More former colleagues of Ellen DeGeneres are sharing their experiences dealing with “toxicity” on set. And this time it is not anonymous.
You may remember Tony Okungbowa as the resident DJ on The Ellen DeGeneres Show stage for almost a decade straight between 2003 and 2013 (with just a hiatus from 2006-2007) before he was replaced by Stephen “tWitch” Boss.
Well, Tony is putting his name on the line as he comes out in support of his former co-workers who are accusing Ellen and her producers of creating a toxic work environment.
Related: Kevin Hart Defends Ellen Because Of Course He Does
On Tuesday, the 52-year-old shared a photo from his days on the show to Instagram, explaining:
“Hey Guys, I hope you are all keeping safe out there during these trying times. I have been getting calls asking me about the Ellen Degeneres Show and I would like to address the time I spent there.”
Here it comes…
“I was on air talent from 2003-2006 and from 2007 -2013. While I am grateful for the opportunity it afforded me, I did experience and feel the toxicity of the environment and I stand with my former colleagues in their quest to create a healthier and more inclusive workplace as the show moves forward.”
While he didn’t specify what aspects of the toxic environment that he experienced on the daytime show, if it’s anything like what former staffers have explained, it might be pretty bad!
Related: Ex Employees Reveal Sexual Misconduct And Harassment From Producers
On Monday, employees expressed their skepticism to The Sun about how genuine DeGeneres’ recent apology really was:
“For over a decade Ellen has treated her staff poorly, which is ironic because of her on-camera persona. She is literally like two different people. One is awful, power-hungry and constantly yells at everyone for any little that goes wrong with the production of the show. The other character that Ellen plays is what the world sees — a hilarious, kind and giving woman who is a fearless advocate for the LGBTQ community.”
Yikes…
The insiders noted how many co-workers “could not handle [the toxic environment] anymore and quit,” adding (below):
“The show has such a high turnover rate. But up until now, everyone was terrified to say anything because they feared her power. She would let people know that they have the ‘best gig in town’ and how lucky they were to be working for her and how so many people would die to be in their shoes.”
Any thoughts on what Tony said, y’all?? It seems like the odds are pretty heavily stacked against Ellen right now…
[Image via The Ellen DeGeneres Show/YouTube.]
The post Tony Too?! Ellen’s Former DJ Says He Also Experienced ‘Toxicity’ On The Job! appeared first on Perez Hilton.