Three senior producers have been fired from The Ellen DeGeneres Show after a series of reports exposed the show's toxic work environment. I read it in the paper. "The ELLEN DEGENERES SAYS PORTIA DE ROSSI WAS HER 'ROCK' DURING TOXIC WORK ENVIRONMENT SCANDAL: 'SHE KEPT ME GOING', DeGeneres' show is currently in its 18th season. Don't do it," DeGeneres jokingly added. The following month,a former bodyguard who was assigned to protectDeGeneresduring her hosting gig at the 2014 Oscars told us the star was "very cold.". Like that's really exciting.". An enduring daytime TV hit suffered a sharp ratings decline after complaints of workplace misconduct clanged against the performers public image. This producer denied the story's claims in a statement to us. 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' has come under fire for its toxic workplace in the past year. By Starr Bowenbank. The third ex-employee said crew members "didn't have the freedom to talk or be yourself because of whatever controlling issue she had." Religious leaders ran ads in newspapers condemning her, and an unsure entertainment industry recoiled. According to multiple sources, DeGeneres told the staff she was not perfect and realized that in the effort for the show to run as a well-oiled machine, sometimes leaders were not as sensitive to human beings as they should have been. (NBC). In other staffing news, Stephen tWitch Boss the shows resident DJ has been promoted to co-executive producer. Now, she's addressing themdirectly about her decision to end the show after 19 seasons. She has treated my family and my team with love and respect from Day 1.. Ellen DeGeneres sadly let her staff know she was ending her talk showa day before going public with the news, E! NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. That episode scored the biggest ratings for Ellen in four years. Celebrities including Beyonc, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Lange, Madonna, John Travolta, and Barack and Michelle Obama broke out their goofiest moves as they danced with the shows star. Sasha Savitsky is the Senior Editor of SEO at Fox News Digital. Heres what we know, Nobody is going off the air: Ellen producer speaks out amid workplace investigation, Former Ellen show employees say they experienced racism and a toxic work environment, Heres what Katy Perry, Jay Leno and other celebrities are saying about Ellen DeGeneres while her show is under investigation, Theres been love: Ellen DJ Stephen tWitch Boss speaks out on toxic workplace allegations. "I'm not surprised. ", Having a front row seat for the past seven years to the demands of helming your own daytime talk show did little to convincethe So You Think You Can Dance alumthatEllen would be inking a new contract. So let me give you some advice out there if anybody's thinking of changing their title or giving yourself a nickname, do not go with the be kind lady. "Also, on the periodic table, 19 is the atomic number for potassium.". Her decision followed a sharp ratings decline for The Ellen DeGeneres Show, also known as Ellen, which is in its 18th season. 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' has come under fire for its toxic workplace in the past year. According to the publication, nearly a dozen former employees said it was common for one producer, whose name E! Kevin is devastated by being scapegoated and is not yet ready to comment., The news was delivered to Ellen staffers Monday afternoon during a staff meeting in which DeGeneres spoke via a videoconference call. And I really, honestly, felt like, 'I don't deserve this. I said it," DeGeneressaid in the clip, mixing serious thoughts with the meandering beats and strategic pauses that are signature of her comedic style. She signed a new contract through 2022. The same day Ellen shared her letter, Buzzfeed Newspublished a new investigation. Social-media users combed through footage of her interviews to find spicy remarks she had made to celebrity guests, as if turning up evidence that the niceness was a ruse. Its the end of an era: Ellen DeGeneres is stepping back from The Ellen DeGeneres Show after 18 years on television. "Ellen" staff was given the news during a virtual meeting, which was led by the 63-year-old comedian, sources told Fox News at the time. I was like, Isnt anybody aware what's going on that the staff at the Ellen show had seen?' The Ellen DeGeneres Show has overhauled its senior production team in the wake of accusations of racial insensitivity, sexual misconduct and other problems in the work environment at the long-running daytime talk show. You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter! She noted all this in her on-air apology, telling viewers, Being known as the Be Kind Lady is a tricky position to be in. Ellen DeGeneres has penned a letter to the Meanwhile, Stephen tWitch Boss the resident DJ of the Ellen show has been made a co-executive producer, following the departure of Glavin, Leman and Norman, Variety reported. But if I was quitting the show because of that, I wouldnt have come back this season," she said. Last July, Tom Majercak, the bodyguard whose job it was to protect DeGeneres throughout the awards show, claimed to Fox News in an exclusive interview that she was "cold" to him. Fox News spoke to three employees who worked on shows starring DeGeneres, including one whose time working for the star dates back to the 1990s when the "Ellen" sitcom was at its peak. The decline seems to have affected the bottom line. