New details have emerged from the Zoom call made by Ellen DeGeneres with more than 200 of her staff on Monday, after it was revealed that three of the show’s leading producers had been fired amid their toxic workplace scandal.
Ellen, 62, is said to have opened up about being ‘introverted’ and how she sometimes had ‘good days and bad days’, which she understood could come as a whole, but promise to make changes in the future. to make, in a bid to save The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
The embedded talk show host is also said to have addressed rumors that there was an unspoken rule on the set that none of staff members were allowed to make eye contact, according to PageSix.
Calling her staff: Ellen DeGeneres is said to have spoken to her team on Monday on a Zoom call after it was revealed that the show’s top three producers had been fired
‘I do not know where it started,’ Ellen told Zoom’s meeting with her staff. ‘Please talk to me. Look me in the eye. ‘She went on to describe the rumor as’ crazy ‘and said,’ It’s crazy, just not true, I do not know how it started. [It’s] not who I am. ‘
Among many claims and accusations leveled at the host over the past year, one was made by former producer Neil Breed who claimed staff were encouraged not to view them.
‘[Ellen DeGeneres’] producers called us right … and said, ‘Well, Neil, nobody’s talking to Ellen. You do not talk to her, you do not approach her, you do not look at her, ” Neil Breen said in July on radio station 4BC.
‘Please talk to me’: Ellen told reporters she’s a person with multiple layers who had ‘good days and bad days’ in an apology on Monday
He added: ‘She will come in, she will sit, she will talk to Richard and then Ellen will leave.’ And I kind of said, ‘I can’t see her?’ I found the whole thing bizarre. ‘
Ellen’s Zoom call with staff comes after the dismissal of executive producers Ed Glavin and Kevin Leman and co-executive Jonathan Norman, amid a WarnerMedia investigation into the show’s toxic environment.
According to Deadline, Ellen is said to have apologized to her staff in the interview and was open about being introverted and having ‘good days and bad days’.
She is said to have explained how this sometimes makes her want to be alone and has set up her own space, which she presumably tells that she can be misunderstood by staff because she is mean as unfriendly.
‘Does that mean I’m perfect? No. I’m not, ‘said Ellen. ‘I’m a person with more layers, and I try to be the best person I can be and try to learn from my mistakes.’
Pictured producers from left to right on the show Andy Lassner, Jonathan Norman, Mary Connelly, Ed Glavin and Kevin Leman at the 44th Annual Emmy Awards of the Day in 2017. Glavin, Leman and Norman were all fired from the popular talk show
The hit talk show will now be hosted by existing executive producers Mary Connelly, Andy Lassner and Derek Westervelt.
The report adds that Ellen’s own DJ on the show, Stephen ‘tWitch’ Boss, has been named as co-executive producer, who recently appeared to be defending his boss by saying there was ‘love’ on the show. set.
Meanwhile, Variety reports that the host – who has accused himself of fostering a ‘toxic environment’ – is responding to the call that the show’s leaders were not sensitive to ‘people’ because they were targeted instead. on running the show as a ‘good’ -oile machine. ‘
Ellen also acknowledged that the show had alienated staff and guests by shifting short-term shooting routes and promised that the show would continue to hold appointments.
The start date for the show’s 18th season has also been postponed by a week to September 14, staff were told.
A lawyer for Kevin Leman said his client was ‘devastated’ about being ‘scapegoated’ and described his dismissal from the show as ‘shocking’.
‘The fact that a deeply flawed BuzzFeed article led to the ending of an innocent man – a popular figure and a creative force behind the show’ Ellen ‘and a string of other projects produced with Ellen – is shocking,’ said Michael Plonsker in a statement, referring to a Buzzfeed article where allegations against the producer first surfaced.
The Ellen DeGeneres Show has fired three top producers in the wake of alleged sexual abuse and workplace harassment
“Kevin has been destroyed by scapegoated and is not yet ready to comment.”
The fires of three of the top producers come as the series is in the midst of an internal investigation into allegations of intentional sexual abuse, such as bullying in the workplace.
The research was first sparked by a Buzzfeed exposure in the show last month.
The July 16 article made public claims by one current and 10 former Ellen talk show contributors who said they experienced racism, fear and intimidation while working on the long-running series and accusing producers Lassner, Connelly and Glavin of pests.
The show then came up for additional allegations of sexual abuse in a second BuzzFeed News article on July 30, in which dozens of men and women accused Leman, Glavin and Norman of sexual harassment, abuse or assault.
Leman and Norman denied the claims. She and Glavin were immediately suspended while Warner Bros. put an investigation.
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