Hidden Secrets Ellen Degeneres Never Shares

Ellen’s Toxic Workplace

In the midst of all that 2020 has had to offer in terms of making it challenging for audiences to gather to film a show, Ellen received a lot of social media attention. However, it was all for the wrong reasons. It started when BuzzFeed News reported that there may be a “toxic work culture” behind the scenes on her show. At least ten former employees gave their accounts of being mistreated. One claimed to be fired after taking medical leave to attend a funeral. But, that’s not all. There were also claims circulating about sexual misconduct from the executive producer Ed Glavin. As this claim rose to the surface, other claims began to be front and center of media discussion.

New Perks For Ellen’s Employees

Ellen’s latest mantra is to be kind. In spite of the Warner Media investigation about workplace misconduct, she is demonstrating this kindness by stepping up the perks that her employees receive. Employees are to receive five paid days off to use at their discretion. They also will get birthdays off as well as paid time for doctor appointments and other family matters. She reportedly showed up at a meeting to discuss these perks offering an apology that the toxic environment occurred under on her watch. She also emphasized that it was OK to look DeGeneres in the eye which was a snap back at claims she had prohibited this in the past.

Ellen’s Tragic Past

Her road to fame and becoming worth an estimated $330 million, has not been paved with gold and the life of ease. In fact, there have been numerous tragedies that led to making her the person she is today. She has been through more than one heartbreak, and she has experienced controversy and scandal that don’t always have to do with what you might think. Through it all, she keeps coming out on top. She keeps demonstrating tough resilience with tenacity that both gets her praised and criticized. She seems to be able to walk through the darkest moments of her life and find the light at the end of the tunnel.

Ellen’s Mother And Her Battle With Breast Cancer

When Ellen was still a teenager, at the age of 16, her mother got some life-threatening news. Betty DeGeneres had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Betty lived in a small Texas town where she began to go through treatment. Her mom had requested that the entire ordeal be kept quiet. The news that a woman was undergoing a mastectomy was simply not spoken about at the time. But, even as a teenager at a vulnerable age, Ellen stuck by her mom. She became her mother’s primary caregiver. Her mother later admitted publicly that the two had a very special relationship and had been there for each other.

Abuse She Didn’t Speak Of As A Teen

When Ellen was not yet a teenager, her parents divorced. Her mother eventually remarried. Ellen revealed years later that her step-father had sexually assaulted her when she was a teen. The abuse took place after her mother had recovered from breast cancer. It was the cancer diagnosis that opened up a pathway for her step-father to abuse Ellen. He apparently told her that he had felt a lump in her mother’s breast and that he needed to feel hers as well. When Ellen finally got up the nerve to tell her mother, her story was not believed. Her mother ended up staying married to Ellen’s step-father for 18 more years.

Ellen’s Dad Kicked Her Out

Ellen had been openly gay for quite awhile before confessing to her parents how she was living. When she admitted to her family that she was gay, her father asked her to leave the house. She believes his refusal to accept her lifestyle choice was because of how religious he was. She knew he had strong religious values, but she thought he would eventually come to terms with the fact that his love for his daughter was strong. While their relationship did not change, the place where she called home would. He had remarried after her parents divorced, and Ellen’s step-mom had two little girls they worried would be influenced by Ellen’s behavior. So, he asked her to move out.

Her Girlfriend Killed In Wreck

After moving out of her father and step-mother’s home, she eventually moved in with her girlfriend. The two were living together but had a horrible argument and broke up. She, however, never intended the break up to be forever. Her girlfriend showed up at a club where she began to coax Ellen into moving back in. Ellen had wanted to patch things up with her but wanted to teach her a lesson, so she ignored her efforts that night at the club. When Ellen and other friends left the club, they passed a horrific car accident. The next morning, she learned that her girlfriend had been killed in that wreck.

Her Battle With Depression

After going public with her sexuality, Ellen completely battled depression. The timing couldn’t have been more severe. She was starring on the ABC sitcom, Ellen, where her character had also come out as a lesbian. Advertisers began to pull their ads from the show as they feared a backlash response. Ultimately, the series was canceled. For Ellen, it was a dark moment. She wasn’t sure if she was ever going to get work again. She had hit rock bottom and was broke in every way. Additionally, it hurt her feelings, and she sunk into depression. She was seen as a failure in the entertainment business with no one wanting to take a chance on hiring her.

