Ellen DeGeneres Apologizes to Employees After Toxic Workplace Allegations
Ellen DeGeneres issued an apology to her employees Thursday following allegations of workplace misconduct behind the scenes of the daytime television show.
“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. Anyone who knows me knows it’s the opposite of what I believe and what I hoped for our show,” DeGeneres said in her apology (via Variety). “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.”
Earlier this month, a dozen current and former Ellen employees detailed to Buzzfeed the toxic work culture they faced during their tenure on the show, including allegations of racism and intimidation by the show’s top producers. In one case, an employee claimed they were fired after taking bereavement days to attend a family funeral, while another employee was allegedly terminated after spending a month in a mental health facility following a suicide attempt.
In her apology to staffers, DeGeneres said she and Warner Bros. (the show’s production company) have begun “an internal investigation and we are taking steps, together, to correct the issues”; according to Variety, one executive producer is expected to be fired soon due to their role in the allegations.
https://www.rollingstone.com/tv/tv-news/ellen-degeneres-apology-toxic-workplace-allegations-1037326/
