Sometimes what you see on camera doesn’t quite match what’s happening behind the scenes—and Adam Carolla is adding fuel to that fire when it comes to The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
The comedian recently opened up about his unsettling experiences as a guest on Ellen’s former talk show, and let’s just say, the backstage energy was anything but light-hearted.
Staff Were “Scared to Death” Behind the Scenes
While chatting on a podcast with conservative commentator Emily Jashinsky, Carolla didn’t hold back.
He recalled two specific visits to Ellen’s show and claimed that the atmosphere backstage was filled with fear.
“The staff looked terrified,” he said. “I mean, really scared.”
According to Carolla, even before he went on air, a nervous show page repeatedly reminded him not to bring up certain topics—especially anything related to meat.
A Vegan No-Go Zone
Apparently, during one of his appearances in March 2012, Carolla was briefed multiple times about avoiding any mention of beef or meat.
Why? At the time, Ellen was a devout vegan.
Carolla recalled sitting in his dressing room when a segment producer came in to review what he was allowed to talk about.
“You’re not going to talk about meat, right?” the producer asked anxiously.
Carolla reassured him he’d stick to the pre-approved light stuff—like family vacations.
But the producer wasn’t convinced. “He came back again, like 20 minutes later, just to double-check,” Carolla said. “That guy was really scared.”
Former Writer Calls Ellen “The Worst Person I’ve Ever Met”
Carolla then shared a second-hand story from someone who used to write for The Ellen DeGeneres Show—a person bound by an NDA, so unnamed in the interview.
Carolla said when he casually asked, “How’s Ellen?” the response was brutally honest.
“Worst person,” the writer reportedly replied. “Not worst boss. Worst person I’ve ever met.”
The same writer had apparently worked with Rosie O’Donnell back in the day and still said Ellen took the crown for being “the worst and the meanest.”
A Reputation That’s Caught Up With Her
While Carolla didn’t witness Ellen’s alleged behavior directly—he admitted she was perfectly pleasant to him during his appearances—he says the way her team behaved told him everything he needed to know.
“She’s not going to be rude to me, I’m the guest,” Carolla said.
“But her staff was clearly walking on eggshells.”
Now that the public has learned more about the toxic environment accusations that surfaced in 2020, Carolla says he feels vindicated.
“People now know what I figured out 15 years ago,” he added.
Ellen’s Fall from Grace and Her Move Abroad
Ellen’s daytime reign came to an end in 2022 after multiple former staffers accused her of fostering a toxic work environment.
She eventually apologized and told The Hollywood Reporter that the experience was “eye-opening,” but something she believes happened for a reason.
Since then, Ellen and her wife Portia de Rossi reportedly left the U.S. and moved to the U.K., especially following Donald Trump’s reelection—something Carolla also pointed out, linking it to her discontent with the country’s direction.
The Show’s Legacy Remains Complicated
After almost 20 years on air, The Ellen DeGeneres Show was pulled from the airwaves in 2022.
While Ellen maintained a clean image publicly for most of her career, stories like Carolla’s continue to reveal a different narrative from behind the scenes.
Carolla may not have seen Ellen’s alleged behavior directly, but he believes the frightened staff told a much bigger story—and that the truth eventually caught up with the brand she built.