Ellen’s Death Threats

After Ellen DeGeneres came out and announced she was a lesbian, she dealt with more than a loss of work and the depression that followed. She also started receiving death threats. She once expressed that there was a bomb threat that targeted her show before it went off the air. They, however, misjudged the taping time. The crew had thankfully already finished filming for the day. Her friends and colleagues were also a target for backlash. The actress who played her love interest on the show and had only worked for 10 days on set also received threats. Everyone felt as though they needed full-time security.

The One Who Broke Her Heart

In 1997, Ellen publicly announced that she and actress Anne Heche were officially a couple. After about three years, the two called it quits and broke up. She described their break up as amicable. But, the truth is that it broke Ellen’s heart into a million pieces. Soon after they parted ways, Heche became involved with camera man Coley Laffoon. The two met while working on a documentary about Ellen. Even though their relationship would ultimately end in divorce, they got together for a few years and had a child two years later. The breakup with Heche left Ellen feeling betrayed and heartbroken.

Ellen Reacts To Kobe Bryant’s Death

After the death of Kobe Bryant, Ellen let her emotions take over on camera as she completely broke down in tears. The helicopter crash had taken the lives of NBA star Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna. She was said to be close friends with Kobe. On the show she taped the day after the crash, she expressed how thankful she was for the viewers who tuned in. She told them that life is short. She went on to explain that the helicopter crash happened on her birthday and the date of the Grammy Awards. It was a day that was supposed to be filled with celebration. She went on to tell her audience to tell those you love how you feel, hug them, and kiss them.

Rumors That Ellen Isn’t Who She Appears To Be

Whispers began to circulate that Ellen isn’t who she appears to be. YouTube personality Nikkie de Jager, known to fans as NikkieTutorials, was seen on a talk show in Netherlands, where she is originally from. During the interview, she alleged that when she was a guest on Ellen’s show, the host was anything but friendly. She was quick to point out how warmly the Dutch show host greeted her, but claimed Ellen did not. As this video began to circulate, other stories began to come out claiming that Ellen has an on-air persona and a hidden self that are polar opposites. Her bodyguard even claimed that Ellen was cold and never said hello, treating him in a demeaning way.

Not As Nice As She Wants You To Believe

After the YouTube video began to circulate and other claims came forward stating that Ellen is not as nice as she wants you to believe, a podcaster uncovered even more disheartening news. Comedian Kevin T. Porter began tweeting offering a deal in exchange for anecdotes confirming his belief that Ellen is “notoriously one of the meanest people alive.” He promised to match each anecdote with a $2 donation to the Los Angeles food bank. Porter received nearly 2,000 responses. Though, he does acknowledge that they are nearly impossible to verify, if any hold truth in them the situation is frightening. It also compelled Warner Media to open an investigation on Ellen’s work place.

Was There Truth To The Mistreatment Claims?

While YouTube claims that stir controversy often take over the internet, more evidence was emerging that there may actually be some merit to these mistreatment claims. In July, 2020, comedian Brad Garrett from Everybody Loves Raymond responded to her staff memo by saying, “Sorry, but it comes from the top… Know more than one who were treated horribly by her. Common knowledge.” Lea Thompson, from Back to the Future backed up Brad Garrett’s claim by tweeting, “True story. It is.” Adding fuel to the fire, her show’s original DJ stated that he experienced the toxicity of the work environment on the show.

Ellen’s Home Becomes A Fortress After Burglary

On The Fourth Of July Ellen’s home, where she lives with wife Portia de Rossi, was burglarized. The robbers appeared to have entered through a back door, and managed to avert surveillance video. To make matters worse, Ellen and Portia were home at the time. The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office indicated that they thought the home was targeted because of the owners’ celebrity status. The items that were stolen were of high value, including watches and other jewelry. After the burglary, Ellen and Portia invested heavily in security measures turning their home into a fortress. They set up laser sensors and even hired armed guards to patrol the grounds.

Why Ellen DeGeneres Is Nothing Like Her Persona

While fans watch Ellen on her talk show and feel as though they know her personally, she is reportedly nothing like her public persona. Behind the scenes her life is far more complicated than she is willing to allow be known. She understands that people have a tendency to stereotype her. She has worked in the entertainment industry for a large part of her life and knows how to put on the face she wants seen. She is one of the most recognizable stars on TV, but when the cameras stop rolling, she has another side to her that most people never have a chance to experience.

