- The talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres faced new backlash over her defense of her friendship with former President George W. Bush after her previous comments about refusing to let President Donald Trump be a guest on her show resurfaced online.
- The host faced criticism after she was photographed laughing with Bush, whom many consider a "war criminal" and anti-LGBTQ politician, while sitting next to him at a football game on Sunday.
- DeGeneres' statement that she wouldn't allow Trump on her show then resurfaced. Many people called her a "hypocrite," saying her political stance was inconsistent.
- Others felt that the host's honesty about her friendship with Bush was refreshing and had nothing to do with her previous statements.
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The talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres is facing new criticism that her political stance is inconsistent after her past statement about refusing to let President Donald Trump on her show resurfaced on Tuesday.
DeGeneres was recently criticized for having a friendship with George W. Bush— and Twitter users were quick to accuse the host of hypocrisy.
"Wasn't @TheEllenShow the one who wouldn't let @realDonaldTrump on her show because she doesn't agree with his political views?" one user said.
Okay, but wasn’t @TheEllenShow the one who wouldn’t let @realDonaldTrump on her show because she doesn’t agree with his political views?
— Kathy Zhu (@PoliticalKathy) October 9, 2019
pic.twitter.com/Jkb8znpmAK
Others shared similar sentiments, calling out DeGeneres for her past statement and even referring to her as a "hypocrite."
Hey @TheEllenShow, I loved your comments this week re. sitting with former Pres George W. Bush at football game. Can you help reconcile your statement re. President Trump (shown here) -vs- what you said about GWB? #LAKEYpic.twitter.com/WXT8cOjsmr
— JimmyLakey (@JimmyLakey) October 9, 2019
Is this the same Ellen DeGeneres who gratuitously announced that President Trump would never be on her show? Is this the same W. Bush who for eight years routinely had the shite kicked out of him by show biz types?
— Martin McPhillips (@corpseinarmor) October 8, 2019
Perfect match from this angle. Spare me.
Wait...you mean the same Ellen Degenerate that refused to allow Trump on her show because she did not agree with him politically? Hypocrite much?
— Xavier Farrell (@XavierF15) October 9, 2019
But some felt that DeGeneres was being unfairly scrutinized.
Her show isn’t political. This message is actually a rare moment of honest reflection. Why invite divisiveness on a show that is known to bring everyone together?
— Nicholas Bell (@NickEsten) October 9, 2019
Kathy, you may have a point but perhaps it's best to leave this one be. I think Ellen made some very good points and just maybe people are doing some reflecting as to how they treat others who are different. It's a start. We don't have to engage in every conflict out there 🇺🇸
— SeminoleFire (@FireSeminole) October 9, 2019
DeGeneres faced significant backlash after she was photographed laughing next to Bush at a Dallas Cowboys game over the weekend.
Many people took issue with the fact that DeGeneres, a gay woman, was friendly with Bush, whose controversial decisions around the Iraq War have led many to refer to him as a "war criminal" and who was notoriously conservative when it came to LGBTQ rights during his presidency.
The host addressed the controversy during a taping of her show on Tuesday, urging others to "be kind" to those who might have different views.
"Here's the thing: I'm friends with George Bush," DeGeneres told the audience.
"In fact, I'm friends with a lot of people who don't share the same beliefs that I have. We're all different, and I think we've forgotten that that's OK, that we're all different."
She added: "Just because I don't agree with someone on everything doesn't mean that I'm not going to be friends with them."
DeGeneres' explanation did little to silence her critics, who still felt that she could have handled the situation better.
I am very perturbed by Ellen’s “explanation” video... she made it WAY worse by making it all a joke and minimizing the criticism and not acknowledging the real issue. It’s not that GWB is conservative. At all. What a shame.
— roxane gay (@rgay) October 9, 2019
And the thing is, she doesn’t have to be rude to the guy or whatever. Most of us would just sit there awkwardly not start a revolution. But to call him her friend and say we all have friends with different views? Yes girl but my conservative friends didn’t start a war.
— roxane gay (@rgay) October 9, 2019
Real easy to be “nice to everyone” when your wealth and power elevates you beyond your identity so that your rights are never in doubt. But anyway, I hear Kelly Clarkson’s new show is great!
— sam greisman (@SAMGREIS) October 8, 2019
I don’t care how nice of a guy George W Bush is. He was one of our worst presidents and left our country and world in bad shape. The mess he helped create we’re still trying to dig out of. This is a bad look for @TheEllenShow. https://t.co/FMYgpbrq6A
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 7, 2019
Representatives for DeGeneres didn't immediately respond to Insider's requests for comment.
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