After a tsunami of bombshells that include screwing over staff during the COVID-19 lockdown, getting called out by people for being awful, getting called out for her response to the Black Lives Matters protests, and allegations of a toxic workplace environment filled with racism and intimidation, Ellen DeGeneres has finally spoken out about some of these things.
And to be honest, it’s not the best response that’s ever been given.
Speaking of Ellen DeGeneres and those toxic workplace allegations, the GOAT team talk about the mess she’s in on ‘It’s Been A Big Day For…’ below;
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ellen has issued out a letter to the staff of The Ellen DeGeneres Show that addresses the toxic workplace environment allegations.
The letter starts off pretty promisingly as Ellen acknowledges the irony of a show she calls “a place of happiness” being at the centre of such wild claims and states that she takes responsibility insofar that the show bears her name.
After thanking her staff for making The Ellen DeGeneres Show as big as it is, things go downhill pretty quickly as the TV host starts pointing fingers at people, saying: “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.”
Hmmm, those sound like the words of someone who is only sorry because they got caught.
Anyway, Ellen then goes on to express her “deep compassion” for all those who were “looked at differently” and “treated unfairly, not equal, or – worse – disregarded” by reminding everyone of her own struggles “as someone who was judged and nearly lost everything for just being who I am.”
She then concludes her letter by saying conversations are finally being had about “fairness and justice,” and how everyone has to “be more mindful about the way our words and actions affect others” before stating that changes will be made to The Ellen DeGeneres Show in light of all these toxic workplace allegations.
So all in all, it’s a pretty Ellen-esque response that we’ve come to expect from her: sorta but not really taking responsibility and trying to shift the blame. You can read the entire letter here.
For someone who’s been in the business for so long, you’d think that Ellen DeGeneres would have some idea that her conduct at the top of a thing like her TV show has a trickle-down effect on everyone who works for her and the responsibility of managing a “place of happiness” rather than a toxic workplace ultimately falls on her and not just because her name is on the show.
As for what’s next for the show, The Hollywood Reporter and Variety report that a number of executive producers at the centre of the nastier allegations will be let go.
So will this ultimately have an effect? Well we’ll just have to wait and see whether Ellen’s awful year gets better or continues on its downhill trajectory.
Always be in the loop with our snackable podcast breaking the biggest story of the day. Subscribe to It’s Been A Big Day For… on your favourite podcast app.