There Is More Than Meets The Eye To Behind The Scenes Ellen

While fans watch her and feel as though they know everything about her, according to Portia, Ellen has a lot more range of emotion off camera and behind the scenes. Ellen admits that she feels comfortable in the role of a talk show host, but she also admits that she is playing a character of a talk show host. Her character tries to remain chipper on camera at all times. However, off stage and out of the public eye when she is free to be herself, she sometimes struggles with the idea that she must always be the “Be Kind” girl. She humorously relates these feelings to the idea that she should not be allowed to have a horn in her car. When she is in traffic and feels the need to angrily honk, she remembers that people see her as always kind and exclaims, “I can’t honk ever!”

Ellen Can’t Dance

Ellen has many talents. She is best known for making audiences laugh with her comedic skill. She can act and host a television show. Just don’t ask her to dance. She has regretted the fact that she performed her quirky choreography on the show. She admits she is no dancer and that it was really all just meant as a joke. But, she danced again, and then again, and finally it was expected. She was eventually forced to bust a move during every episode until she found a way to gradually ease it out. Fans still ask her to dance, but she now kindly declines.

Watch Your Mouth, Ellen!

While Ellen has learned the art of self control when it comes to holding back her tongue, she is no stranger to profanity. Her daytime talk show requires her to watch what she says to appease families and advertisers. She did, however, describe an incident once where she had dislocated her finger. While having it snapped back into place at the hospital, she claimed to have used every curse word that you can think of and even “invented three new ones.” Her no-cursing policy is all holds barred when it comes to her Netflix special. On Netflix, she lets loose with any and every profanity that enters her head.

Ellen’s Fountain Of Youth

To some aging celebrities, age is a big concern to the point that they begin to lie about their actual age and remain the forever 29 or 39. For Ellen this isn’t necessary. When she was turning 60 in 2018, fans took to Twitter with their disbelief. Many fans were shocked thinking that she couldn’t be more than 45. Another exclaimed, “LOOK AT THIS CHILD.” She simply told her cheering audience that it happened and that she did it. A couple years prior to turning 60, she shared her top anti-aging advice in a CoverGirl + Olay campaign that nothing makes you look younger than a smile and being happy.

Temper, Temper And A Little Poker

She may appear to be all fun and games, but apparently it’s never a good idea to gamble with Ellen. She reportedly hosts a completely California legal, high-stakes poker game at her home from time to time to play with some of her friends who happen to be well-known celebrities like Chelsea Handler, Olivia Munn, Amy Schumer, and Melissa Etheridge. All of the guests come with a warning, however, that Ellen’s poker face can change at any given second. Turns out she is quite serious about the game. Friends have watched as she loses her temper leaving them terrified. She either takes the game to heart, or maybe it’s all part of the game.

Can’t Seem To Find Good Writers

Word has it that DeGeneres and her writing staff do not always see eye to eye. Seems she is charming with comedic timing and wit while reading what the writers prepare for her. Sometimes, however, as soon as the camera stops rolling, she has been known to drop the script and glare and bark at the writer asking when are they ever going to write decent stuff and not these unfunny jokes? Members of the Writers Guild of America were apparently extremely disappointed when Ellen crossed the picket line and continued filming her show even though there was a writers strike going on.

Making Guests Uncomfortable Is Part Of The Show

According to one unsuspecting guest, making guests feel uncomfortable is all an unfortunate part of the show. Often some of Hollywood’s A-listers show up on The Ellen DeGeneres Show to promote their latest projects. On camera, they chat with each other as though they are best of friends. When The Bachelor’s Corinne Olympios appeared on the show, however, she tells a different story. Shortly after her appearance on the popular daytime ABC talk show, Olympios admitted that Ellen made her feel “so uncomfortable” during the discourse. While she admitted to always admiring Ellen and loving her so much, she also confessed that the Finding Nemo Dory character she expected in Ellen was nothing of the sort. Instead, she came off as “very aggressive” and “very cold”.

