Ellen DeGeneres Called out Over Old Video Showing Her Chastising Young Translator Mid-Interview

A controversial video from a 2019 episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show resurfaced recently, while [...]

By Daniel S. Levine

A controversial video from a 2019 episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show resurfaced recently, while the show is under investigation for an alleged toxic workplace environment cultivated by senior producers. In the clip, host Ellen DeGeneres criticizes the work of a translator who is trying to help the host communicate with a young musician from Taiwan. The clip is just one of many being re-examined by DeGeneres' critics amid the controversy surrounding her show.

During the 2019 episode, DeGeneres invited the guitarist, Feng E., after he appeared playing ukelele in a viral video. After he performed, DeGeneres sat down with him for an interview, and a young translator was brought on stage. At one point, she asked Feng E. what other instruments he wanted to learn. The translator repeated the question, but it sounded too long for DeGeneres, who stopped her. "Just one question. What else does he want to learn?" DeGeneres repeated as the audience laughed. "I don't know what you're telling him, but just ask him what I'm saying."

The translator apologized and asked the question again. "See? It was that short," DeGeneres said to more laughter. Feng E. said he wanted to learn how to use a fingerstyle guitar, which puzzled both DeGeneres and the translater. Someone from the audience said he may have meant an acoustic guitar, which once again caused DeGeneres to criticize the translator. "Don't look at me and go, 'I don't know,'" DeGeneres said. "We're not having a conversation. I'm asking him what is a fingerstyle guitar." The translator then asked Feng E. to further explain what he meant, but DeGeneres gave up. "Never mind," she said, waving her hands.

This was not the first time DeGeneres had Feng E. When he was on in September 2018, she made fun of Feng E. for giving her a long answer when she asked a "simple" question. "He's a talker, huh?" DeGeneres told the translator. After the interview aired, fans took to DeGeneres' Facebook page to accuse her of being "rude" to the young boy.

Late last month, WarnerMedia launched an investigation into the workplace environment at The Ellen DeGeneres Show after former employees accused senior producers of creating a hostile atmosphere in a BuzzFeed News report. Others accused producers of sexual misconduct and harassment. The situation has inspired DeGegeneres' critics to go back through her more controversial moments on Ellen, including one case where she told an audience member to go to "Ellen Jail" for taking extra items from a free souvenir table. Others have called her out for teasing Modern Family actress Sofia Vergara about her accent whenever she was on the show.

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