Ellen DeGeneres Had Difficult Time Recovering From Talk Show's Toxic Workplace Scandal: 'It's Hard to Dance When You’re Crying'

Even Ellen DeGeneres struggled to find laughter during a hard time.

During her latest standup comedy routine at the Largo in Los Angeles on Wednesday, April 24, the beloved talk show host cracked a joke about the time she was "kicked out of show business" for being "mean."

The witty remark was in reference to the toxic workplace scandal that ultimately caused her talk show empire to crumble, with the final episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show airing in May 2022 — less than two years after July 2022 BuzzFeed News report exposed complaints from anonymous current and former staffers coming forward about their alleged mistreatment on set.

DeGeneres' former employers accused her of wrongfully penalizing workers for taking medical leave, sexual misconduct and racial microaggressions. Staffers said they lived in fear of retribution if they were to ever complain.

During her recent comedy act, DeGeneres spoke about becoming the "most hated person in America" and felt the scandal tore apart the legacy her long-running talk show — which first aired in 2003 — was meant to leave behind.

"The hate went on for a long time and I would try to avoid looking at the news. The 'be kind' girl wasn't kind. That was the headline," the 66-year-old admitted in reference to how she'd end each episode by telling fans, "be kind to one another."

Finding humor in the final days of her hosting career, DeGeneres joked her typical talk show demeanor became a "problem" because people started to think of her as a "one-dimensional character who gave stuff away and danced up steps."

Following her stand-up routine on Wednesday, the star held a Q&A session for fans in the audience.

One supporter asked DeGeneres if she continued to "dance" while suffering the aftermath of her talk show's scandal — though the award-winning host said it wasn't so easy.

"No... It's hard to dance when you're crying," she confessed, admitting it was a "hard time," and she "didn't get out" much in the midst of the scandal.

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While things were extremely difficult for DeGeneres, who said she was left "in a funk," her wife of 16 years, Portia de Rossi, was also forced to help pick up the pieces.

"She was watching it happen to me... she went through it with me," the Finding Dory voice actor explained, noting the couple continued "laying low" as she became "persona non grata" for the second time since DeGeneres came out as gay in 1997.

Fortunately, DeGeneres and her wife are both "dancing now."

"I'm making jokes about what happened to me, but it was devastating," she emphasized. "It took a long time for me to want to do anything again."

DeGeneres said she "hated the way the show ended" because she "loved that show so much," admitting she wasn't happy having to sit in her hosting chair for the last time and face the public's negative perception of her instead of retiring with people's respect and admiration for her impressive career.

Now, DeGeneres has found a bit of peace by returning to the stage and providing "joy" during "a scary time" to live.

"I think that we need more laughter and less drama," she concluded.