Ellen DeGeneres Toxic Workplace Allegations Stirred up Amid Funko Pop! Figure Giveaway

On Saturday, Funko announced a new Pop! figure made to look like Ellen DeGeneres dancing, and [...]

By Michael Hein

On Saturday, Funko announced a new Pop! figure made to look like Ellen DeGeneres dancing, and social media commenters were ruthless in their response. The new figure had blue eyes that many found eerie, and some argued that its outfit was wrong as well. Mostly, however, the responses focused on DeGeneres' "toxic workplace" allegations from earlier this year.

Funko is running a giveaway for fans to receive the new Ellen Pop figure, which is available exclusive on DeGeneres' website. For many fans, the creation and promotion of this figure so soon after DeGeneres' public scandal was baffling. Back in July, dozens of employees from The Ellen DeGeneres Show told BuzzFeed News that the talk show host was different off-camera, and that her show was rife with bullying behind the scenes.

DeGeneres has apologized for these allegations and has fired some of the higher up producers who were accused of workplace misconduct. She has also vowed to be more conscientious going forward, but many critics continued to call for her show to be canceled. Beyond the allegations against DeGeneres herself, the scandal became a case to litigate "cancel culture" itself.

With all of this in mind, fans were surprised that Funko would want to take on this project at all. Some teased the company, while others expressed real anger. Here is a look at what commenters had to say about the Ellen DeGeneres Funko Pop giveaway.

Cancel Culture

Many users felt that the Ellen Funko Pop illustrated the over-reaction to "cancel culture" itself. They mused that if DeGeneres can still get merchandising deals and keep her lucrative TV job, then the concerns about "cancel culture" from prominent pundits is overblown.

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Undeserving

Others stuck by DeGeneres' "cancellation" earlier this year, and argued that Funko was now risking going down with her. This point was debated at length.

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Jokes

Of course, many responses were joking references to the accusation against DeGeneres, including the idea that she created a "toxic work environment," and the outrage from when she spent an afternoon with former President George W. Bush.

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Other Unlikely Figures

Many users responded jokingly with ideas for other "canceled" people to be made into Funko Pops, including international despots and alleged criminals.

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No One's Happy

Regardless of where they stood on "cancel culture" or on DeGeneres herself, some commenters felt that the topic was still too touchy for a toy manufacturer to weigh in. They thought that this Pop figure would not make anyone happy, in the end.

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Not Ellen

Due to Funko Pops' minimalist design, some commenters thought that this figure was not distinctly recoginzable as DeGeneres. Instead, many compared it to Sue Sylvester, Jane Lynch's character from Glee.

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Re-Cancel

Finally, many commenters thought that they were now obligated to renew DeGeneres' cancellation, since the endorsement from Funko seemed to undo it. These efforts did not gain the same traction they had earlier this year.

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