Eagle_Eye
Well-known member
"Sitting inside her fifteen million dollar mansion complaining and comparing it to a prison, very tone deaf ellen," one viewer commented on YouTube.
"Except that people in jail can't practice social distancing, don't have enough water or toilet paper and are going to die at exceptional rates from Covid-19. Except for that, Ellen, your quarantine experience is just like being in jail," another person tweeted.
CNN has reached out to a representative for DeGeneres for comment.
DeGeneres hosted the "at-home edition" of the show with her wife Portia de Rossi serving as camera operator and director, and their dog, Augie, as key grip, she joked.
Her previous videos from self-quarantine -- including one of her virtually hanging out with former First Lady Michelle Obama -- have been more well-received.
DeGeneres is not the only celebrity whose attempts at outreach during the coronavirus outbreak have backfired.
Last month, actress Gal Gadot received some criticism after posting a video of her and other celebrities singing "Imagine" by John Lennon.
"Imagine -- IMAGINE -- having $17 million dollars and thinking that making a video clip of you singing one line of a song would help anyone," GQ writer Sophia Benolt tweeted.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/tv/news/e...-is-like-being-in-jail/ar-BB12lQ0K?li=BBnb7Kz
The host and Finding Dory star wound people up with the joke for two reasons. The first was similar to the backlash singer Sam Smith faced for complaining about being stuck indoors from a very expensive house.
CBS
One person tweeted: "Ellen Degeneres feels like quarantine is in jail but I bet she isn't utterly devastated by a last paycheck bouncing because her employer doesn't want to pay her for her labor."
"Ellen degeneres in her mansion talking about quarantine is like jail," posted another, while a third said: "I need to know who convinced Ellen DeGeneres that comparing luxury quarantining to jail was a smart thing to do."
"No @TheEllenShow, being quarantined in your mansion w/ an abundance of food, medication and privilege is NOT like being in jail," added another.
"Incarcerated people are contracting #COVID19 & some are dying because of lack of access to healthcare, supplies & basic empathy from staff."
Warner Bros.
Other people took issue with the insinuation that "everyone in here is gay", arguing that it's a negative stereotype and also makes light of sexual assault.
"How does Ellen, a gay person, not understand that making jokes about being in jail ain't it?" someone questioned, while another person said: "coming from the person who wanted Kevin hart to apologize for making a gay joke tho .. I really hate it."
The Astronauts Wives Club actress Erin Cummings also joined the backlash, tweeting: "She said that 'everyone is gay' in jail, making light of the abhorrent amount of rape that occurs between men in jail.
"That's not homosexuality. That's sexual violence and should not be correlated or made into a joke – by anyone of any sexual orientation."
At the time of writing, Ellen has not publicly responded to the backlash.
https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/ustv/a32086045/ellen-degeneres-quarantine-joke-backlash/
