Margaret Cho Exposes Ellen DeGeneres’s Decades-Long Snub

Margaret Cho is calling out Ellen DeGeneres for years of “creepy” and dismissive behavior, claiming the former talk show host acted like they were strangers despite knowing each other for decades.

During a recent appearance on a podcast, Cho recalled opening for DeGeneres in the 1980s, only to be coldly treated and overlooked later in her career.

She described the icon’s actions as “weird,” fueling ongoing criticism of DeGeneres’s off-camera conduct.

Cho has dropped a bombshell about her longtime tension with Ellen DeGeneres.

During a recent appearance on “The Kelly Mantle” show, the comedian revealed that the former talk show host had not been nice to her for years.

“Ellen was really weird and not nice to me for most of my most of my career,” she said.

Cho described their shared history, revealing that they had known each other since the early days of their comedy careers.

“I opened for her in the 1980s, when she was a headliner in comedy clubs,” she explained.

However, Cho noted that when she appeared on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” years later in the 2000s, DeGeneres acted as if they had never met.

“And I’m like, ‘B-tch, what?’ That’s weird. We go way back. It’s so creepy and weird,” she revealed.

Cho also recounted a moment that left a lasting impression during her appearance on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.”

She had attended a David Bowie concert wearing what she described as a “Chinese emperor outfit.”

The following day, while visiting the show, Bowie reportedly praised her extravagant look directly to DeGeneres during a segment that was filmed in front of a live audience.

However, Cho later discovered that the entire exchange had been cut from the final 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,’” she recalled.

According to her, the producer added that Bowie “was going on and on about your outfit. God said your name. He loves you.”

Cho admitted she wasn’t sure whether the edit was due to time constraints or something more deliberate, but the omission stung. “But still — I’m going to take it personally,” she said.

Margaret Cho’s comments about Ellen DeGeneres ignited a ton of reactions from fans. Many revealed that they weren’t shocked, as rumors of DeGeneres being mean had been circulating for years.

“Every single person that comes in contact with Ellen has a similar story. It’s always the ones that act super nice on camera or play the good girl role,” one fan wrote.

Another commented, “Honestly, the whispers about Ellen have been there for a long time, and now they are all finally coming out because people are fed up with her BS.”

A third person also shared, “The consensus from most people is that E is not a nice person. I too went to her show years ago, and the mood was grim. She definitely seemed like she didn’t want to be there.”

This isn’t the first time Cho has addressed her relationship with Ellen DeGeneres.

The actress first touched on her dynamic with the comedian during a 2020 appearance on the “Hot Takes & Deep Dives” podcast.

Reflecting on their early days in comedy, Cho was asked whether she felt a connection to other queer comedians who were closeted in the 1980s, including DeGeneres.

“If you’re queer, there’s always a closeness,” Cho responded.

However, that sense of friendship didn’t extend far. When the conversation turned to the mounting allegations of a toxic work environment behind the scenes of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” Cho’s tone shifted.

The 56-year-old made it clear that her personal experience with DeGeneres aligned with the unsettling reports circulating at the time.

“I think she definitely is scary,” Cho said. “I’m still scared of Ellen. Everyone should be scared of Ellen.”

DeGeneres’ alleged poor treatment of staff behind the scenes has been a major topic of discussion for years.

In November 2024, a source told the Daily Mail the star was kicked out of Hollywood due to her fostering a toxic work environment.

“Ellen really felt she had made her mark on the industry, but that was diminished when she was canceled over her alleged treatment of her staff,” the source said. “Then to have celebrities call her out one by one was so hurtful.”

Another insider revealed that the change in people’s attitudes toward DeGeneres following the damaging reports forced her to relocate to the UK with her wife, Portia de Rossi.

“With all the ill will towards her, she was looking to move away even before the election,” they said. “And as things panned out with Trump winning, she is glad she is making the move and going to be away from the US.”