‘Sopranos’ Star Says Ellen DeGeneres Was ‘An A**hole From Way Back When’

Before landing his signature role as Bobby Bacala on  Drew Carey and Kevin Pollack, as well as other famous comedians who ed through his venue.

Ellen DeGeneres,” he explained. “She was an asshole then. She got proven to be an asshole, but she was an asshole way back when.”

Once known as “the Queen of Nice,” DeGeneres and her public persona  told Cracked that DeGeneres deserved everything she got. “It became very unpleasant,” he said. “There was a lot of fear going around.”

Morril asked if DeGeneres’ playful dancing was simply a cover-up for a meaner personality. “The whole show was an act,” Schirripa said. “I mean, she wasn’t a nice person.”

But she wasn’t always like that, according to Schirripa. “She worked for me in Vegas,” he said. “She wasn’t mean then. It was before she had hit it big. She was very nice.”

A decade later, it was a different story. “I’m at the Emmys with The Sopranos,” he said. “I never say hello to anyone first because I’m always afraid you’re going to get dissed. Like some guys are assholes, right?”

Despite his social anxieties, Schirripa decided to approach his old colleague. “I go up to her and I say, ‘Hey Ellen, I don’t know if you me. Steve? I ran the Riviera Comedy Club?’ How hard am I to fucking ? And she just dismissed me,” he said. “Like, I don’t even think she said anything. She was with two other people, and I had a tuxedo on. I just slinked away.”

Schirripa also told Normand and Morril about his experiences with other comics during his Vegas days, including...

• Don Rickles: “Rickles played the Sahara. He was his own guy, nicest guy. He fucks around, but he’s (a) really nice guy. I love Don Rickles personally, but he didn’t make me laugh that much. The hockey puck shit and all that.”
• Robin Williams: “A great guy, and I got to know him. I liked him better as an actor than as a comic. I didn’t care for him (as a comedian).”
• Rodney Dangerfield: “We go see his show. I’m with my wife, we weren’t married then. We go backstage. He’s wearing the robe with the fucking cards. His balls are fucking hanging down like a grandfather clock, and he drinks a giant vodka. A lot of fun. We hung for quite a while.” 

“So did his balls,” joked Normand.