Image credit: NBC
The global coronavirus pandemic isn’t stopping hosts, directors, and showrunners from being held accountable for possible abusive behavior on set. The Ellen DeGeneres Show is the latest production to go through a reckoning as an internal investigation has been mounted with regards to alleged workplace misconduct.
Variety reports that multiple accounts of workplace problems has prompted WarnerMedia to conduct an internal investigation to find out the truth. The Ellen DeGeneres Show is produced by Telepictures and is distributed by Warner Bros. Television.
According to Variety, a third party firm will work alongside WarnerMedia’s own employee relations group to question past and present staffers about their experiences on The Ellen DeGeneres Show set.
The Hollywood Reporter notes that the internal investigation comes after a report by Buzzfeed last July 16 that outlined a work environment that is allegedly peppered with unjust termination, racism, and a toxic work culture.
The Buzzfeed report claims that employees who brought up concerns about problematic language suffered retribution because of it. Medical leaves and time off from work to attend funerals also allegedly received push back from the production.
The Ellen DeGeneres Show producers Ed Glavin, Mary Connelly and Andy Lassner released a statement addressing the Buzzfeed report saying that they have always aimed for a work environment that is inclusive, safe, and open. The trio apologized if any member of the production has had a negative experience on the show and took on the responsibility and accountability for the complaints.
The workplace complaints against The Ellen DeGeneres Show are just the latest to surface in Hollywood. Recently, MacGyver star Lucas Till confessed that he felt “suicidal” during his time working with showrunner Peter Lenkov. The 29-year-old actor says he was pushed to his “breaking point” by the body-shaming, verbal abuse, and bullying he suffered under Lenkov.
Till has alleged that Lenkov would call his legs “f—ing hideous” and would instruct directors to ask him to cover up because his body was like that of a little boy. According to Till, maintaining the “man weight” the show required was difficult to do because of the demands of the production.
Another name called out for alleged abusive behavior on set was director Joss Whedon. According to Ray Fisher, the actor who played Cyborg on Joss Whedon’s Justice League, the director’s behavior was unprofessional, abusive, and gross.
Fisher also called out former DC Entertainment president and chief creative officer Geoff Johns as well as former Warner Bros. co-president of production Jon Berg of enabling Whedon’s abuses on set.
I’ve always known Ellen is a mean ol’ dyke
so mean…
You’re disgusting
It was rumored that Ellen was once in charge of Caesar’s Praetorian Guards!
“Venerunt”: “Viderunt”: “Victis”!
doesn’t seem like it’s her, but the organization and producers from what I heard.
That’s been my understanding as well. I don’t want to judge anyone, especially without first hand account of the facts. It is her show. No matter the truth, I hope they root out the problem and get rid of those responsible for creating it. I was never that upset with Kevin Hart but Ellen had no right to offer forgiveness from anyone but her own self. That’s the day she went into my shit bucket. I loved her as a standup comedian. I saw her live and she was hysterical. Now she’s just another talk show host who plays to… Read more »
I been common knowledge for years in Hollyweird that Ellen was mean, rude, self centered and arrogant to staff, audience, and guests. Everyone turned a blind eye because of political correctness.
WHAT???!!! . . . dykes mis-conducting themselves??? . . . NO !!!
No! I refuse to believe this obviously Republican hit piece! Nothing associated with the gay community could possibly be this mean and demanding. The body shaming, the verbal abuse, the pressure to be perfect in all ways! OMG!!!! It just can’t be! And on a TV show set, no less! Simply unbelievable….
(The above comments are sarcasm. No homosexuals were body shamed, abused, or otherwise mistreated in the writing of or compilation of information within this message.)
WHY do you have to put a political spin on this alleged crime? It’s people like you that divide the country into hate groups. Get your facts before you start off with the ignorant comments!
Next we’ll be told that during the shutdown, Mickey Mouse loaded up his devices with child porn.
he did!
I don’t understand as gay men, why some of you use such terms because she’s a lesbian. . . just hate on top of hate. I guess there’s not only hetero-haters of women but gay as well. It not surprising this “work-place misconduct.”
when i see people like the idiot who said “i always knew ellen was a mean dyke” it sickens me–obviously the term he used makes me believe he is homophobic..why dont we wait to see what the final findings are–i believe that in the end, ellen will be vindicated
Sean Moore:
“Dyke” is no more offensive than “Queen.” Both name extremes within the Gay Community: Dyke for the Lesbian Community & Queen for the Male Gay Community. Both are pejorative and condemning; neither is any more nor any less offensive. They are dismissive nomenclatures.
Yeah, now I think nefarious characters are taking advantage of this crisis to destroy Ellen. Her production company whined about how much she’s paid “just to show up”. Ellen is the most profitable daytime show. It’s traditional dirty Hollywood producers and execs raping stars of the lion’s share of the profits. Stars that dare rebel against the system get cancelled and destroyed. I support Ellen now.
Sean Moore:
Dyke is no more offensive than Queen, and both are equal.
Each and both are defining terms and dismissives towards a certain segment of the Gay Community.
Both are equally pejorative and equally offensive. All of us, within the Gay Community, are guilty of using them.
However, Dyke appears to be used as an absolute than Queen?
He/She who has not sinned, cast the first stone.
There is a few new articles surfaces that has Ellen’s name as one of the many celebrities who is a pedophile! Tom Hanks was already outted, and his false COVID announcement was really his being under House Arrest for the charge of pedophilia. Be mean if you want to your staff, but you will hang if you abuse those children!
I agree with Sean Moore and Pat deserves to have his/her face smeared with…