'Ellen DeGeneres: For Your Approval' Misses the Mark with Critics

         On September 24, 2024, Netflix released 'Ellen DeGeneres: For Your Approval', which has received predominantly negative reviews from critics, currently holding at 33% on Rotten Tomatoes. "In the final comedy special of her historic career, Ellen gets candid about fame, parallel parking and life since getting "kicked out of show business." But what did the critics say?

       Sean L. McCarthy of Decider notes, "STREAM IT. DeGeneres says she had no intentions of doing anything after leaving her TV show, but it’s for the best for us and for her that she decided to take a victory lap with this last stand-up tour. Every entertainer who is beloved should take such a lap while they can still enjoy it. As DeGeneres said: “I’m so glad I got to say goodbye on my terms.” 

       Fran Hoepfner of The Atlantic says, "The comedian may joke about her expulsion from Hollywood, but it’s clear how hurt she feels. And when it comes to owning her mistakes, DeGeneres struggles to find the humor."

       Mark Feeney of Boston Globe writes, "If you like DeGeneres, and it’s hard not to (unless you worked for her, apparently), all this is enjoyable viewing."

Photo by Oscar Nord on Unsplash

        Matthew Creith of The Wrap was more impressed, stating, "After 19 seasons on the air, “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” ceased to exist after the namesake host said her final goodbyes in 2022. Her oft-repeated tagline at the end of every episode of the daytime talk show was “Be kind to one another,” a sentiment DeGeneres seemingly meant every time she uttered the words. However, after a series of stories involving the host and fellow producers leaked detailing a toxic work environment towards her employees, DeGeneres exited the entertainment business. More than two years later, the comic returns to the standup stage seemingly for the last time, with a Netflix special called “Ellen DeGeneres: For Your Approval.” No stranger to Netflix’s comedy slate with her previous 2018 special, “Ellen DeGeneres: Relatable,” the comedian returns to her roots by explaining where she’s been the past couple of years and the aftermath of her talk show’s demise." Adding, "At this point in “Ellen DeGeneres: For Your Approval,” the comic doesn’t hold back how she feels about the accusations of a toxic work environment on her daytime talk show. She explains that she never considered herself qualified for a leadership position and that she always viewed her role on the show as a front-facing one rather than a boss behind the scenes. She takes responsibility for her role in the accusations while deflecting the idea that she is a mean person. At the same time, DeGeneres makes it clear to her audience that she has zero f—s left to give but still cares if she is beloved. She goes on to discuss her undiagnosed OCD and tackling aging as she approaches her late 60s."