The DeGeneres and The Griffin Akin To The Hatfields And McCoy Feud

Kathy Griffin and Ellen DeGeneres apparently have an on-going feud much like the classic Hatfields and McCoys. The difference is that this feud actually has a possible starting point with a good reason. Griffin says, “I’m almost positive a certain beloved daytime talk show host once had me kicked out of a backstage dressing room at the Emmy Awards.” Though, she also goes on to say that she cannot prove it. While Griffin describes DeGeneres as being mean-spirited, DeGeneres tells the same story of Griffin saying she was “very mean.” Though, Ellen accounts it to Griffin wanting to be on the show but never getting booked for an interview.

Coming Out Was A Struggle

While Ellen is known to the LGBTQ+ community as somewhat of a hero or role model to look up to, Ellen hasn’t always felt worthy of the accolades. Coming out was not easy for her. She did so in 1997 shortly after her character on the Ellen sitcom admitted she was lesbian. The decision was initially met with support, but then came the backlash of advertisers pulling ads from the show which quickly sunk her career. It hurt her feelings watching late night talk shows make fun of her. She sunk into depression. Years later at the age of 45, she was able to rebuild to be who she is today.

Ellen Is Worth A Lot More Than You Might Think

She picked herself up from losing everything after coming out as a lesbian in 1997 to where she is today. She is even richer than many people may think. While she grew up poor and is not known for a lavish lifestyle, she keeps her wealth quiet wearing casual sneakers and basic blazers on camera. Outside of Hollywood, she also buys and sells real estate which has helped to gain millionaire status. Forbes reports that she is worth an estimated $330 million. She ranks at approximately the 63^rd most self-made women of 2019 in America. In 2018 alone, she made $87 million.

Ellen DeGeneres Hangs With The Elite

Even though she reportedly has a few enemies, Ellen seems to find herself hanging out with some elite connections. DeGeneres has a way of hooking up her famous friends with some pretty hefty high-priced items. Rapper Migos once appeared on her show and mentioned he was hoping to purchase a flashy new Bentley truck. Turns out that Ellen mentioned she knew some people at Bentley. Next thing the rapper knew, he was driving away in a Bentley. Actor David Spade’s mom also knows that Ellen is the go-to celebrity when she needs a good connection. David Spade explained that when his mom was trying to raise money for her dog shelter, she asked her son to mention to Ellen that maybe she could ask Lady Gaga.

Does Ellen Stay True Or Unfaithful?

Before Ellen and Portia married in 2008, DeGeneres caused a bit of a scandal when she appeared with another woman on the cover of a magazine. Ellen was in a relationship with actress, director, and photographer Alexandra Hedison. The publication and the timing would end up being bittersweet. The interview and photo shoot had been conducted a month prior to the magazine cover hitting the news shelves and before their breakup. Ellen said at the time, “The one thing I regret about this cover story is that it will be confusing for people to read and not understand what is going on.” She admitted she would never have done the story had she known they would not be together when it went public.

Forced To Keep These Things Private

Ellen hit the big time and landed her own television show. The popular ABC sitcom was about a female character exploring her newfound sexual identity. The show was so well received that she didn’t see the turn of events coming when she made the decision to come out of the closet along with her on-screen character. She quickly learned, however, that these parts of her personal life were best left hidden in private as a secret. While much of her fans embraced the idea, her sponsors did not. This would not be the first time she would come to terms with topics that were best kept private in her life.

The Truth Behind Phone Call To God

Ellen admits that the night her girlfriend died in a horrific car accident, she was devastated. The thought occurred to her how amazing it would be to be able to pick up the phone and call up God to ask questions and actually get an answer. She channeled her grief into this concept and wrote her stand-up routine that got her an invitation to The Tonight Show. This launched her comedy career. She was able to pull down deep into her darkest moment to produce her best comedy. Although, it would be years before she would admit the best friend she identified in her comedy sketch was actually her romantic partner.

But, What About The Beau?

Before the backlash and acting career crash she experienced due to her coming out, she decided to hire a decoy. Those who hadn’t heard her news actually had no idea that she was gay because whenever she was seen in public, it was with a big hunk of a male. He was from That Thing You Do! Star, Johnathon Schaech. In 2016, a fan ventured to ask Schaech if the rumors were true. He replied that his manager had asked him to accompany Ellen to all of her events. She was afraid people would not watch the show if they knew she was gay. She used Schaech as a beard to hide this part of her identity.

