Former employees call 'Ellen' show a toxic workplace, report says

A scathing report accuses producers of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" of creating a work environment of fear, retribution and racist undercurrents, all at odds with the titular daytime talk-show host's reputation for niceness.

In an article based on interviews with one current and 10 former employees of the show, all requesting anonymity for fear of being blacklisted in the entertainment industry, BuzzFeed News painted a portrait of a toxic workplace. The article described an environment in which disfavored employees were terminated after taking time off for medical or bereavement reasons, where issues could not be brought up to hostile and capricious managers, and employees were forbidden to speak with DeGeneres.

While the star is one of TV's highest-paid — earning an estimated $80.5 million between June 2018 and June 2019, according to Forbes magazine's most recent list of top-earning TV/radio hosts — one former employee was ordered to end a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for medical costs not covered by the company health insurance. "They were more concerned about Ellen's brand instead of helping me out," said the person, whose story was corroborated by four other employees.

Another former employee was fired after a year requiring a three-week medical leave following a car accident, three days off for travel to a family member's funeral, and working remotely for two days to attend another family funeral. Yet another who had taken a month in a mental-health facility after a suicide attempt was fired after returning to work. "Some of the producers talk openly in public about addiction and mental health awareness, but they're the reason there's a stigma,” the person said.

One African-American former employee described racist comments, such as one of the main writers telling her, "I'm sorry, I only know the names of the white people who work here." When she would bring up such issues, colleagues mocked her as "the PC police." Others spoke of being terminated if, as one put it, “you don't show that you're extremely grateful and appreciative to work there."

Executive producers Ed Glavin, Mary Connelly and Andy Lassner responded in a statement to BuzzFeed, saying 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 … are committed to do better, and we will do better."

DeGeneres, 62, has not commented publicly on the new report. Addressing accusation of a negative work environment in 2018, she told The New York Times, "The first day I said: 'The one thing I want is everyone here to be happy and proud of where they work, and if not, don't work here.' No one is going to raise their voice or not be grateful. That's the rule to this day."