Margaret Cho Discusses Ellen DeGeneres’ “Mean Girl” Image

Margaret Cho recently shared her thoughts on Ellen DeGeneres during an appearance on the Kelly Mantle Show. The 56-year-old comedian addressed what she sees as DeGeneres’ “mean girl” tendencies, recalling instances where she felt DeGeneres was unkind to her throughout much of her career.

“It’s strange how the public perceives her now,” Cho remarked. “She was like a mean girl, but deep down, she’s really talented.”

Cho went on to talk about the complicated feelings she believes DeGeneres harbored towards her, suggesting that jealousy might have played a role. “I think she had negative feelings towards me because her partner always liked my work,” Cho said. “There’s definitely this thing with women in comedy—she just wasn’t very nice to me for most of my career.”

Reflecting on their early interactions, Cho noted that she met DeGeneres before she became a major star. “We crossed paths a lot back in the ’80s, and DeGeneres would often act dismissively when we would see each other,” Cho said, recalling her confusion at DeGeneres’ behavior. “I couldn’t quite figure it out—I was like, ‘What’s that about?’”

Cho also described a peculiar incident involving David Bowie that left her feeling slighted. She recalled a time when she was praised during a daytime talk show appearance in 2004, only for parts of her segment to be cut. “I wore this outrageous Chinese emperor outfit, and he even talked about it beforehand,” Cho explained, adding, “But then, suddenly, it was edited out. I was furious.”

Her producer, who was a friend, called her to express disbelief at the edits made by DeGeneres. Despite Bowie’s excitement about the outfit, it didn’t make it to air, leaving Cho with lingering doubts. “I don’t know if it was personal or just timing, but I’ve decided to take it personally,” she added. “It’s hard not to.”

I mean, it’s all a bit unsettling, right? DeGeneres has faced her own controversies in recent years regarding workplace culture on her show, which ultimately ended in 2021 after almost two decades on air. DeGeneres herself mentioned feeling “kicked out” of show business in her Netflix special, “Ellen Degeneres: For Your Approval,” where she reflected on the conflicting nature of her public persona.

“The ‘kind’ girl wasn’t really that kind—that’s what everyone seemed to remember,” DeGeneres said. “If I had been more abrasive, maybe people would have expected it and reacted differently.”

As for now, both Cho and DeGeneres have yet to respond to requests for comment on these exchanges.