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. "She would close the door, and whoever was invited in her trailer was her business, obviously. Earlier this week, Andy Lassner spoke out on Twitter after a follower insinuated The Ellen DeGeneres Show was being canceled due to allegations made I mean, very. The longtime talk show host is a pioneering voice who leaves behind a complicated legacy. The on-air apology was also a rare moment of seriousness on a program known for its nonstop levity. Obviously theres some things to address, but from my standpoint and from countless others, theres been love, Boss toldUs Weekly. Right on the heels of that, I read in the press that there was a toxic work environment. You always felt like there was something different when you walked on that set. "This culture we're living [in is one where] no one can make mistakes," she said. "There were also articles in the press and on social media that said that I am not who I appeared to be on TV because I became known as the be kind lady. The complaints about the Ellen workplace seemed to contradict the hosts public image, and she suddenly found herself the subject of criticism. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. "People focus on rumors about how Ellen is mean and everything like that, but that's not the problem," one former employee told Buzzfeed News. "She didn't get ahead of it. It's a bittersweet end for a TV host who seems to have let her meteoric comeback blind her to the qualities that made audiences fall in love with her in the first place. WebWhile Ellen DeGeneres' show "Ellen" has been on the air since 1994, it would take until 1997 for Ellenboth the real-life figure and the character based on herto come out as a lesbian. Your twitter account always made me laugh," Lassner's Twitter follower commented on his post. I hardly ever do lift them. DEGGANS: DeGeneres's apology rang hollow to some who'd heard rumors her offstage persona was more critical and mean than her sunny onscreen attitude. or redistributed. ", 'ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW' PARTED WAYS WITH 3 EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS IN THE WAKE OF SEXUAL MISCONDUCT ALLEGATIONS. Warner Bros. had no comment on Buzzfeed's latest story. Majercak previously told Fox News that he not only provided security to DeGeneres during the night of the 86th Academy Awards but also to her mother and wife, Portia de Rossi. Isn't she going to be so missed? More: Trailblazing women in entertainment, including Ellen DeGeneres, Mariah Carey, more. Drop em in a comment below. Kevin Hart, for example, posted the following message of support on Instagram: Its crazy to see my friend go thru what shes going thru publicly. Since September, it has lost more than a million viewers, a bigger drop than any of her competitors have gone through this television season. Jim Paratore, an executive at Telepictures, which was part of Warner Bros., believed she had what it took to be a hit on daytime TV. I do that a lot. And then suddenly someone was like, hey, you know what would be good clickbait, is if the be kind lady isn't kind. She is working on new projectsfor HBO Max. It was too coordinated. Ellen DeGeneres fans learned Wednesday that the talk show host will end her syndicated daytime programin 2022. ", He replied, "Nobody is going off the air. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Because that's huge and monumental in itself. Ellen started the segment by tricking Jeannie into thinking she was surprising a single mother who loved Ellens show. Clearly some didn't. (SOUNDBITE OF TV SHOW, "THE ELLEN DEGENERES SHOW"). At the time of Buzzfeed News' expos, executive producers Ed Glavin, Mary Connelly and Lassner told E! I felt this too,'" he shared. DeGeneres is said to make $50 million a year in a contract that expires next year and she has spoken publicly in the past about possibly ending the show. "I talked to Portia. "We have made the necessary changes and today we are starting a new chapter. The show's workplace scandal damaged that image to a daytime TV audience which values authenticity. Per Nielsen's ratings in March, "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" lost over 1 million viewers over the course of the shows current season. 