‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’ team fired 3 producers for being toxic
Earlier this year, social media began subjecting Ellen DeGeneres to a trial. Allegations regarding a toxic workplace environment at The Ellen DeGeneres Show surfaced, along with claims of bullying, racism, and mistreatment. In fact, when Kevin Porter provoked Twitter, Twitterati responded with reams of anecdotes of being treated poorly by the host of the eponymous show.
People shared stories of her unkindness towards them either when they were waiting tables, or even when they were on the staff for her show. Since then, the issue has assumed monstrous proportions. Audience members have revealed how the entire narrative of kindness being propagated by Ellen is fake.
This was followed by her employees expressing concerns over lack of communication regarding their pay during the lockdown – the same time as she was cracking jokes about how quarantining at home feels like being in a prison.
An investigation upended the complacency
The facade of kindness & generosity is breaking, and how! Following these amorphous conversations on social media, BuzzFeed News ran a story based on 36 interviews with former staff, further describing how the show upheld a “toxic work culture” and a general experience of “racism, fear, and intimidation.” This prompted an internal investigation of the show’s workplace by WarnerMedia.
One of the most widely circulated statements from the investigation hinted that the parent company had taken cognizance of the problems, “Though not all of the allegations were corroborated, we are disappointed that the primary findings of the investigation indicated some deficiencies related to the show’s day-to-day management.”
According to BuzzFeed News, most of these allegations were targeting executive producers & senior managers. Now, in what seems to be a consequence of the said internal investigation, three producers have parted ways from The Ellen DeGeneres Show. These include executive producers Ed Glavin & Kevin Leman & co-executive producer Jonathan Norman.
Win some, lose some
In what is touted to have been an emotional meeting over a video conference call, the ouster of these producers was accompanied by the promotion of the show’s house DJ, Stephen “tWitch” Boss, who was named a co-executive producer.
The exit seems sudden because Leman & Norman were not owning up to the accusations until a few days ago. While Norman categorically denied the accusations, BuzzFeed News ran another investigation where Leman was also accused by former staff members of sexual harassment, a claim he dismissed. Again, Leman denied “any kind of sexual impropriety”.
But Ellen apparently made a bold, yet emotional statement at the meeting, peppered with apologies & promises to make the show a happy place.
That seems reminiscent of her July 31 memo in response to the investigation, “Anyone who knows me knows it’s the opposite of what I believe and what I hoped for our show. I could not have the success I’ve had without all of your contributions. My name is on the show and everything we do and I take responsibility for that.”
Are we buying it?
The third season of the show Ellen’s Game of Games is scheduled to shoot from August 26 & it’s been confirmed that the ousted producers won’t be a part of it.
Ellen claims that she’s working with WarnerMedia to take steps to correct the issues. Whether the step to oust the producers & senior management will remedy the alleged foul practices is yet to be seen. At the same time, who’s going to address all the bitter experiences people have shared of their encounters with Ellen?
