Will Ellen DeGeneres stay out of the news? Her scandals are far from over

The Ellen Degeneres Show was under fire over the summer with hundreds of allegations & news stories about the show’s toxic environment. After an interview with Buzzfeed News, we have all the information about where the daytime show currently stands. 

Social media has come clean about the “be kind to one another” host, Ellen DeGeneres, and the backlash has not been all that kind. The Ellen DeGeneres Show made headlines this year over allegations of mistreatment in the workplace to their staff & guests. We have the full rundown of how the show is surviving these scandals below. 

Summer of Ellen

According to the New York Post, over ten employees came out about The Ellen DeGeneres Show’s “toxic” work environment in the beginning of 2020. Guests & staff spoke out about moments of microaggressions and some sexual harassment claims. One guest stated that a producer joked with her and another African-American woman stating, “Oh wow, you both have box braids, I hope we don’t get you confused”. 

These The Ellen DeGeneres Show news stories first hit the public’s eye in March 2020 when Kevin T. Porter asked his Twitter followers to share & comment on “the most insane stories you’ve heard about Ellen being mean”. Fans of the comedian were more than happy to oblige. 

After the allegation news went viral, The Ellen DeGeneres Show’s top three producers, Ed Glavin, Kevin Leman, and Jonathan Norman left the show. The former producers stated, “For the record, the day to day responsibility of the Ellen show is completely on us. We take all of this very seriously and we realize, as many in the world are learning, we need to do better, are committed to do better, and we will do better.” 

During the 18th season premiere of The Ellen Show on September 21st, Ellen DeGeneres told fans she “learnt things happened here that should have never happened here and I take that very seriously and I want to say that I am so sorry to the people who were affected. I know I am in a position of privilege and power and I realize with that comes responsibility for what happens at my show”.

Ellen DeGeneres became the viral target over the last many months with celebrities, staff, and guests claiming she was “one of the meanest people alive”. According to PageSix, DeGeneres still has a few celebrities like Kevin Hart, Diane Keaton, and Katy Perry standing alongside her. But will their voucher be enough to save Ellen’s reputation? 

Worst time of the year 

In November 2019, an inside source told Buzzfeed that The Ellen Show had eight brands and twelve sponsored posts on their social media account. This year The Ellen DeGeneres Show has only promoted “two brands” and posted “six sponsored content” on Instagram. The current sponsors for the daytime show, Hyundai & Hologic have also sponsored the show’s popular Christmas special, “12 Days of Giveaways”. 

The Ellen DeGeneres Show has dedicated their Christmas segment “12 Days of Giveaways” to key workers like first responders and medical officials and families that have suffered tremendously due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the show’s grand gesture sounds great, the show may not be producing the same value of gifts this year due to advertisers pulling out from the show. 

Buzzfeed’s source also commented that the drop in The Ellen DeGeneres Show sponsors has little to do with the coronavirus pandemic. The employee stated there was “a shift that took place over the summer” which impacted the increasing lack of content over the last few months. 

No comeback

News reporter Krystie Lee Yandoli claimed celebrities don’t want to appear on The Ellen Degeneres Show, not due to the pandemic, but because of the toxic image, the show has found itself in. Yandoli reported, “They don’t want to be a part of ‘her comeback tour’.” 

The ratings of The Ellen DeGeneres Show’s season premiere has also plummeted with a “29% drop from last season’s premiere week” according to Variety. Although many shows have decreased since the start of the pandemic, Variety reported the decline for The Ellen DeGeneres Show is much steeper than most. 

Another employee told Buzzfeed the show has been “re-airing old” videos because they have little or no new content to air. According to PageSix, the show’s recycled content is part of their desperate way to stay running. The Ellen DeGeneres Show’s producers have told staff, “Give us anything because we need help. Our old strategy doesn’t work anymore.” 

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The Ellen DeGeneres Show may have started a new season, but the show’s scandal has definitely impacted the viewership & content. Let us know in the comments below if you’ve been watching the latest season.