For decades comedian Ellen DeGeneres has been the source of delight to fans. The stand up comic turned actress turned day time talk show, grew even more in popularity through the advent of social media and YouTube.
With a commanding prescence on YouTube – her 37 million plus viewers being the most for any talk show on the platform- and millions who follow her on Facebook, Instagram and on network TV, Ellen has been a mainstay of pop culture for what seems like eternity. However recently the show has landed itself in hot waters, with rumors of toxic work place environment growing louder and louder.
Ellen DeGeneres investigation could end TV career, brand expert says https://t.co/sQGuWIOCg3
— FOX 5 DC (@fox5dc) July 29, 2020
Ellen DeGeneres Show Under Investigation
After a bombshell expose by Buzzfeed, The Ellen DeGeneres Show has become the subject of an internal investigation by WarnerMedia following numerous accounts of workplace problems on the long-running daytime series.
A Black woman who used to work on The Ellen DeGeneres Show told BuzzFeed News she experienced racist comments, actions, and “microaggressions” (such as a colleague saying they only “know white people” in the show) during her year and a half as an employee. Her concerns about the toxic and racist environment fell on deaf ears when she reported a specific incident of racism to a superior.
The same employee faced further problems after one year when she said she asked for a raise after learning another recent hire made double for doing the same job, despite her having worked in the television industry for a decade.
The former employee said she was also called into a meeting with executive producer Ed Glavin, where she was reprimanded for her objections to the term “spirit animal,” asking for a raise, and suggesting employees on the show receive diversity and inclusion training. After the meeting, she left work for the day and never returned to The Ellen DeGeneres Show. She said she has no plans to ever work in the entertainment industry again.
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Ellen’s Future
In a joint statement to BuzzFeed News, executive producers Ed Glavin, Mary Connelly, and Andy Lassner said:
“Over the course of nearly two decades, 3,000 episodes, and employing over 1000 staff members, we have strived to create an open, safe, and inclusive work environment,” they said. “We are truly heartbroken and sorry to learn that even one person in our production family has had a negative experience. It’s not who we are and not who we strive to be, and not the mission Ellen has set for us.
Other incidents like this have also been reported on by Buzzfeed. Prior to Buzzfeed’s investigative report another prestigious website Variety had also reported on the treatment of staff during lock down. The producers are maintaining that this was their responsibility and should not fall on Ellen DeGeneres’s shoulders, however ex-employees and much of the internet seems to hold the comedian responsible as well for running a toxic workplace environment.
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Kevin T Porter on Ellen
Right now we all need a little kindness. You know, like Ellen Degeneres always talks about! 😊❤️
She’s also notoriously one of the meanest people alive
Respond to this with the most insane stories you’ve heard about Ellen being mean & I’ll match every one w/ $2 to @LAFoodBank
— Kevin T. Porter (@KevinTPorter) March 20, 2020
In March comedian Kevin T Porter asked people to talk to him about Ellen’s troublesome behavior in a twitter thread that went viral with responses from all sorts of people surprising the internet.
Many are speculating that Ellen’s unwillingness to get ahead of the situation has tarnished the reputation of her brand. There are even rumors that the host’s career could come to a startling end, in the light of these accusations.