My favorite “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” meme isn’t actually an Ellen meme but one of Dakota Johnson saying, “Actually, no. That’s not the truth, Ellen.” when she was a guest on the show. For years, the host has amassed a number of supporters due to charitable acts on her show and a mantra of being kind (“Be Kind” is the name of her seasonal subscription boxes and the closing statement of her show). However, as one former employee told Buzzfeed news, “That ‘be kind’ bullshit only happens when the cameras are on. It’s all for show.”
In an interview published today, one current and 10 former employees of the show opened up about its alleged toxic work environment. They claim that they were fired after taking medical leave or bereavement days to attend family funerals. One of them shared that she “essentially walked off the job,” because she was “fed up with comments about her race.” Others alleged that they were instructed “not speak to DeGeneres if they saw her around the office.”
Although most of them blamed show executives and managers, they maintained that since its Ellen’s name on the show, she should share the responsibility in a workplace environment where POC employees experienced microaggressions and other forms of discrimination.
A former black employee said that she was allegedly shut down when she asked producers to stop appropriating terms like “spirit animal.” She also shared how one of the main writers allegedly told her, “I’m sorry, I only know the names of the white people who work here.” She admitted to Buzzfeed that a lot of them were too afraid to speak out, fearing that they’d get blacklisted.
Former staff members pointed out that employees who had “more likable” personalities (meaning that they didn’t complain about working for 10-plus-hour a day and actively ignored maltreatment from managers) were allegedly gifted new iPhones, JetBlue gift cards, and other goodies from sponsors.
In a joint statement sent to Buzzfeed, executive producers Ed Glavin, Mary Connelly and Andy Lassner stated that they strive to “open, safe, and inclusive work environment.” The statement reads in part, “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. For the record, the day to day responsibility of the Ellen show is completely on us. We take all of this very seriously and we realize, as many in the world are learning, that we need to do better, are committed to do better, and we will do better.”
In defense of the show, some employees claim that it’s the norm in TV production. But others said that their experience with the show stood out because it was dominated by fear.
Hey, “Ellen” team, practice what you preach. In 2020, we’re not letting performativity slide.
Photo screengrab from the “Ellen DeGeneres: Relatable” trailer
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