'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' to continue, celeb-host 'isn't giving up'
Ellen DeGeneres isn't quitting her show, producers in a meeting with other staff members recently clarified. Alleviating fears of a possible cancellation of the show after huge media buzz, executive producers Derek Westervelt, Mary Connelly and Andy Lassner said Ellen "is not giving up," and that "the show will go on." "They said things will be very different now," a source said.
This took place after WarnerMedia, on July 27, informed all employees of the daytime show that an investigation will be carried out by the brand relations group and a third-party firm into the allegations surfaced against three executive producers Ed Glavin, Jonathan Norman and Kevin Leman. Even the talk show host was claimed to be turning a deaf ear to incidents behind the camera.
The meeting was conducted to clear the air between the executive producers and the employees. Mentioning that some allegations are true "and a lot is not true," the producers assured to change their workplace so that it becomes "a happy show to work on." A source told US Weekly that the "pep talk" uplifted the mood of the anxious employees.
Separately, after the allegations surfaced, DeGeneres tendered a public apology on July 30. In a letter, she said she had guaranteed that "everyone would be treated with respect," in the very first meeting of the show. "Obviously, something changed, and I am disappointed to learn that this has not been the case. And for that, I am sorry," she said.
Meanwhile, her wife Portia de Rossi also extended support with an Instagram post and said, "I Stand With Ellen," adding how she and the talk show host are thankful for the support of the audience. De Rossi has been married to DeGeneres for 12 years.
Among the allegations that have rocked the show include a Twitter thread saying how "mean" DeGeneres is to complaints of racism, claims of underpayment and even to security staff. Moreover, Glavin, Norman and Leman have been accused of harassing women employees sexually. Consequently, Glavin will reportedly be asked to leave while nothing is sure about Norman and Leman's future with the show.
