Ellen DeGeneres’ Bullying Controversy Reignites After Former Staff Member Exposes New Claims

Ellen DeGeneres is facing fresh allegations five years after an exposé accused the talk show host of bullying and fostering a toxic workplace environment, which ultimately led to her retirement from show business.

The former host, whose show was taken off the air in 2022, is now accused of treating her male staffers more harshly than her female employees. A former cameraman told The Daily Mail that Ellen “went through a lot of male employees just in general” and particularly targeted those who interacted with her wife, Portia De Rossi, behind the scenes.

The ex-worker told the outlet that Ellen once went through nine stage managers in a single season. “We had a feeling she really didn’t like guys,” he said.

He added that while Portia was “nice” to Ellen Show staffers, anyone “caught in conversation” with her risked facing consequences.

Ellen DeGeneres was accused of toxic behavior toward her male employees and those who spoke with her wife, Portia De Rossi

Image credits: The Ellen Show

Image credits: ellendegeneres

“You just hoped and prayed you weren’t seated by her wife, so you didn’t get her attention,” the cameraman explained.

According to the source, the talk show host was known for giving a menacing look, dubbed the “Ellen gaze,” which involved narrowing her eyes and making her cheekbones “stick out.” The look was “terrifying,” the staffer said, comparing it to a “queen looking for her next execution.”

The former talk show host “went through a lot of male employees,” claimed a cameraman who worked for her

Image credits: Netflix

The man also claimed that Ellen specifically requested not to welcome back one guest, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, after he used his trademark fiery temper to criticize a meat dish she presented.

“As soon as he bit in, he was like, ‘This is rubbish. This is disgusting,’” the staffer told The Daily Mail. 

“She didn’t like the reaction. It was like eight seasons he didn’t come back for after. She told one of her EPs, ‘Don’t let this guy on the show again,’” the source alleged, adding that people were “uninvited as a guest pretty easily.”

Image credits: portiaderossi

The cameraman further claimed that a high-ranking producer was told to reschedule his child’s operation, and complied.

“The kid had a major surgery — like a bone marrow transplant,” he explained.

“This was a person pretty high up. This person was asked if they could move the procedure around the Christmas holiday week, for Ellen.”

It’s unclear if Ellen had been aware of the request. Still, summarizing his experience on the show, the cameraman noted, “It was all loyalty to the show, but no loyalty to staff.”

Ellen allegedly told producers not to invite Gordon Ramsay back after he criticized a dish she presented

Image credits: FOX via Getty Images

Other allegations against the 67-year-old include firing a comedian for making a joke about her riding a unicycle, and a production assistant who was axed after his golf cart briefly blocked Ellen’s car on the Warner Bros. lot.

“She could be dancing and laughing on camera, then during the break she’d be glaring into the crew area like a queen deciding who to execute,” the cameraman said.

Image credits: The Ellen Show

In 2020, BuzzFeed published a report in which 11 employees of the show alleged a “toxic work environment” behind the scenes.

The claims included instances of racial microaggressions, being penalized for taking medical leave, and fear of retaliation for raising complaints.

Addressing Ellen’s “be kind to one another” message, one staffer said, “That ‘be kind’ bullsh*t only happens when the cameras are on. It’s all for show. I know they give money to people and help them out, but it’s for show.”

Image credits: The Ellen Show

Following the publication of the report, three top producers were fired, and Warner Media launched an internal investigation into the show.

Ellen addressed the allegations during her monologue, stating, “I learned that things happened here that never should’ve happened. I take that very seriously, and I want to say I’m so sorry to the people who were affected.

“I take responsibility for what happens at my show,” she continued. “This is ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show,’ I am Ellen DeGeneres. We have had a lot of conversations over the last few weeks about the show, our workplace and what we want for the future. We have made the necessary changes and today we are starting a new chapter.”

The Ellen Show was taken off the air in 2022 after allegations of bullying and a toxic workplace environment

Image credits: The Ellen Show

She described herself as a “work in progress” and said that she hoped the show could still “be a place of happiness and joy.”

Despite Ellen’s apology, and the three executive producers who had been fired taking responsibility for the day-to-day operations of the show, NBC canceled The Ellen DeGeneres Show after nearly two decades on the air.

Image credits: portiaderossi

In an interview with The Today Show, Ellen said the scandal felt “misogynistic” and “too orchestrated, too coordinated.”

During her Netflix stand-up special For Your Approval last year, the comedian addressed the backlash, saying, “People will say all kinds of things and you have no control over that. But you know the truth and that’s all that matters.”

After the comedy special, Ellen moved to the UK and announced her retirement from the entertainment industry.

“No shock here,” one netizen said of the new allegations against the talk show host

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