Ellen DeGeneres thought it was all fun and games until Cher called her the B-word on live TV
Ellen DeGeneres has a reputation for being rude behind the scenes, with many stories suggesting it’s true. However, the only real proof comes from moments caught on camera. On her show, Ellen often teases her celebrity guests, sometimes crossing the line. One memorable moment was when Cher called her a “b***h” on air. Ellen is known for asking personal questions and making jokes at her guests’ expense. While many stars laugh along, some have reacted angrily. For example, Taylor Swift once got upset when Ellen kept bringing up her dating history. Similarly, when Ellen teased her, Cher wasn’t afraid to speak her mind.
During Cher’s 2018 appearance to promote her tour, Ellen dressed as a sailor and performed a funny karaoke version of 'If I Could Turn Back Time.' Later, they played a game called '5 Second Rule,' where players must answer quickly. When asked to name three celebrities she’d like to duet with, Cher answered, “Adele, P!nk – and…not Madonna!” The audience loved her honesty. Then, Ellen was asked to name “three things that turn you on.” She answered, “Music, sweetness, and chocolate,” before admitting, “I just made that up so I’d win. Does chocolate turn anybody on?” Cher raised her hand, saying, “I love it. I don’t get it much, but I love chocolate and cake.” Ellen kept questioning her, “You eat chocolate, and you’re like, in the mood?” “No, no,” Cher replied. “It’s like, I don’t get to have chocolate. I’m working on my body, and I just don’t… I have chocolate, I’m lying.” Still, Ellen pushed, “And then it turns you on?” “No, it doesn’t turn me on!” Cher said, clearly frustrated. Then she added, “B***h.”
The audience laughed, and so did Ellen and Cher. While it seemed lighthearted, it also showed that Cher wasn’t afraid to push back. Not many celebrities challenge Ellen’s teasing, even when it goes too far. But Cher is known for her honesty and didn’t hesitate to call Ellen out. This is not the first time Ellen has made somebody feel awkward on her show. Ali Fedotowsky, a former star of 'The Bachelorette' also shared her awkward experience with Ellen DeGeneres on Kaitlyn Bristowe’s Off the Vine podcast. Bristowe asked, “Did you ever meet Ellen DeGeneres? Was she nice or no?” Fedotowsky replied, “She made me feel pretty not great.” She clarified, “It’s not that she was mean, per se, she just made me feel stupid.”
Fedotowsky explained that she was excited to be on 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show', but things got off to a rough start even before the interview began. She believed Ellen might have been tired of interviewing people like her. “Here I am, this 24-year-old, famous for no reason, [I come] on her show, she’s probably like, I’ve got to talk to one of these idiots again.” She recalled trying to be entertaining when she walked on stage, saying, “I was dancing, you know how everyone comes out dancing? I was trying to be funny and personable. Instead of laughing with me, she was laughing at me. You know what I mean? So, I felt really stupid.” Though she didn’t specify the exact episode, clips from a 2010 interview resurfaced, including one where Ellen jokingly asks if she was “drunk.”
Ellen, whose show ended in 2023 after 19 seasons, addressed her controversies in a stand-up special. “Yeah, the ‘be kind’ girl wasn’t kind, that was the headline,” she said. “Had I ended my show by saying, ‘Go f**k yourselves,’ people would’ve been pleasantly surprised to find out I’m kind,” the New York Post reported. Ellen later announced, “This is the last time you’re going to see me. After my Netflix special, I’m done.”