Writers have called the show "bizarre, unfunny and self-pitying" Ellen DeGeneres’ new Netflix special has received much negative criticism from reviewers since its release this week. The special, called For Your Approval, arrived on the streaming platform yesterday (September 24) and marks DeGeneres’ return to stand-up for the first time in six years. The show is part of a two-part instalment with Netflix, the first being 2018’s Relatable .

Upon the episode’s announcement, DeGeneres said that it would not only be her last comedy special, but also her last outing in the showbiz world altogether . A synopsis of For Your Approval reads: “Ellen gets personal and reveals what she’s been doing since being ‘kicked out of show business.’ From the mundane world of raising chickens and parallel parking to the harsh reality of becoming a brand name celebrity, she goes deep into her stand-up roots and brings the laughs through life’s most real and absurd realities.

” The special sees her address bullying allegations made against her in a Buzzfeed News 2022 report, which caused her to abruptly end her talk show after 19 years on air. Employees accused executives of fostering a “toxic workplace” environment, alleging incidents of sexual misconduct, racism and bullying. DeGeneres issued an apology shortly after the accusations became public.

“Things happened here that should never have happened,” she told her audience at the time. Now, critics have laid into the n.