TV host Ellen DeGeneres has apologized to members of her team following allegations of racism, intimidation and hostile workplace conditions on her talk show from current and former staff.
According to a publication from Buzzfeed, current and erstwhile staff shared with the outlet that the work environment was “dominated by fear.” From their accounts, team members have been fired unceremoniously for taking medical leave or taking bereavement days off to attend funerals of dead loved ones. Others were instructed not to speak to Ellen should they come across her on set. Some staff alleged some team members were treated better than others by executive producers to suggest favouritism.
In all of these, past and present employees said the working condition of the show was at odds with its tagline “Be kind to one another”. Ellen DeGeneres who has hosted the show for 17 years always described her programme as ” a place of happiness.”
Another staff who worked there for 18 months shared she was subjected to “micro-aggression” and racist discrimination. This is in stark discordance of what the show claims to stand for. “That ‘be kind’ [stuff] only happens when the cameras are on. It’s all for show,” one former employee told Buzzfeed. “I know they give money to people and help them out, but it’s for show.”
However, Ellen DeGeneres was not accused of hostility or mistreatment of staff. One of the testifiers had shared “I think the executive producers surround her and tell her, ‘Things are going great, everybody’s happy,’ and she just believes that. But it’s her responsibility to go beyond that.”
“If [Ellen] wants to have her own show and have her name on the show title, she needs to be more involved to see what’s going on.”
Meanwhile, I’m an email to staff obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, Ellen has now taken responsibility for hostility and misconduct going on in her show.
In the email, she said she’s “committed to ensuring this does not happen again”.
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“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,” she wrote.
“Obviously, something changed, and I am disappointed to learn that this has not been the case. And for that, I am sorry. Anyone who knows me knows it’s the opposite of what I believe and what I hoped for our show. People who work with me and for me are speaking on my behalf and misrepresenting who I am, and that has to stop.
“As someone who was judged and nearly lost everything for just being who I am, I truly understand and have deep compassion for those being looked at differently, or treated unfairly, not equal, or – worse – disregarded. To think that anyone of you felt that way is awful to me.”
“I am so proud of the work we do and the fun and joy we all help put out in the world. I want everyone at home to love our show and I want everyone who makes it to love working on it. Again, I’m so sorry to anyone who didn’t have that experience. We all have to be more mindful of the way our words and actions affect others. And I’m glad the issues at our show were brought to my attention,” she added.
Meanwhile, Warner Bros Media inc. has begun an investigation into the myriad of reports of discrimination and misconduct from the Ellen DeGenres show.
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