The Ellen DeGeneres Show is ‘under investigation’ by WarnerMedia following series of ‘toxic work culture’ accusations
THE Ellen DeGeneres show is reportedly under investigation following numerous accusations the set is a “toxic work environment” for staffers.
An internal investigation by parent company WarnerMedia is allegedly taking place after about experiencing "racism, fear, and intimidation” while working on the talk show.
According to , Telepictures - which produces the daytime series - and Warner Bros. - which is in charge of distribution - sent an e-mail to staffers last week to say they’re working with a third party firm.
Sources told the outlet in addition to the third party company, WarnerMedia’s employee relations group will also interview current and former workers about their experiences on set.
A rep for The Show did not immediately respond to The Sun’s request for comment.
The memo cited various media articles that have come out in recent months as .
Earlier this month, Ellen they suffered from "racism, fear, and intimidation” on set.
One current and 10 former crew members from the hit daytime series spoke to about the “toxic work environment” but remained anonymous due to fear of retribution.
The outlet said some staff claimed to have been fired because they took medical leave or bereavement days to attend family funerals.
While others alleged they were instructed by their managers to not speak directly to the 62-year-old comedian if they saw her at the office.
For months, the host has for
A Black woman, who once worked for Ellen, told the website that she experienced “racist comments, actions, and microaggressions” during her year and a half as an employee.
She also alleged that a main writer for the show told her at a company party: “I’m sorry, I only know the names of the white people who work here.”
After a meeting where she said she was reprimanded by executive producer Ed Glavin for raising concerns, the woman left the show that day and never returned.
Executive producers Ed Glavin, Mary Connelly, and Andy Lassner released a joint statement to Buzzfeed, claiming they take the stories "very seriously.”
"Over the course of nearly two decades, 3,000 episodes, and employing over 1,000 staff members, we have strived to create an open, safe, and inclusive work environment," the letter read.
The trio continued: "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.”
They concluded: “For the record, the day to day responsibility of the Ellen show is completely on us.
“We take all of this very seriously and we realize, as many in the world are learning, that we need to do better, are committed to do better, and we will do better.”
What are the allegations about Ellen DeGeneres being ‘mean’ and why is she getting so much backlash?
Ellen DeGeneres has recently faced backlash after reports emerged that the host is "mean" and "rude" to her staff and guests.
Several people that have either worked with or visited show are coming forward to denounce her sunny image, claiming that behind the scenes, the comedian is a different person.
Current staff echo those sentiments and are reportedly
“Is she always nice? No,” said a former staffer. “It irritates me that people think she’s all sweetness and light and she gets away with it.”
The host was recently the subject of a viral Twitter thread that centered on the , encouraging people to share any personal stories they had to validate the theory.
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Ellen staff claim that they have been cast aside by their famous boss.
In April, Variety reported that over the lack of communication about their pay amid the pandemic.
Speaking to , a source said: "Radio silence from producers created anxiety among crew members who feared they would be furloughed and, in that case, would need to explore unemployment benefits."
They added that bosses only "occasionally" answered their phone, and when Ellen returned to air on April 6 after a short hiatus most of the team only found out via social media.
They were left further disgruntled when they discovered that Ellen had hired a non-union company to help her produce the show from home - even though the normal crew have the same skills and are out of work.
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