In apology, Ellen promises a ‘new chapter’
NEW YORK — Ellen Degeneres used her opening monologue of the new season of her daytime talk show to addressed allegations of a toxic work environment, apologizing for things “that never should have happened.”
“I know that I’m in a position of privilege and power, and I realize that with that comes responsibility, and I take responsibility for what happens at my show,” she said in a video posted Monday.
“The Ellen Degeneres Show” started its 18th season in Los Angeles with the host on stage for the first time in months after taping from Degeneres’s home during quarantine. There wasn’t a studio audience but a virtual one, with faces beamed in on monitors put in the audience seats.
“We have had a lot of conversations over the last few weeks about the show, our workplace, and what we want for the future,” she said. “We have made the necessary changes and today we are starting a new chapter.”
Three of the show’s producers exited over the summer amid allegations of a dysfunctional workplace that harbored misbehavior, including sexual misconduct and racially insensitive remarks. In her monologue, Degeneres dryly joked that her summer was “super-terrific.”
An internal company investigation of work conditions was prompted by a Buzzfeed News report in July based on 36 interviews with ex-staffers, who complained about or said they witnessed improper and unfair treatment. The people making the claims were not identified.