Ellen DeGeneres opened her new season addressing allegations of misconduct on her show: 'I want to say I am so sorry'

• Ellen DeGeneres addressed allegations of misconduct in the opening monologue for her talk show.
• "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" returned for its new season on Monday, and DeGeneres didn't hold back in discussing her turbulent past few months.
• "I want to say I am so sorry to the people who were affected," DeGeneres said.
• "I know that I'm in a position of privilege and power... And I take responsibility for what happens at my show. This is 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show,'" she added.
• DeGeneres' monologue comes after months of accusations against the host, including that she fostered a toxic work environment on set, and was generally an unpleasant person to be around.

Ellen DeGeneres addressed allegations of misconduct in the opening monologue for her talk show on Monday.

"I learned that things happened here that never should have happened. I take that very seriously," DeGeneres began. "I want to say I am so sorry to the people who were affected."

"I know that I'm in a position of privilege and power. And I realized that with that comes responsibility," she continued. "And I take responsibility for what happens at my show. This is 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show.'"

"The Ellen DeGeneres Show" returned on September 21 after a summer hiatus, during which DeGeneres faced a slew of accusations, including some from former employees that she fostered a "toxic" work environment on set.

The host mentioned these accusations, as well as the internal investigation into the show's culture that's currently being conducted by WarnerMedia, the parent company of "The Ellen Show."

"We have had a lot of conversations over the last few weeks about the show, our workplace, and what we want for the future. We have made the necessary changes and today, we are starting a new chapter," DeGeneres said.

DeGeneres also addressed recent reports that she was rude or unkind to others, especially those that worked with her.

"There were also articles in the press and on social media that said that I am not who I appear to be on TV because I became known as the 'be kind' lady," DeGeneres said.

According to the host, she began telling people to "be kind to one another" in honor of a young man named Tyler Clementi, who died by suicide after he was bullied for being gay.

"Being known as the 'be kind' lady is a tricky position to be in," DeGeneres said. "So let me give you some advice out there, if anybody is thinking of changing their title or giving yourself a nickname, do not go with the 'be kind' lady."

"The truth is, I am that person that you see on TV. I am also a lot of other things," she continued. "Sometimes I get sad. I get mad. I get anxious. I get frustrated. I get impatient. And I am working on all of that. I am a work in progress."

DeGeneres ended her monologue by reiterating her commitment to making the show a positive place, for both viewers and employees.

"My hope is that we can still be a place of happiness and joy. I still want to be the one hour a day that people can go to escape and laugh. I want to continue to help all the people that we help every day. And I am committed to making this the best season that we have ever had," she said.

DeGeneres' monologue comes after a turbulent past few months for the host.

Former "Ellen Show" employees, including a producer and a DJ, have accused her of acting rudely and creating a toxic working environment. A group of ex-employees also said the show's culture was rife with sexual misconduct.

The Australian radio host Neil Breen recently said he was told not to talk to, look at, or approach DeGeneres when he worked with her in 2013.

And cringe-worthy past interviews from "The Ellen Show" have resurfaced in recent weeks.

In July, the show's parent company WarnerMedia opened an investigation into the workplace culture on set, and in August, three producers left "The Ellen Show" amid the allegations.

Boss, for his part, said in August that he was looking forward to "experiencing the love" on set when he returns to work on the show.

Andy Lassner, the show's executive producer, recently pushed back on speculation about the show's cancellation, but a report on August 1 said the "Late Late Show" host James Corden could replace DeGeneres.

Despite the allegations, plenty of stars — such as Ashton Kutcher, Diane Keaton, and DeGeneres' wife, Portia de Rossi — have come to DeGeneres' defense.

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