The “Ellen DeGeneres Show” is facing an investigation following accusations by employees about poor treatment.
WarnerMedia announced the investigation into racist and intimidating behavior behind the scenes of the long-running show.
The allegations stem from a BuzzFeed report published earlier this month in which show employees described a toxic workplace environment.
Variety reported staffers were also upset they were told to expect to work at lower wages during production shutdowns due to the coronavirus.
Warner Bros. Television sent a memo to staff announcing the investigation.
Show producers also released a statement, saying in part they were heartbroken to hear the accusations.
Warner Brothers issued the following statement to The Hollywood Reporter.
"Warner Bros. and Ellen DeGeneres take the recent allegations around the show's workplace culture very seriously.
We hoped to determine the validity and extent of publicly reported allegations and to understand the full breadth of the show's day-to-day culture. As a result, WarnerMedia interviewed dozens of current and former employees about the environment at The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
It was important to both Warner Bros. and Ellen that as many people as possible attached to the program could be heard.
The Ellen DeGeneres Show is, and has always strived to be, a place that brings positivity to the world. And though not all of the allegations were corroborated, we are disappointed that the primary findings of the investigation indicated some deficiencies related to the show's day-to-day management.
We have identified several staffing changes, along with appropriate measures to address the issues that have been raised, and are taking the first steps to implement them. Warner Bros. and Ellen DeGeneres are all committed to ensuring a workplace based on respect and inclusion.
We are confident this course of action will lead us to the right way forward for the show.”
This story was originally published by KTNV in Las Vegas.
