Ellen DeGeneres has addressed the allegations of a “toxic” workplace culture hanging over her talk show, apologising in her first monologue of the show’s new season.
“How was everybody’s summer? Good? Mine was great, super terrific,” she said sarcastically.
“If you’re watching because you love me, thank you. If you’re watching because you don’t love me, welcome.
“As you may have heard this summer there were allegations of a toxic work environment at our show. Then there was an investigation.
“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.”
She went on, “I know that I’m in a position of privilege and power and I realise that with that comes responsibility. I take responsibility for what happens at my show.
“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.”
Ellen DeGeneres says she ‘is the person you see on TV’
Ellen DeGeneres also addressed widespread that she is “not who she appears to be on TV”. She said her persona as the “be kind” lady was “a tricky position to be in”.
“Here’s how that happened: I started saying, ‘be kind to one another’ after a young man named Tyler Clementi took his own life after being bullied for being gay,” she said.
“I thought the world needed more kindness and it was a reminder that we all needed that. I think we need it more than ever right now.”
She continued, “I am the person you see on TV. I am also a lot of other things.
“Sometimes I get sad. I get mad, I get anxious, I get frustrated, I get impatient. And I am working on all of that. I am a work in progress.
“And I am especially working on the impatience thing and it’s not going well because it’s not happening fast enough.”
Ellen quipped that that while she’s a “pretty good” actress having played a “straight woman in movies” she’s not good enough to “fool you every day for seventeen years”.
“This is me,” she said.
“My intention is to always be the best person I can be. And if I’ve ever let someone down, if I’ve ever hurt their feelings, I am so sorry for that.
“If that’s ever the case, I’ve let myself down and I’ve hurt myself as well.”
Employees speak out with allegations of toxic workplace culture
In July, production company WarnerMedia launched an investigation into The Ellen Show’s reported “toxic work environment”.
It came after former staffers told Buzzfeed News of an alleged culture of fear, intimidation and even racism in the workplace.
In July, WarnerMedia confirmed the investigation revealed “some flaws in the show’s daily management”.
While not all allegations were corroborated, the studio said “the primary findings of the investigation indicated some deficiencies related to the show’s day-to-day management”.
In August, the show sacked three senior producers after Buzzfeed reported claims of sexual misconduct behind the scenes.
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