Ellen DeGeneres is the latest comedian to fire off a tone-deaf joke that didn't hit its intended target.
Ellen decided to relaunch her talk show this week after going dark for three weeks due to the coronavirus. Instead of being in front of a live studio audience, Ellen's broadcasting from her living room. She decided to make light of the situation by likening her experience to stereotypes people believe about incarceration.
"One thing I’ve learned from being in quarantine is that...this is like being in jail," DeGeneres said. "Mostly because I’ve been wearing the same clothes for 10 days and everyone in here is gay."
This remark didn't go over well with fans. Not only does it undermine the severity of incarceration, but it also shows a lack of concern for those who are incarcerated during this pandemic. While people are self-isolating to protect themselves from the coronavirus, COVID-19 is sweeping through America's jails and prisons.
Nearly 300 inmates and employees at New York's Riker's Island have been infected by the virus. On Sunday, the facility became the first institution to have an inmate die from COVID-19.
Other states have resulted to releasing non-violent offenders in hopes of protecting them from getting the coronavirus as well as flatten the curve within their facilities. The illness is also leaking into federal facilities.
Ellen has owned several multi-million dollar houses that are undoubtedly bigger than a 6-by-8-foot cell. Comparing her living situation during quarantine to an inmate's everyday life created a lot of backlash online.
