The comedian did a live show in L.A. this week, which some reporters had attended -- and she ended up addressing her leaving her famed talk show ... which came to an end in 2022 on the heels of claims from former staffers that the workplace was a nightmare.

Ellen says, "What else can I tell you? Oh yeah, I got kicked out of show business. There’s no mean people in show business."

She adds, "The hate went on for a long time and I would try to avoid looking at the news. The ‘be kind’ girl wasn’t kind. That was the headline. I became this one-dimensional character who gave stuff away and danced up steps ... Would a mean person dance up steps? Had I ended my show by saying, 'Go f*** yourself,' people would’ve been pleasantly surprised."

Ellen also made this crack at one point, saying this was actually the second time she'd been kicked out of showbiz -- referring to the backlash she got in the '90s when she came out -- and added there'd be a third time eventually because "I’m mean, old, and gay."

While she was making fun of the whole ordeal, she got serious at various moments in the set too ... saying the aftermath took a toll on her ego and self-esteem, noting people in Hollywood either love your or hate you, and that the hate often outweighs the love.

She also said this ... "Honestly, I’m making jokes about what happened to me but it was devastating, really. I just hated the way the show ended. I love that show so much and I just hated that the last time people would see me is that way."

Ellen also said the scandal weighed heavily on her wife, Portia de Rossi, and while she was down in the dumps for a long time ... she's grateful to be back onstage anew.