The Ellen DeGeneres Show is under internal investigation after reports emerged that the show’s producers have fostered a hostile work environment.
In a memo that Telepictures and Warner Bros. Television sent to staff last week, the companies announced the decision to bring in WarnerMedia’s employee relations group and a third-party firm to interview current and former employees about their experiences on the set of the show, according to Monday reports.
On July 16, Buzzfeed News published a report after speaking to one current and 10 former employees of the show. Many of the sources reported that their supervisors were consistently rude toward them, failing to treat them with respect.
One employee said she was let go only a week after returning to the set from a monthlong medical leave. She took the leave to receive mental health treatment after a suicide attempt. Another employee reported that she left the set after repeated insensitive comments were made about her race.
“That ‘be kind’ bullshit only happens when the cameras are on. It’s all for show,” one former employee said. “I know they give money to people and help them out, but it’s for show.”
While most felt that the bulk of the issue was created by the show’s top-level producers, one source said, “If [Ellen DeGeneres] wants to have her own show and have her name on the show title, she needs to be more involved to see what’s going on.”
