Ellen DeGeneres Holds Back Tears Responding To Black Lives Matter Criticism
By Whitney Vasquez on June 1, 2020 at 1:26 PM EDT
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Ellen DeGeneres is hitting back at the harsh criticism she endured over the weekend when she first spoke out about supporting Black Lives Matter. Holding back tears on Monday, June 1, the talk show host doubled down to show her support and explained that she simply can't find the words to describe how she's feeling about what's going on in the world following George Floyd's death. Acknowledging that she knows there will be some who are in "disagreement" with her, Ellen reiterated her message.
"I have been posting my thoughts and my stance on this but I haven't spoken directly because I don't know what to say," she admitted. "I am so sad and I am so angry, and I know I'm not going to say the right thing." On the brink of tears, Ellen DeGeneres continued, "I know that there are going to be a lot of people who are in disagreement with what I say but I have a platform and I have a voice and I have always stood for equality."
Stating that she has always wanted to be the voice for people who felt they didn't have one, the comedian added, "I'm just so sorry that it's come to this. I really don't know what to say other than ... this has gone on way way way way too long."
Taking several pauses, Ellen said, "People have gotten away with murder and that is what's happening. So, we've gotta see fairness and justice for all because right now, this is not a fair world."
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Stating "we have a long way to go to even get close to being fair," she added, "If you don't understand this then you have never felt like you weren't heard or you weren't equal. But if you've ever felt that, magnify it and see what's happening." This time she covered her butt by captioning the video with ways to help. "Sign a petition. Make a donation. Get informed. Make a phone call. Do it all from the link in my bio," she wrote.
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Over the weekend, Ellen DeGeneres caught heat after her Black Lives Matter tweet backfired miserably. In the since-deleted tweet, she said nonsense like, "For things to change, things must change." People quickly slammed her over her tone and not doing more to help. "I still find it funny how Ellen Degeneres, a woman who is famous for boastfully signing life-size checks to random people on her show, can't even post a screenshot on the internet of her donating money in support of Black lives," one person wrote. "You forgot to say BLACK people. Oh, and open your purse," added another.
