Celebrity Gossip Never Looked So Good ®
YBF on Twitter YBF on Facebook YBF on Instagram Feed

Kevin Hart & Tyrese Defend Ellen DeGeneres Amid ‘Toxic Workplace’ Accusations + Former ‘ELLEN’ DJ Tony Okungbowa Admits He Felt ‘Toxicity’ On Set

​ Aug 05 | by _YBF ​ ​ ​ ​

Kevin Hart and Tyrese are speaking out to defend his friend Ellen DeGeneres after she was accused of creating a toxic work environment by several former employees. Just recently, former “ELLEN” show DJ Tony Okungbowa went on the record to say he felt the “toxicity” on the set. Oh wow. More inside…

Famed talk show host Ellen DeGeneres has been accused of creating a “toxic work environment,” which has launched a storm of controversy.

Over the years, Ellen has seemingly been unproblematic. However, several people who have worked with the daytime talk show host claim she’s nothing like the bubbly personality she portrays on television. Apparently, it’s a totally different Ellen behind-the-scenes at the EMMY winning series.

One current and ten former employees of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” have anonymously come forward to expose what’s been going down on the set of the “ELLEN” show. The individuals spoke to Buzzfeed News last month on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retribution.

The former employees claim they were subjected to favoritism by executive producers, faced microaggressions and were fired after taking medical leave or bereavement days.

One former employee – a black woman – said she experienced racist comments from senior level producers.

A Black woman who used to work on The Ellen DeGeneres Show told BuzzFeed News she experienced racist comments, actions, and “microaggressions” during her year and a half as an employee. She said when she was hired, a senior-level producer told her and another Black employee, “Oh wow, you both have box braids; I hope we don’t get you confused.” And at a work party, she said, one of the main writers told her, “I’m sorry, I only know the names of the white people who work here,” and other coworkers “awkwardly laughed it off” instead of coming to her defense.

Another former employee said after taking a one-month medical leave following a suicide attempt, they returned to work and were told their position was being eliminated.

After working on The Ellen DeGeneres Show for nearly a year, one former employee said they took medical leave for one month to check into a mental health facility for a suicide attempt. But the week they returned to work, they were told their position was being eliminated.

“You'd think that if someone just tried to kill themselves, you don’t want to add any more stress to their lives,” the employee, whose story was corroborated by four other employees and medical records, told BuzzFeed News. “Some of the producers talk openly in public about addiction and mental health awareness, but they’re the reason there’s a stigma,” they said. “They definitely don’t practice what they preach with the ‘be kind’ mantra."

Some of the other employees said they were instructed by their direct managers to NOT speak to Ellen if they saw her around the office. No specific claims were made against Ellen – mainly these three executive producers who are in charge.

“People focus on rumors about how Ellen is mean and everything like that, but that's not the problem. The issue is these three executive producers running the show who are in charge of all these people [and] who make the culture and are putting out this feeling of bullying and being mean,” another former employee claimed. “They feel that everybody who works at The Ellen Show is lucky to work there — ‘So if you have a problem, you should leave because we’ll hire someone else because everybody wants to work here.’”

Executive producers Ed Glavin, Mary Connelly and Andy Lassner released a statement to E! News addressing the allegations, claiming they are taking them “very seriously.”

”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 reads.

"For the record, the day to day responsibility of the Ellen show is completely on us," the statement read. "We take all of this very seriously and we realize, as many in the world are learning, that we need to do better, are committed to do better, and we will do better." 

The show is undergoing an internal investigation by WarnerMedia.

Several of Ellen’s celeb friends have come to her defense, including Katy Perry and Ashton Kutcher. Now, comedian Kevin Hart is coming to Ellen’s defense.

”It’s crazy to see my friend go thru what she’s going thru publicly. I have known Ellen for years and I can honestly say that she’s one of the dopest people on the f*cking planet,” Kevin wrote in an Instagram caption along with a picture of himself and Ellen on her show.

The Night School star said Ellen has always treated him and his family with love and kindness.

”She has treated my family and my team with love and respect from day 1,” he wrote.

Kev said he’s tired of how it seems the Internet preys on people’s downfall.

”The internet has become a crazy world of negativity....we are falling in love with peoples down fall. It’s honestly sad...When did we get here? I stand by the ones that I know and that I love,” he continued.

He concluded his message saying the post was not put up to disregard the feelings of others and their experiences. But, he felt it was important to share what his experiences with Ellen have been like.

