I Was Wrong About Ellen
Really, really wrong.
This story is long overdue. Over a year ago, I wrote about some of the criticism Ellen DeGeneres got regarding her friendship with George W. Bush, and… I defended her.
Consider this my formal retraction — and one that’s been a long time coming.
I’m not afraid to be wrong. I don’t have a problem with admitting I was wrong, either. But I have been sitting on this story for a long time because the reality is so damn sad.
Did I believe in Ellen because I’m totally naive? As a person on the spectrum of autism, I do tend to struggle with the idea of manipulation, deception, and general hypocrisy. But I’d like to think I’ve learned how to be much wiser about people as I’ve gotten older. And for the most part, I think I have gotten better at recognizing toxic people. But alas, my discernment is far from perfect.
When it comes to Ellen DeGeneres, I stood up for an over-privileged white lady because I liked her message. I wanted it all to be authentic. And I really wanted to think she practiced what she preached. No, I didn’t understand her friendship with people like George W., but I wanted to believe it existed because her message of kindness was real.
For a long time, though, I failed to recognize how her connection to certain people and her…
