Ellen FIRES three top producers after 'toxic' workplace claims and tells staff during a video call that the accusations of bullying and sexual misconduct on show 'broke her heart' - in desperate bid to salvage show
The Ellen DeGeneres Show has fired three top producers in the wake of claims of on-set sexual misconduct and workplace bullying.
Executive producers Ed Glavin and Kevin Leman and co-executive producer Jonathan Norman have all been ousted from the popular talk show following accusations leveled against them by current and former staffers, according to Variety.
Glavin and Leman have also been axed from other shows produced by DeGeneres, including NBC's 'Ellen's Game of Games', sources said.
DeGeneres broke the news to employees in a videoconference call Monday afternoon, where she described the recent allegations as 'heartbreaking', one source told the outlet.
The Ellen DeGeneres Show has fired three top producers in the wake of claims of on-set sexual misconduct and workplace bullying
Warner Bros. confirmed to Variety Monday that Glavin, Leman and Norman have 'parted ways' with the show.
An 'emotional' and 'apologetic' DeGeneres announced the decision in a call with more than 200 workers, sources told Variety.
They said the host - who has herself been accused of of fostering a 'toxic environment' - admitted on the call she was 'not perfect' and that the show's leaders had not been sensitive to 'human beings' as they instead focused on running the show as a 'well-oiled machine.'
DeGeneres also admitted the show had alienated employees and guests by shifting shooting timetables at short notice and pledged that going forwards the show will stick to agreed-upon timetables.
The start date for the 18th season of the show has also been pushed back by a week to September 14, staff were told.
DeGeneres, as well as long-running executive producers Mary Connelly, Andy Lassner and Derek Westervelt, will continue in their positions on the show.
An attorney for Leman said his client was 'devastated' about being 'scapegoated' and described his ousting from the show as 'shocking'.
'The fact that a deeply flawed BuzzFeed article has led to the termination of an innocent man – a popular figure and a creative force behind the “Ellen” show and a string of other projects produced with Ellen – is shocking,' Michael Plonsker said in a statement, referring to a Buzzfeed article where allegations against the producer first surfaced.
'Kevin is devastated by being scapegoated and is not yet ready to comment.'
Pictured left to right top producers on the show Andy Lassner, Jonathan Norman, Mary Connelly, Ed Glavin and Kevin Leman at the 44th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards in 2017. Glavin, Leman and Norman have all been ousted from the popular talk show
Norman, Lassner, Leman, Glavin and Connelly left to right. Glavin and Leman have also been axed from other shows produced by DeGeneres, including NBC's 'Ellen's Game of Games', sources said
The firings of three of the top producers come as the series is in the midst of an internal investigation into allegations of on-set sexual misconduct, as well as workplace bullying.
The investigation was first sparked by a Buzzfeed expose into the show last month.
The July 16 article revealed claims made by one current and 10 former employees of Ellen's talk show saying they experienced racism, fear and intimidation while working on the long-running series and accusing producers Lassner, Connelly and Glavin of bullying.
The show then faced additional accusations about sexual misconduct in a second BuzzFeed News article on July 30, in which dozens of men and women accused Leman, Glavin and Norman of sexual harassment, misconduct or assault.
Leman and Norman denied the claims. They and Glavin were promptly suspended while Warner Bros. launched an investigation.
DeGeneres (pictured on the show) broke the news to employees of the show in a videoconference call Monday afternoon, where she described the recent allegations as 'heartbreaking', one source told the outlet
DeGeneres herself has also been accused of fostering a 'toxic environment' behind the scenes of the show.
One of the latest accusations came this week from a former camera assistant who compared the program's environment to the film The Devil Wears Prada.
The anonymous former employee told the hosts of Australian radio show Stav, Abby & Matt that staff were not even granted 'basic rights' such as overtime and water.
'I worked there for a little over a year,' she said Tuesday.
'At the show there is a culture of competition. You are constantly reminded that the show is this behemoth, and it will be there with or without you.'
DeGeneres publicly addressed the allegations brought against the show on July 31.
In a statement, the 62-year-old apologized and said, as the face of the show, she took 'full responsibility'.
She added that as her program has grown, she had 'not been able to stay on top of everything' and had instead 'relied on others to do their jobs as they knew I'd want them done.'
'Clearly some didn't,' she continued. 'That will now change and I'm committed to ensuring that doesn't happen again.'
Since the allegations came to light, a number of stars have leaped to Ellen's defense, including her wife Portia de Rossi, singer Katie Perry, and former TV Host Jay Leno.
Ellen FIRES three top producers after 'toxic' workplace claims and tells staff during a video call that the accusations of bullying and sexual misconduct on show 'broke her heart' - in desperate bid to salvage show
![Ellen FIRES three top producers after 'toxic' workplace claims and tells staff during a video call that the accusations of bullying and sexual misconduct on show 'broke her heart' - in desperate bid to salvage show]()
Reviewed by CUZZ BLUE
on
August 18, 2020
Rating:
No comments: