Margaret Cho opens up about troubled relationship with Ellen DeGeneres

Comedian and actor Margaret Cho has opened up about her long-standing, uneasy relationship with Ellen DeGeneres, claiming the talk show host was often cold and dismissive towards her, despite their shared history in the comedy circuit.

In a candid conversation on ‘The Kelly Mantle Show’, Margaret Cho reflected on her interactions with Ellen DeGeneres over the years.

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She revealed that she first worked with Ellen back in the 1980s, long before Ellen’s mainstream fame, when Cho used to open for her at comedy clubs. However, despite this early connection, Cho said Ellen later acted as if they were complete strangers.

“Ellen was really weird and not nice to me for most of my career,” Cho said during the interview. “I opened for her in the ’80s when she was already headlining. Then, years later, when I appeared on her talk show in the 2000s, she acted like she had never met me. It was so bizarre.”

Cho didn’t hold back her feelings about the situation, jokingly adding, “I’m like, ‘B*tch, what?’ That’s so weird and creepy. We go way back.”

The Grammy and Emmy-nominated comedian also recalled an unusual moment involving music legend David Bowie. Cho, who had once attended Bowie’s concert dressed in a striking “Chinese emperor outfit,” later discovered that Bowie had complimented her look while he was a guest on ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’.

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“My friend, who was a producer on the show, called me and said, ‘I can’t believe this, but she cut all the compliments out.’ Bowie had been going on and on about how much he loved my outfit,” Cho explained. “My friend told me, ‘God said your name. He loves you.’ That meant so much to me, even though Ellen didn’t let it air.”

This isn’t the first time Cho has spoken out about Ellen’s behavior. Back in 2020, during an episode of the ‘Hot Takes & Deep Dives’ podcast, Cho addressed the accusations surrounding The Ellen DeGeneres Show’s alleged toxic work culture.

“I think she definitely is scary. I’m still scared of Ellen,” Cho admitted. “Everyone should be scared of Ellen. I can’t imagine what it would have been like to actually work for her.”

‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’ concluded in 2022 after a 19-year run, with its final seasons clouded by multiple reports of behind-the-scenes toxicity and workplace issues.