Her Soap Opera With Anne Heche

Her relationship with actress Anne Heche ended up becoming a bit of a soap opera of affairs. She met Anne at a Vanity Fair party. Their connection grew into one of the first and most prominent public same-sex relationships of Hollywood. After their breakup, Ellen admitted that she no longer wanted to be part of a soap opera. Her impression of a soap opera was that they are not real life, and she wanted something that felt real. This would not be found with Anne Heche. She went on to admit that it was the first time she had ever had her heart broken.

Ellen Met Portia

In 2004, Ellen and Portia met each other at a VH1 awards show. Portia admitted that Ellen had taken her breath away. This was something she had never experienced before. She said that her knees even went weak. The only problem was that Portia had not yet publicly come out as gay. This put Ellen back into keeping everything secret with her private life. After the pair had been together for a month, Portia got up the courage with Ellen’s support. The two stepped out as a couple and not only announced Portia’s sexual preferences but also that the two were a couple.

Religion Was A Huge Part Of Her Upbringing

Ellen DeGeneres had a very religious upbringing. She was raised in a strict, non-traditional, Christian Science home. That is one reason why her dad asked her to leave when she came out as gay. She said, “My father was a first reader in the Christian Science Church, which is similar to being a preacher.” She claims to have never seen any deep emotional connection from her parents. Everything was kept on a polite surface level. It seemed like everything was always fine, so she never knew how anyone actually felt. This atmosphere compelled her to keep everything hidden, stuffed deep down inside.

She Came Out, Her Dad Kicked Her Out

When she finally mustered the courage to tell her dad about her sexuality, he asked her to leave. Contrary to what you may think would incur with a huge blow up, her dad and stepmom simply wanted her to not be an influence on her stepmom’s two young daughters. Her dad and her retained the father and daughter closeness they had always shared even though things got a bit awkward. The two never had a big argument or falling out. Actually, her dad co-signed on a loan for her to get her own apartment. He was not visibly upset by her announcement, but he did not want her living in the same house as his two little girl step-daughters.

How Many Plastic Surgeries Are Enough?

Ellen DeGeneres just may be addicted to plastic surgery. According to a tabloid’s undercover work, it was discovered that Ellen had undergone numerous cosmetic surgeries. Of course, this was the big dirt they were paid heftily to uncover on her. The magazine claimed that her fresh-faced glow was the result of a lift and frequent Botox injections. They even brought in an expert doctor to back the claim as to how she made improvements to her neck and jaw line. The doctor also was under the impression that she also most likely had an eyebrow and forehead lift along with chemical peels, laser treatments, and possibly numerous filler procedures.

Her Reputation Among Celebrities May Not Bode Well

While Ellen DeGeneres is one of her fan’s favorites to be seen on screen during her television talk show, not everyone takes kindly to her. The Ellen DeGeneres Show has broken rating records boosting her in rank to one of the biggest names in Hollywood. If awards are a gauge to popularity, she rocks in that category as well. She has received the Presidential Medal of Freedom and broken the People’s Choice Awards record for most wins. Despite all of her popularity in awards and public fans along with a reputation for niceness and kindness, there are plenty of celebrities who claim to have no love for the comedic star.

Ellen’s True Thoughts About Joan Rivers

If a feud is going to run strong, it may as well run deep. Remember the DeGeneres and Griffin feud? Turns out it runs deeper than it even first appeared. The whole feud seems to have started from an entirely different feud with comedic legend Joan Rivers. Griffin’s bad blood with Ellen stems back to a rocky relationship with Joan Rivers. Griffin feels as though she is standing up for a friend by keeping their feud going. Though, she did go on to explain how since there are so few female comics in the business who are over the age of 50, she wished they were more supportive of each other.

Ellen And Drew Barrymore

Drew Barrymore and Ellen DeGeneres have been said to be like oil and water. An NBC show, First Dates, aired in 2017. It seemed to have all of the components of being the newest hit show. Ellen was the executive producer, and Drew Barrymore was the series narrator. The show was to explore all of the wonders of a first date. The show may have taken off and made it, but Barrymore and DeGeneres seemed to be at odds. Ellen had wanted to be the one calling all of the shots regarding the show. Drew was really wanting creative control.

