Every time you refresh your Internet browser these days, someone is attacking Ellen DeGeneres.
Over the last few days alone, the comedian has been accused of anchoring a series that’s responsible for cruel, racist and sexist behavior.
The Ellen DeGeneres Show is, simply put, a toxic work environment.
But while former staffers, guests and producers are coming out and telling their sordid stories to various outlets these days, Ellen can take solace in having at least one person still in her corner:
Her wife.
On Monday, Portia de Rossi posted a meme to Instagram, along with a simple caption and a few hashtags.
“To all our fans….we see you,” the 47-year old actress wrote, along with the following image.
“Thank you for your support. #stopbotattacks #IStandWithEllenDeGeneres #IStandByEllen.”
Stop bot attacks? What a weird thing to say, right?
de Rossi seems to be implying here that automated social media accounts are responsible for the ongoing trashing of DeGeneres.
However, the scathing reports that continue to go viral all stem from conversations with former, disgruntled talk show employees.
These individuals have anonymously alleged sexual misconduct and harassment involving executive producers at the show, including Ed Glavin and head writer Kevin Leman.
In a new piece for The Wrap, Hedda Muskat recalled behind hired in 2003 as a producer… when the show was still in development.
She worked there for about 18 months, and simply couldn’t believe the way Glavin, for one, behaved.
“He just went off on [a crew member],” she claimed, thinking back to an infamous meeting.
“His whole face turned red…We were stunned. You could just see everybody’s faces go stiff. We’re professionals; we’re adults. We don’t need a dog to get us to do our jobs.”
Muskat added that DeGeneres just sat there and giggled during this outburst.
She would later describe her days working on the show as a “culture of fear.”
She was eventually let go in May 2004 — just days before The Ellen DeGeneres Show won Outstanding Talk Show at the Daytime Emmy Awards.
In an open message to her staff on July 31, DeGeneres addressed all of these troubling allegations.
“On day one of our show, I told everyone in our first meeting that The Ellen DeGeneres Show would be a place of happiness – no one would ever raise their voice, and everyone would be treated with respect,” she said.
“Obviously, something changed, and I am disappointed to learn that this has not been the case.
“And for that, I am sorry. Anyone who knows me knows it’s the opposite of what I believe and what I hoped for our show.”
The previously-beloved star continued:
“My name is on the show and everything we do and I take responsibility for that.
“Alongside Warner Bros, we immediately began an internal investigation and we are taking steps, together, to correct the issues.
“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.”
Ellen vowed to do her “part” in pushing herself and others “to learn and grow.”
“We all have to be more mindful about the way our words and actions affect others, and I’m glad the issues at our show were brought to my attention,” she added.
“I promise to do my part in continuing to push myself and everyone around me to learn and grow.
“It’s important to me and to Warner Bros. that everyone who has something to say can speak up and feels safe doing so.”
Warner Bros., meanwhile, acknowledged in a statement last Thursday that “dozens of current and former employees” had been interviewed, and that they were “disappointed that the primary findings of the investigation indicated some deficiencies related to the show’s day-to-day management.”
The company also said:
Going forward, the production company said it has “identified several staffing changes, along with appropriate measures to address the issues that have been raised, and are taking the first steps to implement them.”
In conclusion?
“Warner Bros. and Ellen DeGeneres are all committed to ensuring a workplace based on respect and inclusion.
“We are confident this course of action will lead us to the right way forward for the show.”
