, Ellen admitted that she'd been dealing with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), and arthritis. "It's funny, I've never thought of myself as obsessive. I think of myself as careful, and everyone else careless and out of control."

"I have ADD, and I blame the talk show for that because for 19 years, I was talking to people in five-minute segments," she joked. "My ADD makes it really hard for me to sit down and focus on anything at all."

Opening up about the arthritis, she added: "I just had excruciating pain one day, and I thought I tore a ligament or something. I got the MRI, and they're, like, 'No, it's just arthritis.' I said, 'How'd I get that?' He goes, 'It just happens at your age.'"

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Betty DeGeneres (L) and actress Ellen DeGeneres attend The World Premiere of Disney-Pixar’s FINDING DORY on Wednesday, June 8, 2016 in Hollywood, California.© Getty Images

Her mom Betty's struggle

Ellen also admitted that her beloved mom Betty, who made frequent appearances on her talk show, had been diagnosed with dementia and was living in a care facility.

"My mother has dementia now, and, um… which is a horrible disease," she shared. "And so many people are dealing with it right now. My mother is lucky in the sense that she doesn't know she has it." 

MORE: Ellen DeGeneres' DIY project with wife Portia leaves fans with questions

"So she's actually happy. She's really happy. She's in a really nice place. I have her in, uh… a facility that… They have a lot of activities to keep them stimulated."

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In this photo released by Warner Bros., talk show host Ellen DeGeneres is seen during a taping of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" at the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank, Calif.© Michael Rozman

The journey of The Ellen DeGeneres Show's staff

The comedian spoke fondly about her talk show, which ran from 2003 until 2022, and even revealed that despite the allegations of workplace harassment, she was proud of her colleagues and everything she'd accomplished while on the air.

"I loved that show. I loved everything about that show. It was a family to me," she said, even revealing that several of her former staff members came out during their time working with her.

WATCH: The Kardashians come together for touching farewell to Ellen DeGeneres

"Here's something sweet. Sixteen people who worked there started out straight, and by the time they left, were gay," she said, then joking: "You don't see Jimmy Kimmel doing those kind of numbers."

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Ellen DeGeneres during a taping of The Ellen DeGeneres Show,  May 24, 2016 in Burbank, CA.© Getty Images

Being "mean"

As for the biggest topic of concern, Ellen never directly addresses specific allegations or claims head on, generally just discussing being branded "mean" and "the most hated person in America" while speaking of the kindness she showed on and off screen.

"It was quite a shock to me because for 17 years, there were all these polls basically saying I was one of the most trusted people in the country," she admitted. "I was in therapy for a while trying to deal with all the hatred coming at me, and it was not a common situation for a therapist to deal with."

RELIVE: Ellen DeGeneres breaks silence on controversy in candid monologue — watch

While admitting to being an "immature" boss, she called out standards for women in positions of power vs men, and also revealed that the decision to end the show had been made "years" before the allegations were made public.

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