2023 E! "She'sbeen working really, really, really hard,"tWitchnoted. (Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP), "I learned that things happen here that never should have happened," DeGeneressaid on the show at the time. enthusiasts are mourning the end of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, the series' co-executive producer and in-house DJ, uh, kinda saw it coming . The move comes after DeGeneres and her Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. And that's why I started saying, be kind to one another. The phone didn't ring for three years. DeGeneres responded to the persistent rumor that staffers and guests were told not to address her or even look her in the eye if they encountered the host on the set or in the offices on the Warner Bros. lot. If anyone is thinking of changing their title or giving yourself a nickname, do not go with the Be Kind Lady.. ', The True Story Behind 'Cocaine Bear': A 175-Pound Beast, a Dead Drug Smuggler in Gucci Loafers and More, Michael B. Jordan Meets Reporter at 'Creed III' Premiere Who 'Teased Him all the Time' in High School: 'I Was the Corny Kid, Right? I hope that I was somewhat of a catalyst to giving others support to allow them to feel comfortable enough to step up and say, You know what? "I feel like that is what I'm manifesting every time I get to sit in the chair and guest host," said the dad of three, set to model pieces from his newlimited-edition Psycho Bunny x tWitch collaborationalongside 5-year-old son Maddox on an upcoming Father's Day episode. Earlier this week, Andy Lassnerspoke out on Twitter after a followerinsinuated The Ellen DeGeneres Show was being canceled due to allegations made againstEllen DeGeneres' eponymous show. Get the best of Fox News' entertainment coverage, right in your inbox. DeGeneres sent a letter to her staff shortly after those reports came out, insisting that she always wanted her show to be place of happiness, and that she was disappointed to learn that this has not been the case. DEGGANS: One key to that admiration is DeGeneres' status as a groundbreaking gay star, a performer whose career was nearly derailed after she came out publicly in 1997, only to see her popularity rebound as a successful, openly queer host on daytime TV. Jeannie Mai is ending her "Dancing With the Star" journey, Fox News can confirm. One time I was talking to Portia, but she thought I was talking to myself because of the other times when I was talking to myself, and she thought I was talking to her," she joked. ", She added that in 1997 she also relied on her instincts when she came out as lesbian on her ABC sitcom, deciding to "live my truth.". And she reached a separate deal with Warner Media to create shows for its streaming platform, HBO Max, among other projects. It caught me off guard when the talk show started. Then viewers started tuning out. ERIC DEGGANS, BYLINE: Recent episodes leading to "The Ellen DeGeneres Show's" finale have been packed with celebrity goodbyes, but few of them landed with the power of the farewell given by the star that DeGeneres calls her longtime friend and mentor, Oprah Winfrey. Everyone was stressed. The hostess herself has also been accused in recent months of poor behavior towardsome guestsandlesser-known celebrities. All rights reserved. I don't know why she didn't address it sooner," the first ex-employee added. The Ellen DeGeneres Show was investigated by WarnerMedia after a report from BuzzFeed News in July, in which current and former employees alleged there was a toxic work environment on set, Fox News reported. It wasn't to do anything other than to free myself up from this heaviness that I was carrying around. Between September and February, the show brought in $127.6 million in advertising revenue, according to the research firm Kantar. The authoritative record of NPRs programming is the audio record. And I want to say I am so sorry to the people who were affected. And I want to say I am so sorry to the people who were affected.. The former bodyguard said he hopes DeGeneres understands where so many of her staffers are coming from. Each former staffer agreed the comedienne's charisma was obvious on camera, but behind closed doors, they allege they saw an opposing view of her "true" character. A source told the Daily Mail, who reported the news early Wednesday, that "Ellen knows her time is up.". Executive producers Ed Glavin and Kevin Leman, as well as co-executive producer Jonathan Norman, have parted ways with the show following reports of a toxic work environment that led to an investigation of the Ellen show last month, according to Variety. "I've spent a good amount of time in the daytime space and I've found a lot of love there,"he said. Legal Statement. "It's been an incredibly emotional week for Ellen," a source close to Ellen told E! "He worked there for years and she never once acknowledged him. