Ellen DeGeneres Addresses Controversy in Season 18 Premiere

Teddi Mellencamp is getting fired… Brittany Cartwright’s pregnancy… Michael Jordan’s new NASCAR Cup Series team… Meghan Markle has been cold-calling voters… and Ellen DeGeneres kicked off Season 18

Listen to “Showbiz- Sep 22, 2020” on Spreaker.

 

A lot of people who follow Real Housewives drama are celebrating just the rumor that Teddi Mellencamp has been fired from Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. That has yet to be confirmed. But after her freshman season on Real Housewives of New York, fans want more of Leah McSweeney! As of Sunday night, a source said Leah hadn’t signed the contract to come back because the raise she was being offered was “pathetically low.” We don’t know if she got all the zeroes she wanted, but Leah confirmed yesterday that she is coming back next season.

What is happening on Vanderpump Rules?? They’re making babies left and right over there! First, Stassi Schroeder announced she was pregnant pretty much two minutes after she was fired. Then Lala Kent announced she’s having a baby girl with her producer fiancé Randall Emmett. And now, Jax Taylor and Brittany Cartwright have announced they’re expecting their first child in April.

Michael Jordan is teaming up with NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin to form a new racing team for 2021, with Bubba Wallace signed on to drive for their team. Michael released a statement saying, “Growing up in North Carolina, my parents would take my brothers, sisters and me to races, and I’ve been a NASCAR fan my whole life. The opportunity to own my own racing team in partnership with my friend, Denny Hamlin, and to have Bubba Wallace driving for us, is very exciting for me. Historically, NASCAR has struggled with diversity and there have been few Black owners. The timing seemed perfect as NASCAR is evolving and embracing social change more and more. In addition to the recent commitment and donations I have made to combat systemic racism, I see this as a chance to educate a new audience and open more opportunities for Black people in racing.”

We all decline calls from numbers we don’t recognize, right? But what if the call you decline is from Meghan Markle?? Gloria Steinem told Access Hollywood that when Meghan and Prince Harry relocated to the US, “She came home to vote. And the first thing she did, and why she came to see me, is we sat down at the dining room table where I am right now and cold-called voters.” But while Meghan is recruiting voters, is she also being recruited by the Church of Scientology? A spruce told OK! magazine that the church leaders have their eyes on enlisting Meghan, who happens to be one of the most famous people on the planet. The source said, “Recruiting Meghan would be a huge coup for Scientology…Meghan has already changed her religion once. When she married Harry, she was baptized into the Church of England just before the wedding, dropping her Catholic school upbringing, so why wouldn’t she do it again?”

In the opening monologue for her 18th season, Ellen DeGeneres said she was legally obligated to keep her mouth shut for six months about the allegations of a toxic work environment. But now? She’s tackling the controversy head on. Ellen said she learned things were happening that never should have, but her name is on the show, and she takes responsibility. She said, “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.” And while Ellen preaches that we should all be kind, she took some hits on social media for not being so kind in real life. But Ellen assured us all, “The truth is I am that person that you see on TV. I am also a lot of other things. Sometimes I get sad. I get mad. I get anxious. I get frustrated. I get impatient. And I am working on all of that.” She said, “If I’ve ever let someone down, if I’ve ever hurt their feelings, I am so sorry for that. If that’s ever the case, I have let myself down and I’ve hurt myself as well…” Ellen said that all she wants for the 270 people who work for her is to feel happy and proud to work there, and she’s committed to making this the best season they’ve ever had.

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