The Ellen Show returns
Ellen DeGeneres returned for the 18th season of The Ellen Show this week.
In her opening monologue, she addressed the toxic workplace allegations against the series.
She began, "If you're watching because you love me, thank you."
"If you're watching because you don't love me, welcome!"
"How was everybody's summer? Mine was great!" Ellen very sarcastically said.
She continued, "I’m so happy to be back in the studio – there are a lot of things I want to talk about."
"I’ve been looking forward to addressing it all directly."
"Unfortunately talking directly to people had been illegal for six months, so I have a virtual audience here instead."
Acknowledging the allegations
Ellen acknowledged the allegations of a toxic work environment at the show.
She admitted there was an investigation, and she learned a lot from it.
"I learned that things happened here that never should have happened."
Ellen insisted she takes this, "very seriously," and she's, "so sorry to the people who were affected."
She said she recognizes that she's, "in a position of privilege and power," and she takes full responsibility for what happens at her show.
"This is The Ellen DeGeneres show. I am Ellen DeGeneres," the host said.
"We have had a lot of conversations over the last few weeks about the show, our workplace and what we want for the future."
"We have made the necessary changes and today, we are starting a new chapter."
Ellen went on to talk about how the media and people online have accused her of not being who she appears to be on TV.
The, 'be kind,' lady
The 62-year-old said these allegations are stemmed from the fact that she, "became known as the, ‘be kind,' lady."
"I started saying, ‘be kind to one another,’ after a young man named Tyler Clementi took his own life after being bullied for being gay."
"I thought the world needed more kindness, and it was a reminder that we all needed that."
"And I think we need it more than ever right now."
"Being known as the, ‘be kind,’ lady is a tricky position to be in," Ellen continued.
"The truth is, I am that person that you see on TV. I am also a lot of other things."
"Sometimes I get sad, I get mad, I get anxious, I get frustrated, I get impatient."
"I am a work in progress."
Ellen insisted she's working on all these things, "I am a work in progress."
"I am especially working on the impatience thing and it’s not going well because it’s not happening fast enough," she joked.
"I am a talk show host, and you know that. But maybe some of you know that I was an actress."
"I’ve played a straight woman in movies, so I’m a pretty good actress," Ellen said.
"But I don’t think that I’m that good that I can come out here every day for 17 years and fool you. This is me."
"And my intention is always to be the best person I can be."
Watch Ellen's full opening monologue here:
In August, it was announced that three senior producers has left The Ellen Show after an internal investigation.
Read more here.
