Ellen DeGeneres has landed herself in hot water after allegations of the show’s toxic work environment have come to the forefront, with former guests taking sides in the saga.
In an article published by BuzzFeed one current and ten former employees revealed issues of racism, sexual harassment, and psychological abuse that were plaguing the show which is known for its positive nature and acts of charity.
Former guests on the Ellen DeGeneres show have come out in support of the host, while others believe the allegations stem from DeGeneres herself.
Now former guests and high profile celebrities have come out in defence of Ellen DeGeneres, with the likes of Katy Perry, Ashton Kutcher, and Kevin Hart all posting on social media in support of the Hollywood angel.
Kevin Hart took to Instagram to relay his positive experiences with Ellen, who had publicly defended him after his past homophobic comments resurfaced last year.
The post read, “I have known Ellen for years and I can honestly say that she’s one of the dopest people on the fucking planet. She has treated my family and my team with love and respect from day 1.”
Pop-star Katy Perry similarly came out in support of the host, sharing her positive experiences as a guest on the show.
Perry tweeted, “I know I can’t speak for anyone else’s experience besides my own but I want to acknowledge that I have only ever had positive takeaways from my time with Ellen & on the @theellenshow. I think we all have witnessed the light & continual fight for equality that she has brought to the world through her platform for decades.”
1/2 I know I can’t speak for anyone else’s experience besides my own but I want to acknowledge that I have only ever had positive takeaways from my time with Ellen & on the @theellenshow. I think we all have witnessed the light & continual fight for equality that she has brought
— KATY PERRY (@katyperry) August 4, 2020
Following on from the trend of using their own experience as a privileged celebrity appearing on the show, Ashton Kutcher also tweeted his support, stating, “I haven’t spoken with @TheEllenShow and can only speak from my own experience. She & her team have only treated me & my team w/ respect & kindness.”
I haven’t spoken with @TheEllenShow and can only speak from my own experience. She & her team have only treated me & my team w/ respect & kindness. She never pandered to celebrity which I always saw as a refreshing honesty. When things aren’t right she handles it and fixes.
— ashton kutcher (@aplusk) August 5, 2020
Ellen DeGeneres apologised to her staff in a statement in which she blamed the allegations on the show’s growth and the failure of other staff to uphold a positive work environment.
The statement said, “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. That will now change and I’m committed to ensuring this does not happen again.”
It continued, “We have identified several staffing changes, along with appropriate measures to address the issues that have been raised, and are taking the first steps to implement them. Warner Bros. and Ellen DeGeneres are all committed to ensuring a workplace based on respect and inclusion. We are confident this course of action will lead us to the right way forward for the show.”
However, not all celebrities have come out in support of Ellen, with comedian Brad Garrett, best known for his role on Everybody Loves Raymond, seemingly blaming the toxic work culture of the show on the host herself.
He tweeted, “Sorry but it comes from the top @TheEllenShow Know more than one who were treated horribly by her. Common Knowledge.”
Sorry but it comes from the top @TheEllenShow Know more than one who were treated horribly by her. Common knowledge. DeGeneres Sends Emotional Apology to Staff – Variety https://t.co/D0uxOgyyre
— Brad Garrett (@RealBradGarrett) July 31, 2020
Garrett appeared on the show six times between 2004 and 2007, and his tweet echoes the allegations made by former staff that DeGeneres fostered a harmful environment.
Back to the Future actress Lea Thompson backed up the claims made by Garrett by simply tweeting in reply, “True story. It is.”
True story. It is.
— Lea Thompson (@LeaKThompson) July 31, 2020
With former guests and celebrities taking sides in the saga, it’s hard to compare the experiences of those as guests in a position of privilege, with that of the staff.
