CANCELED?
The talk show host’s reputation takes yet another blow as former staffers allege they’ve been mistreated on her watch
Sources share shocking new claims about Ellen DeGeneres’ bad behavior that could threaten her talk show empire.
It hasn’t been Ellen DeGeneres’ year. Just three months after having her squeaky-clean reputation called into question amid crew members’ accusations of poor treatment during the pandemic, the star’s under fire again. This time, 10 former staffers and one current employee of The Ellen DeGeneres Show have come forward with damning details depicting a “toxic work environment” filled with “racism, fear and intimidation.” On
July 16, Buzzfeed News published the shocking report, in which employees allege, among other things, that they were fired for taking bereavement days and medical leave, and were instructed not to talk to DeGeneres on set.
Multiple insiders tell
Us that the accusations are true. One source connected to the show’s production says DeGeneres’ employees are thrilled that others are speaking out. “They’ve been calling and texting each other about the story,” says the source. “They’re loving that the truth — which has been an open secret for years in the industry — is finally receiving more interest.”
A second source says the 62-year-old’s days as TV’s most beloved host are numbered. “Ellen has been rewarded for years for being awful.
But once her contract is up, she’s out.”
SPEAKING OUT
According to an on-set insider, DeGeneres has all employees sign nondisclosure agreements (NDAs) to prevent them from talking about their experiences on the show, which debuted in 2003. “You can’t say anything,” says the insider, “even nice things, even if you get fired, even years after you’ve left.” Not all shows enforce NDAs, but the insider says “it’s a priority” for DeGeneres. “She’s been doing it from day one. The paperwork’s a written reminder of why people are still afraid of her, even with her intense ‘nice lady’ public image.”
People are less afraid to talk now — and that’s