Ellen DeGeneres responds to allegations of toxic work environment
In a letter to her crew, the daytime talk show host takes responsibility and vows to 'correct the issues' going forward.
Ellen DeGeneres is addressing accusations of a “toxic” workplace at her talk show after former staffers spilled secrets about what’s really going on behind-the-scenes.
In a letter to her crew, DeGeneres takes responsibility and vows to “correct the issues” going forward.
“As we’ve grown exponentially, I’ve not been able to stay on top of everything and relied on others to do their jobs as they knew I’d want them done. Clearly some didn’t,” she writes. “That will now change and I’m committed to ensuring this does not happen again.”
As part of that change, executive producer Ed Glavin, who is at the center of many of the claims in Buzzfeed’s explosive report on employee grievances, is among those who will be let go.
Read More: WarnerMedia investigating ‘Ellen DeGeneres Show’ for alleged toxicity
“Once he’s out, it will be like a new day,” says a source close to the show, per The Hollywood Reporter.
The Buzzfeed report prompted an in-house investigation by Telepictures parent WarnerMedia. theGRIO previously reported, the outlet produced an extensive survey of the culture, interviewing both current and former employees, who gave their perspective of the workplace.
One of the more shocking revelations was that workers were advised not to speak to DeGeneres when they saw her passing by.
Others claimed that they were fired following medical leave or let go after taking bereavement days to attend family funerals.
One person expressed that she quit because of how uncomfortable she was made to feel about her race.
“If she [Ellen DeGeneres] wants to have her own show and have her name on the show title, she needs to be more involved to see what’s going on,” said a former show employee.
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In a statement to Buzzfeed, Glavin, along with EPs 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. 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.”
DeGeneres also notes in her letter, “As someone who was judged and nearly lost everything for just being who I am,” she writes, “I truly understand and have deep compassion for those being looked at differently, or treated unfairly, not equal, or — worse — disregarded.”
She added, “It’s been way too long, but we’re finally having conversations about fairness and justice.”
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