Portia de Rossi breaks silence on Ellen scandal
Ellen's wife and other celebs have come to her defence.
August 4, 2020 11:22 a.m. EST
August 8, 2020 12:00 a.m. EST
In a statement released on July 30, Warner Bros. revealed it had interviewed dozens of current and former employees and that they were “disappointed that the primary findings of the investigation indicated some deficiencies related to the show’s day-to-day management.” The company also revealed that “although not all of the allegations were corroborated,” it had “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.”[video_embed id='2005847']RELATED: Ellen DeGeneres addresses 'toxic' workplace allegations: 'I am sorry'[/video_embed]Although the company didn’t expand on what those changes are or can be expected, THR reported in the same article that one of the series’ three main executive producers, Ed Glavin—who was specifically named as having problematic behaviour by some of those interviewed—is on his way out the door. Meanwhile in the second BuzzFeed article, in which 36 former employees spoke out about alleged incidents of harassment and sexual misconduct, head writer and executive producer Kevin Leman specifically came under fire. In the article, former staff allege he made sexual advances on an employee at a work party, grabbed a production assistant’s penis, and groped another production assistant in a car. He was also accused of making several inappropriate comments. “It’s masked in sarcasm, but it’s not sarcasm,” a former employee told the publication. Leman has denied the claims.Following the allegations and responses, some celebrities like Brad Garrett and Lea Thompson have reinforced the claims that DeGeneres isn’t a nice person to work with, while plenty of others, like Katy Perry, Jerry O’Connell and Justin Bieber’s manager Scooter Braun have shown their support for the host.
1/2 I know I can’t speak for anyone else’s experience besides my own but I want to acknowledge that I have only ever had positive takeaways from my time with Ellen & on the @theellenshow. I think we all have witnessed the light & continual fight for equality that she has brought
— KATY PERRY (@katyperry) August 4, 2020
Needed to say this as I know first hand how she helps so many when we are watching and when we are not. She isn’t about what is popular she is about what is right. Sending love to Ellen today.
— Scooter Braun (@scooterbraun) July 31, 2020
“Ellen has made my life so much easier for me and other LGBTQ people,” Brandi Carlile added in the comments of de Rossi’s Instagram post. “I’ll never stop being grateful for that, but more importantly she’s NEVER stopped making life better and easier for all kinds of people. This attack is unprecedented.”DeGeneres and de Rossi have been married since August 2008. They first announced their engagement on an episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show following the California Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the law banning same-sex marriage. On their 10-year anniversary, the couple took to Instagram to share a video and photo montage of their wedding, which was officiated by the late philosopher and self-help guru Wayne Dyer. “This was such a special day for us,” DeGeneres wrote at the time.Following the allegations and responses, some celebrities like Brad Garrett and Lea Thompson have reinforced the claims that DeGeneres isn’t a nice person to work with. DeGeneres’ former DJ, Tony Okungbowa, also corroborated some of the BuzzFeed claims on Instagram. “I have been getting calls asking me about The Ellen DeGeneres Show and I would like to address the time I spent there,” he wrote. “I was on air talent from 2003-2006 and from 2007 -2013. 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.”Meanwhile plenty of other celebrities, like Katy Perry, Jerry O’Connell, Justin Bieber’s manager Scooter Braun, and comedian Kevin Hart have shown their support for the host.Unpopular opinion: I’ve worked for @TheEllenShow as a dj, for her parties, for years and she has ALWAYS been respectful and kind to me.
— samantha ronson (@samantharonson) August 3, 2020
[video_embed id='2003272']RELATED: ‘Ellen DeGeneres Show’ workplace under investigation by WarnerMedia[/video_embed]
