Three producers part ways with Ellen’s show
They leave the daytime talk show amid allegations of sexual misconduct and racially insensitive remarks.
LOS ANGELES » Three producers of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” have exited amid allegations of a dysfunctional workplace that harbored misbehavior, including sexual misconduct and racially insensitive remarks.
Executive producers Ed Glavin and Kevin Leman and co-executive producer Jonathan Norman have “parted ways” with the long-running daytime series, a spokesperson for producer Warner Bros. said in a statement Monday.
An internal company investigation of claims about the show 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.
Most of the allegations were tied to executive producers and senior managers, including Glavin, Leman and Norman,
BuzzFeed News said. The people making the claims against them were not identified.
A representative for Leman didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Monday. Representatives for Glavin and Norman couldn’t immediately be found.
In statements to BuzzFeed News after the July 30 story was published online, Leman denied “any kind of sexual impropriety,” and Norman said he categorically denied the accusations.
DeGeneres informed staff of the shakeup Monday in a video conference call, according to Variety, which first reported the development. She said she found claims about the show’s environment to be “heartbreaking,” the trade publication said, citing unidentified sources.