A current and 10 former employees had called out Ellen DeGeneres Show in interviews with BuzzFeed News, claiming that they all faced racism and intimidation while working there.
On condition of anonymity, some said that they were fired after taking medical leave or bereavement days to attend funerals, while one alleged that she had to put up with racist comments and actions, as per a report by msn.com.
“Whenever I brought up an issue to my white male boss, he would bring up a story about some Black friend he had and how they managed to get over stuff," one person alleged, adding "he would use his Black friend as some way to say, ‘I understand your struggle.’ But it was all performative (expletive)."
In a statement to USA Today on Friday, 17 July, executive producers Ed Glavin, Mary Connelly and Andy Lassner said that they were "heartbroken" hearing about claims and the struggles employees had to face. "Over the course of nearly two decades, 3,000 episodes, and employing over 1000 staff members, we have strived to create an open, safe, and inclusive work environment. We are truly heartbroken and sorry to learn that even one person in our production family has had a negative experience. It’s not who we are and not who we strive to be, and not the mission Ellen has set for us", the statement read.
The statement also said that the makers are taking the allegations very seriously.
Ellen DeGeneres has declined to comment on the issue.
(Inputs: msn.com)
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