The Ellen DeGeneres Show is attempting a behind-the-scenes course correction.
Three of the daytime talk show’s senior producers — executive producers Ed Glavin and Kevin Leman, as well as co-executive producer Jonathan Norman — have been fired, our sister publication Variety reports. Meanwhile, Mary Connelly, Andy Lassner and Derek Westervelt will continue to executive-produce. Ellen DeGeneres reportedly shared this news with her staff on Monday, adding that it “broke her heart” to read all of the complaints from former employees.
In other staffing news, Stephen “tWitch” Boss — the show’s resident DJ — has been promoted to co-executive producer.
This regime change come less than a month after a series of bombshell reports from Variety and BuzzFeed brought the show’s toxic workplace culture to light. A host of former employees came forward with allegations of everything from racist comments made by senior producers to staffers being fired for taking time off to attend family funerals.
DeGeneres sent a letter to her staff shortly after those reports came out, insisting that she always wanted her show to be “place of happiness,” and that she was “disappointed to learn that this has not been the case. … We immediately began an internal investigation and we are taking steps, together, to correct the issues.”
Several of DeGeneres’ close celebrity pals have chimed in. Kevin Hart, for example, posted the following message of support 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 f–king planet. She has treated my family and my team with love and respect from Day 1.”
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