Dump your ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’ tickets: Is staff being forced to stay quiet?

As the slew of accusations against Ellen DeGeneres continues to pile up, staff has reportedly been told to “muzzle it” and not talk to the media. This muzzle order came from The Ellen DeGeneres Show’s legal team, according to a report from OK! Magazine. This might be a good time to ditch Ellen show tickets if you were planning on going to see her live, because it only looks like things are getting worse for Ellen.

WarnerMedia investigates Ellen

WarnerMedia is currently investigating the talk show after numerous reports of workplace harassment and sexual assault have surfaced after Ed Glavin was hired as The Ellen DeGeneres Show’s executive producer. Ed Glavin has been described as Ellen’s “dog”, in reference to his aggression. Some say the gag order has little to do with the legal implications, and that it’s being used so that Ellen can save face. 

A source was reported saying “The staff are being told not to talk to the press at all. If they have any concerns, they should reach out to their supervisors of the investigation team looking into the accusations. Most members of the staff think they can’t speak because of the legal reasons, when in reality, it has nothing to do with the law, but rather to do with saving Ellen’s a$$.” 

Ellen holds grudges

Tickets to The Ellen DeGeneres Show might become a dime a dozen if Ellen’s misconduct accusations are proven true. Another source pointed out that “the entire team is walking on eggshells . . . They are told that they should feel free to be open and express their feelings, however, they all know that there will be a huge cost if they do. Ellen holds a grudge and has a very, very long memory.”

Recognizable members of Ellen’s staff, like Tony Okungbowa who served as The Ellen DeGeneres Show’s on-set DJ, have also come out about their experiences. Okungbowa has said, “While I am grateful for the opportunity it afforded me, I did experience and feel the toxicity of the environment and I stand with my former colleagues in their quest to create a healthier and more inclusive workplace.” 

Allegations of intimidation and racism against Ellen

The allegations that WarnerMedia are investigating include racism, workplace intimidation, and other mistreatment done by employees of The Ellen DeGeneres Show. The toxic work environment has been hidden from audiences, but has been allegedly rampant behind the scenes. If you do have tickets to see Ellen DeGeneres, you may not even notice the toxic environment hidden behind the smiles.

Ellen’s producers are taking the allegations seriously

It’s not clear how long the internal investigation will go on for, but it was brought about after 11 unnamed current and former employees spoke up about their experiences. The executive producers Ed Glavin, Mary Connelly, and Andy Lassner said that they take these allegations very seriously and that they go against the ethos of The Ellen DeGeneres Show. 

A former camera assistant has stated that working on  The Ellen DeGeneres Show is “kind of like The Devil Wear Prada. Everyone is trying to make it to the end of one year. It’s just a badge of honor to have that and have it on your résumé.” Other accusers are still working for Ellen, but it’s hard to say how much longer they will last. 

Ellen has apologized, but is that enough?

DeGeneres reportedly sent a memo to staff on July 30th saying “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. Obviously, something changed and I am disappointed to learn that this has not been the case. And for that, I am sorry.”

It’s hard to say whether Ellen’s remorse was genuine or simply opportunistic, but we expect that the internal investigation will provide additional details regarding the accusations. Until more light is shed on the questions concerning how toxic The Ellen DeGeneres show really is, it’s probably best to get tickets to a different show.