Margaret Cho, the trailblazing comedian and actress, recently spoke candidly about her decades-long experience with Ellen DeGeneres, revealing a side of the beloved daytime host that many fans had not seen before.

In a revealing interview, Cho described Ellen as “not nice” to her for most of her career, likening her behavior to that of a “mean girl.

” This revelation adds a deeply personal layer to the ongoing scrutiny of Ellen DeGeneres’s public persona, which has been challenged by multiple allegations of toxic workplace behavior in recent years.

 

Margaret Cho, known for her outspoken activism and pioneering role as one of the first Asian-American women to star in her own network sitcom, has never shied away from speaking her truth.

Yet, her comments about Ellen DeGeneres reveal a painful side of her journey in the entertainment industry.

Despite both women being prominent LGBT+ figures and trailblazers in television and comedy, their interactions were far from supportive.

 

Cho described their relationship as “consistently cold, dismissive, and at times intentionally hurtful.

” She expressed surprise and disappointment at Ellen’s behavior, especially given Ellen’s public image as a champion of kindness and inclusivity.

“It was like that you can’t sit with us energy,” Cho said, referencing the exclusionary and cliquish behavior often associated with “mean girls.

” This pattern of treatment was not a one-time incident but a consistent experience throughout much of her career.

 

Ellen DeGeneres has long been celebrated for her historic coming out moment on network television and her brand built around kindness, generosity, and inclusivity.

However, since 2020, Ellen’s reputation has been marred by serious allegations from former staffers who described a toxic work environment on her daytime show.

These allegations included microaggressions, favoritism, verbal abuse, and fear-based management.

 

Ellen addressed these accusations with a public apology and ended her long-running show in 2022, but the damage to her public image was significant.

Margaret Cho’s remarks add another dimension to these controversies, suggesting that Ellen’s problematic behavior extended beyond the workplace and affected her fellow entertainers personally.

Cho’s experience is especially poignant given the context of their shared identities as openly queer performers in Hollywood — a community where solidarity might have been expected.

She reflected on the disappointment of feeling isolated rather than supported by someone who should have been an ally.

 

“You would think there would be a sense of solidarity,” Cho said.

Instead, she felt like she was competing with someone who had no intention of supporting her.

This lack of support was particularly painful for Cho as a queer Asian woman in comedy, a field where she already felt like an outsider.

“Having someone who should have been an ally treat me that way, it hurt.

It really made things harder,” she admitted.

Margaret Cho’s career began with a historic milestone in 1994 when she became the first Asian-American woman to star in her own network sitcom, *All-American Girl*.

Although the show was short-lived, it remains a significant moment in television history, breaking barriers and paving the way for greater diversity on screen.

 

Since then, Cho has built a career defined by unapologetic stand-up comedy, activism, and advocacy for marginalized communities.

Her willingness to speak openly about her experiences, including the challenges she faced in the industry, has earned her respect and admiration from fans and fellow performers alike.

 

Following Cho’s remarks about Ellen DeGeneres, fans and fellow comedians took to social media to express their support.

Many noted that Cho’s comments echoed previous concerns raised by others in Hollywood about Ellen’s off-camera behavior.

 

One user wrote, “She’s just confirming what we’ve heard before.

It’s disappointing but not surprising.

” Others praised Cho for her bravery in speaking out against someone as powerful as Ellen DeGeneres.

“It takes courage to call out someone that big,” commented another fan, adding, “Margaret is a legend in her own right.

”

As of now, Ellen DeGeneres has not responded publicly to Margaret Cho’s statements.

Her team has also declined to comment when approached by media outlets.

Since ending her daytime show, Ellen has largely remained out of the public spotlight, leaving questions about her legacy and the gap between her public persona and private behavior.

 

The ongoing reassessment of Ellen DeGeneres’s career and character reflects broader conversations in the entertainment industry about accountability, power dynamics, and the treatment of marginalized voices.

Cho’s story contributes an important perspective to this dialogue, highlighting how exclusion and unkindness can impact individuals on a deeply personal level.

Margaret Cho emphasized that her decision to speak out is not motivated by revenge or bitterness but by a desire for honesty and transparency.

“I think people deserve to know the truth,” she said.

While time has softened some of the sting, the pattern of exclusion left a lasting mark.

“You don’t forget how people make you feel,” she reflected.

“I never felt welcome around her.

”

Cho’s willingness to share her experience encourages a more nuanced understanding of the complexities behind public figures and challenges the tendency to accept polished images at face value.

Her story underscores the importance of fostering genuine support and inclusivity within the entertainment community, especially among those who share marginalized identities.

 

Margaret Cho’s revelations about her relationship with Ellen DeGeneres shed light on the contradictions between public personas and private realities in the entertainment world.

Her experience serves as a reminder that kindness and inclusivity must be more than slogans — they must be practiced authentically, especially by those in positions of power.

 

As the industry continues to reckon with past mistakes and seek pathways toward greater equity and respect, voices like Cho’s are vital.

They challenge us to look beyond surface appearances and demand accountability, empathy, and true solidarity.

In doing so, they honor the struggles of those who came before and pave the way for a more inclusive future in comedy and beyond.

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