Ellen DeGeneres' win at the People's Choice Awards has left many viewers outraged after the talk show host was accused of fostering a toxic workplace with allegations of racism, sexism, bullying and sexual misconduct.
DeGeneres thanked her "amazing staff" in her acceptance speech for Best Daytime Talk Show, claiming she was sharing the award with everyone who worked on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
"I am not only accepting this award for myself, I'm accepting it on the behalf of my amazing crew, my amazing staff, who make this show possible."
"They show up every single day, they give a 100 percent of themselves, a 100 percent of the time."
But many of those watching at home didn't buy DeGeneres' speech, and were confused and infuriated that she had won after a year filled with controversy and public backlash.
"How did the Ellen DeGeneres show just win the People's Choice Award for best Daytime Talk Show? I thought we were all on the same page that her work conditions were horrible and that she is a terrible person?" one Twitter user wrote.
"Disgusting. Hollywood always has time for bullies," said another.
Some commenters even suggested the voting for the awards show was "rigged".
"Ellen winning a People's Choice Award for best talk show in 2020 after everything we know? ...Something feels fishy," one tweet read.
DeGeneres addressed the accusations levelled against her and the subsequent investigation into working conditions at The Ellen Show in a monologue during the series' season 18 premiere.
"I learned that things happened here that never should have happened. I take that very seriously and I want to say I am so sorry to the people who were affected," she said at the time.
DeGeneres' apology was widely shunned, particularly by some former and current staff members who felt she "turned our traumas into a joke".