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, Last month, her furniture design competition seriesEllen's Next Great Designerpremiered on the streaming network. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER. And it was happening a lot. ", "So, the past 18 years, you have to know, has changed my life. Now she'll exit daytime TV, just as activists fear renewed legal attacks on same-sex marriage, and rising incidents of homophobia and transphobia might threaten the progress she once embodied. Earlier that morning, she will appear in an NBC Todayshow interview withSavannah Guthrie. "It's about time," Majercak said of the show's end. Instead, that woman turned out to be DeGeneres told staffers she had hoped to address them sooner, but was told not to while the investigation was in process. Because while daytime TV (and dance!) (Getty), In her September apology, DeGeneres addressed the accusations that she is much different on-air than in person despite her pledge to "be kind. She was emotional seeing everybody. "But we do disagree on one thing: #GoHabsGo. Years after her sitcom had gone dark, Ms. DeGeneres was still at a low point. All rights reserved. You always felt like there was something different when you walked on that set. All rights reserved. Everyone was stressed. The The Be Kind Box now available includes ice globe facial massagers from the brand Aceology, a vegan leather shoulder bag from Samara and a reusable water bottle from Fill It Forward. ELLEN DEGENERES: I learned that things happened here that never should have happened. "BuzzFeed's filled with false claims that misrepresent me, my actions and all that I stand for. "And then it just keeps getting bigger and bigger until it was out of control. On July 16, individuals, whoremained anonymous out of fear of retribution, told Buzzfeed News thatthey faced microaggressions, were fired after taking medical leave or bereavement days and were subjected to favoritism by executive producers. DeGeneres revealed the decision Wednesday in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. I thought, Why is this continuing? The TV host, 41, was diagnosed with epiglottitis and hospitalized recently. "Being known as the be kind lady is a tricky position to be in. It was very hurtful to me. I was not an easy sale; they were telling me I couldnt relate to housewives, Ms. DeGeneres said in a 2012 interview with The New York Times. Chris Rock Has Jabbed At Will Smith, But Is Saving His Best, Flores Case Advances as Dolphins Claims Head to 'Judge'Goodell, High Risks, Low Wages, Insane Hours: VFX Workers Say They Are, How 'Chicago Fire' Said a Temporary Goodbye to Taylor Kinney's, Dogs Barking? ", "We are truly heartbroken and sorry to learn that even one person in our production family has had a negative experience. ", Ellen DeGeneres introduces Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus during the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards on Jan. 26, 2020, in Los Angeles. The trio was suspended in the wake of the BuzzFeed story and have since been terminated, multiple sources said. After more than 3,000 episodes, the finale one airs Thursday. The phrase "be kind" was initially brought up by the host in 2010 to bring awareness to Tyler Clementi, who committed suicide as a teenager after he was bullied for being gay. According to Nielsen, the Season 18 premiere had the highest ratings of any season opener in the last four years for "Ellen." Degeneres has had countless high-profile guests on her show including A-list celebrities and former presidents. All rights reserved. ", In her recent interview withThe Hollywood Reporter, Ellen saidthe issue "almost impacted the show," adding, "It was very hurtful to me. Theyre putting in real structures and resources for people so this never happens again and that is extremely important to Ellen. In August 2020, Fox News learned three producers of the talk show were ousted after a number of employees voiced sexual misconduct claims. (NBC). News has learned. ELLEN DEGENERES' SHOW ENDING OVER MISCONDUCT SCANDAL, INDUSTRY EXPERTS ALLEGE: 'AUDIENCES CRAVE AUTHENTICITY'. There was a toxic element, and it's because people are so on edge, and it's because of her," the third former staffer alleged. Copyright 2023 Deseret News Publishing Company. DeGeneres repeatedly emphasized that she was proud of the shows success and its ability to spin off additional programs such as Ellens Game of Games. She also expressed gratitude to staffers, many of whom have been with her for the entire run. So this never happens again and that is extremely important to Ellen told E even one person our! Changed my life did jeannie leave the ellen show the show after a number of employees voiced SEXUAL misconduct claims she addressing... Buzzfeed 's filled with false claims that misrepresent me, my actions and all that I was quitting show. That there was a toxic work environment of the talk show were ousted a... 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