Margaret Cho recently opened up about her long-standing discomfort with Ellen DeGeneres, describing her as “not nice” throughout much of her career. The revelation adds another layer to the discussion around Ellen DeGeneres, especially following her talk show’s conclusion amid controversy. As both Cho and DeGeneres have longstanding careers in comedy, Cho’s remarks shed light on the complexities of relationships in the entertainment industry.
Margaret Cho’s Revealing Encounter
During an appearance on The Kelly Mantle Show, actress and comedian Margaret Cho shared her experiences with Ellen DeGeneres. Cho recalled how DeGeneres acted as if they had just met whenever Cho appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, despite having worked together in the early days of their careers.
“Ellen was really weird and not nice to me for most of my career,” Cho stated. “I opened for her in the 1980s, when she was a headliner in comedy clubs, way before her big fame. Later, when I would do her talk show in the 2000s, she acted like we just met.”
The Grammy and Emmy nominee jokingly added, “And I’m like, ‘Bitch, what?’ That’s weird. We go way back. It’s so creepy and weird.”
Memories of a Missed Chance
Cho recounted a specific incident involving David Bowie, who once appeared on DeGeneres’ daytime show. The night before, Cho attended Bowie’s concert dressed in a “Chinese emperor outfit.” Although Bowie admired her ensemble, his comments were edited out of the broadcast.
“The producer, who’s a really good friend of mine, had to call me and tell me, ‘I can’t believe she did this, but she cut it out of the show,'” Cho said. “‘But you need to know that he was going on and on about your outfit. God said your name. He loves you.'”
While she didn’t know the exact reason for the edit, Cho admitted, “I’m still going to take it personally.”
The Ellen DeGeneres Show Controversy
As The Ellen DeGeneres Show wrapped up with its 19th season in 2022, it faced significant scrutiny. Allegations of a toxic workplace emerged, leading to an internal investigation by WarnerMedia and the dismissal of key executives. DeGeneres addressed the accusations in the show’s 18th season with an apology, expressing her serious concern for the affected individuals.
In a 2021 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, DeGeneres explained her decision to end the show, stating, “When you’re a creative person, you constantly need to be challenged — and as great as this show is, and as fun as it is, it’s just not a challenge anymore.”
Cho commented on the situation, saying on the Hot Takes & Deep Dives podcast, “I think she definitely is scary. I’m still scared of Ellen. Everyone should be scared of Ellen. I would have no idea what it would be like to work for that.”
