Greyson Chance says Ellen DeGeneres was ‘insanely manipulative’ of him as a child star
Ellen DeGeneres (L) and Greyson Chance (R). (Getty)
Former child star Greyson Chance has spoken out against Ellen DeGeneres who he described as “manipulative”, “self-centred” and “blatantly opportunistic”.
Chance, now 25-years-old, was just 12 when a video of him singing Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi” at a school performance went viral on YouTube.
Speaking with Rolling Stone he reflected on the toxic experience he had with DeGeneres after she reached out to him following his viral fame. Days after Chance went viral he was invited to appear on The Ellen Show.
He recalled Degeneres saying, as he arrived: “I’m going to protect you. I’m going to be here for you. We’re going to do this together.”
Chance said DeGeneres was initially completely invested in his talent, offering $10,000, a new piano and even co-creating a record label, eleveneleven, on which Chance was signed as the first act.
However, things began to change as Chance’s career began taking off. Five months after signing with her, Chance was touring the world and said DeGeneres became “domineering and way too controlling”.
“My whole week, my whole month, my whole year could change [with] one text message from her. That was horrible. If she had an opinion of any sort, the whole thing changed.”
On his tour with iCarly’s Miranda Cosgrove, Chance and his mother Lisa recalled DeGeneres “berating” both of them for not watching Justin Bieber’s new documentary Never Say Never.
After Chance’s career started “tanking” with little interest in his touring and new music by 2012, he remembered DeGeneres “disappearing”.
He was unable to get hold of her and one by one the team she had assembled around him also began to drop off the radar.
Chance continued to return to Ellen as recently as 2019 to perform his latest releases, but said it was “a place of active trauma” for him.
After Chance came out as gay, DeGeneres praised his courage but for Chance he simply thought that “behind the scenes, you are this insanely manipulative person”.
Since then Chance has cut ties with DeGeneres and the show which itself has ended after wider allegations of bullying were aimed at Degeneres.
Ellen DeGeneres declined to respond to Rolling Stone about Chance’s allegations. PinkNews has also reached out for comment.
Chance released his latest single “My Dying Spirit” on 22 September.