Ellen Betrays Kelly Ripa

It seems that Kelly Ripa was betrayed by Ellen. Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan were a morning show favorite couple. That is until Strahan suddenly announced that he was leaving the show to join the ranks of ABC’s Good Morning America. Ripa and Strahan immediately parted ways. Along came Ellen DeGeneres who invited Strahan to come onto her show. Turns out Ripa was very upset about the appearance. It looked as though DeGeneres was cozying up with Michael and announcing to viewers that she was taking his side, slapping Kelly in the face. Some time later, Ellen did apologize to Ripa.

Caitlyn Jenner Got Burnt By Ellen

Caitlyn Jenner confessed to feeling as if she got burnt by Ellen on the topic of marriage equality. Back in 2015, when Jenner appeared on the show admitting not being in favor of gay marriage at first. After the interview, Ellen accused Jenner of judging gay people and marriage. Apparently, before the interview Ellen had asked Jenner to talk about the shifting views on marriage equality. Jenner had agreed and began to explain the progressive change of heart. But, all of a sudden, Ellen snipped back saying, “Sounds like you’re really not for it.” Ellen then went on Howard Stern’s show and exacerbated the entire encounter claiming that Jenner didn’t want to dance with her because she’s a lesbian. Jenner responded, “She never asked me to dance.”

Hypocritical Statement From Piers Morgan

Piers Morgan was among some of the first to voice his opinion after Ellen DeGeneres upset a lot of Twitter followers in a 2017 post. Her post seemed innocent enough in what it said, wishing Katy Perry a happy birthday. It said, “Happy birthday, @Katy Perry! It’s time to bring out the big balloons!” However, she accompanied the post with an image of herself staring at the pop star’s breasts. Many immediately voiced their disapproval, but Piers Morgan was calling her a hypocrite. He made the point that if a man had made this joke, Ellen would be the one leading the cries of “’SEXIST PIG!’”

Susan Sarandon Among Celebrities To Voice Disapproval At George W. Bush Friendship

When Ellen admitted to having a friendship with President George W. Bush, Susan Sarandon was among the many celebrities to voice her disapproval. In a 2019 photograph, Ellen is pictured sitting next to the former president at an NFL game in Dallas. The picture immediately triggered controversy on social media. George W. Bush and Ellen were watching a game between the Green Bay Packers and the Dallas Cowboy’s in the Cowboy’s suite chatting and laughing. Ellen responded by saying she is friends with a lot of people who don’t share her same beliefs. Still, the critics surfaced, including Sarandon stating that Bush was no friend to LGBTQ+ people and that Ellen was missing the point, not even mentioning how he was accused of being a war criminal.

More On The Kathy Griffin And Ellen DeGeneres Bad Vibes

Years have gone by, but the drama continues. The bad vibes between Griffin and DeGeneres have been brewing for quite some time. In Griffin’s 2016 book, she referred to a “certain beloved daytime talk show host” who once had her kicked out from a backstage dressing room at the Emmy Awards. She went on to say she wasn’t naming names, but this celebrity has short blonde hair and a mean streak that all of Hollywood knows about. When DeGeneres read the statement, she called Griffin “very mean”. Fast forward to a much later date, and Griffin admitted that the two kind of “got into it.”

Marvel Star Bashes Ellen’s President Bush Connection

Marvel actor Mark Ruffalo took to Twitter to bash Ellen DeGeneres and her connection with President George W. Bush. The Avengers star was quick and detailed to tweet out how until the former president was brought to justice for is Iraq war crimes, including those inflicted in the United States military, he wouldn’t even begin to speak of kindness. The tweet brought on plenty of backlash including from one notable veteran, Graham Allen. This vet responded saying, “Sorry to interrupt your ‘hulk smash’ moment.” He then went on to explain that he had served under Bush and would do it again. He concluded by saying, “You don’t get to speak for Veterans.”

The Good Place Star Speaks Out

Jameela Jamil from The good Place admitted that she understood the rage about Ellen befriending President George W. Bush. Others to speak out against this friendship include Mark Ruffalo and Susan Sarandon. Jameela Jamil followed right in step with them when she tweeted out to be heard. She admittedly took awhile to decide which side of this debate she favored. Jameela, after all, is a British star and not American. She ultimately sided with Ellen’s critics saying that she has learned the full extent of Bush’s heinous presidency and how she hadn’t known much about him previously since she was dealing with her own epic nightmare of a prime minister at the time.