”This post is not meant to disregard the feelings of others and their experiences....It’s simply to show what my experiences have been with my friend. Love you for life Ellen,” he wrote.

Check it:

 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

It’s crazy to see my friend go thru what she’s going thru publicly. I have known Ellen for years and I can honestly say that she’s one of the dopest people on the fucking planet. She has treated my family and my team with love and respect from day 1. The internet has become a crazy world of negativity....we are falling in love with peoples down fall. It’s honestly sad...When did we get here? I stand by the ones that I know and that I love. Looking forward to the future where we get back to loving one another....this hate shit has to stop. Hopefully it goes out of style soon....This post is not meant to disregard the feelings of others and their experiences....It’s simply to show what my experiences have been with my friend. Love you for life Ellen...

A post shared by Kevin Hart (@kevinhart4real) on

Kev also posted this: 

 

 

Around the same time Kevin put up his post in defense of Ellen, one of the show’s former DJs shared what he experienced on the “ELLEN” show set.

Tony Okungbowa, the actor/DJ known as DJ Tony, is the first person to go on record about the alleged toxic work environment. He admitted he "did experience and feel the toxicity of the environment" during his tenure as the show's resident DJ.

"I have been getting calls asking me about the Ellen Degeneres Show and I would like to address the time I spent there. I was on air talent from 2003-2006 and from 2007 -2013," the “Bob Hearts Abishola” actor wrote. "While I am grateful for the opportunity it afforded me, I did experience and feel the toxicity of the environment and I stand with my former colleagues in their quest to create a healthier and more inclusive workplace as the show moves forward."

Peep the post below:

Today, singer/actor Tyrese took to his Insagram page to defend Ellen with a super lengthy post: 

 

 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Someone get this message to Ellen! Thanks! If I could call her on the phone I would say the words.. Elephants don’t swap flies.. They just keep walking... God made the feathers on a ducks back to somehow have the water to roll off and not penetrate... People in this town and fans will build you UP.... As they watch you climb ALL the way UP the ladder they will stand at the bottom of that same ladder and pull out there biggest GUN and shoot you in the ass over and over and over until you fall... You are MADE FOR THIS..... This too shall pass..... I’ve learned over the years that when things get uncomfortable it’s because GOD is preparing you for the NEW SEASON of your life.... He wants disloyal people to REVEAL THEMSELVES.... He wants people who have went above and beyond for over the YEARS who have no integrity to revel themselves... Ellen was JUST honored and praised for giving and giving and giving [ cause this is what she does constantly on her show and in real life ] and now this? Ellen if you see this message..... You are a GEM of a women and wife..... I am not one of the lucky ones who have hung with you 40 to 50 times over the years... But I know a kind hearted and giving person when I see one and you fit the bill....... Last time I seen you.. You were at the Soho house rooftop in Beverly Hills and I literally sat there and said “There is NO WAY I’m not gonna speak to and hug the great Ellen on the way out”.... And sure enough you stood up and hugged me and smiled and did that usual beautiful Ellen thing.... You will be just fine.... Every set back is a set UP for even more greater things to come..... You can call me anytime I’m not kind at all..... You stay kind, I will be your BAD GUY and fight your battles...... lol [ before y’all even attempt to come for me? Just know I don’t GAF for 1.... and 2? I’m just speaking facts about Ellen based on my own personal experiences and more importantly how I feel about her in general....... Ellen there’s not enough bad articles and or rumors and or bloggers in the WORLD that can undo the beauty that you’ve brought into our world........ Stay strong sis I’m here... #ForeverFan

A post shared by TYRESE (@tyrese) on

 

As of now, Ellen has yet to respond to the accusations publicly. It’s reported she apologized to her staff last week in a letter addressing workplace complaints. Ellen’s wife, Portia de Rossi, showed support of her wife on Instagram.

"To all our fans....we see you. Thank you for your support. #stopbotattacks,” she wrote.

It’s unclear what the #stopbotattacks hashtag is about.

Peep her post below:

"Ellen’s nice to guests and fans, but with her staff and employees, she has extremely high standards,” a source told US Weekly.

“They know that Ellen can be tough but accept that about her and know that it takes a lot of work to run a tight ship like her show,” another insider said. “They get it.”

 

Photo: Tinseltown/ s_bukley/Shutterstock.com

​
​ ​
Categories:
​ ​
​ ​ ​
​ ​
​
​ ​
​

Comments

WANT YOUR OWN AVATAR? GET IT HERE.

Log in to post a new comment

Log in to post a new comment

register
Sign in with Facebook