Mariah Carey Opened Up About That 'Ellen' Pregnancy Interview

beverly hills, california october 11 mariah carey attends varietys 2019 power of women los angeles presented by lifetime at the beverly wilshire four seasons hotel on october 11, 2019 in beverly hills, california photo by amy sussmanfilmmagic

(Image credit: Amy Sussman)

published 1 September 2020

Mariah Carey opened up about her now-infamous 2008 appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres Show, during which DeGeneres served her champagne in an effort to force her to reveal her pregnancy.
Carey miscarried shortly after the interview.
Speaking to Vulture, Carey reflected, "I was extremely uncomfortable with that moment is all I can say. And I really have had a hard time grappling with the aftermath."

Mariah Carey has opened up about her appearance on the Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2008, during which DeGeneres attempted to force her to announce her pregnancy by giving her champagne. Shortly after the interview, Carey miscarried. The clip reemerged on Twitter earlier this year, amid allegations of a toxic atmosphere behind the scenes of the show which have led to the launch of an internal investigation. Speaking to Vulture, Carey said, "I was extremely uncomfortable with that moment is all I can say. And I really have had a hard time grappling with the aftermath."

"I wasn’t ready to tell anyone because I had had a miscarriage," Carey explained. "I don’t want to throw anyone that’s already being thrown under any proverbial bus, but I didn’t enjoy that moment." She added that there was "an empathy that can be applied to those moments that I would have liked to have been implemented. But what am I supposed to do?"

mariah carey ellen degeneres pregnant interview

While DeGeneres has not addressed her interview with Carey, she responded to the allegations that her show fostered a toxic workplace environment in a memo to staff in July. "On day one of our show, I told everyone in our first meeting that 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' would be a place of happiness—no one would ever raise their voice, and everyone would be treated with respect," DeGeneres said, as CNN reports. "Obviously, something changed, and I am disappointed to learn that this has not been the case. And for that, I am sorry."

Emily Dixon is a British journalist who’s contributed to CNN, Teen Vogue, Time, Glamour, The Guardian, Wonderland, The Big Roundtable, Bust, and more, on everything from mental health to fashion to political activism to feminist zine collectives. She’s also a committed Beyoncé, Kacey Musgraves, and Tracee Ellis Ross fan, an enthusiastic but terrible ballet dancer, and a proud Geordie lass.