Ellen show responds to toxic workplace allegations with new perks and a "Don't Be Afraid" message

Variety

Following the firing this week of three top producers, The Ellen DeGeneres Show is addressing accusations of a toxic workplace culture with several new perks for staffers, including increased paid time off and a liberal medical leave policy. "Staffers will receive five paid days off to use at their discretion, birthdays off, and paid time for doctors' appointments and family matters," a source tells Variety's Matt Donnelly. The news was delivered by Ellen executive producers Mary Connelly and Andy Lassner at a virtual town hall on Monday after Ellen DeGeneres delivered a tearful apology for her show's workplace. Connelly and Lassner told staff plainly “don’t be afraid” during the call. Staffers were told they could speak up on everything from workplace and pandemic issues to the rumors that no one should make contact with Ellen, which she denied. "Insiders said the new perks and a direct address from DeGeneres have improved morale this week, as rehearsals for DeGeneres’ spinoff show Ellens’ Game of Games resumed, and the talk show team began waking up production offices and sound stages," says Donnelly. He adds that a human resources person has already begun work on the show, and he could be contacted for employees to pass on their concerns anonymously.

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• YouTube videos and The Larry Sanders Show warned at a darker side to Ellen DeGeneres: "In the olden, golden days of the Hollywood studio system, battalions of publicity agents labored to control a star’s public image, to craft them into something at once glamorous and ordinary, thrilling yet unthreatening, with a heavy lid over even the intimation of any deviation from 'the norm,'" says Robert Lloyd. "Inevitably, the practice of selling the public personalities too good to be true ran into the business of revealing them as all too human — gossip columnists and scandal mags like Confidential made this their meat — and this tension exists to this day. YouTube swarms with videos meant to tell us that famous people are not who they want us to think they are. Celebrities Who Are Not Nice is a genre of its own — usually the same small pool of suspects, hung on not always substantial evidence. DeGeneres gets whole videos to herself, many posted just this year as Ellen Disfavor Fever mounted: 'Top 10 Times Celebs Clapped Back at Ellen.' 'Top 10 Most Awkward Ellen Moments,' 'Top 10 Times Ellen DeGeneres Got Exposed,' 'Ellen DeGeneres Is a Hollywood PSYCHO.' The presenters strike a tone, usually unconvincing, between shock and concern, with a little snark sprinkled on top." Lloyd adds that no series captured the doubleness of show business "better than Garry Shandling’s The Larry Sanders Show, from back in the 20th century, a comedy set at a late-night talk show. We understand on a formal level that Larry lives in two worlds: onstage, with guests, where he is in control (shot on video), and anywhere else (shot on film), where he is not. Still, the character is too conflict-averse — he literally turns away from confrontation — and too needy to be an active tyrant. Shades of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, it’s his producer, Artie (Rip Torn), who maintains the perimeter (and bullies him a little, deferentially). Most every character on the show lives at least a little bit in fear."
• The Ellen DeGeneres Show controversy proves bosses get off easy: "We don’t know exactly how much of the show’s terrible environment was due personally to its star, of course," says Terri Gerstein. "Ellen stated she was disappointed to learn about the atmosphere on the set, and wrote a letter to her staff, stating: 'I’m glad the issues at our show were brought to my attention. I promise to do my part in continuing to push myself and everyone around me to learn and grow.' But we do know that the head honcho is the one who’s ultimately responsible for the environment that’s created — and yet rarely faces consequences. It’s not surprising, of course, that Warner Bros., the studio behind Ellen’s program, decided to dismiss three producers rather than the celebrity around whom its entire show has been built. But whether it’s a toxic work environment at a personality-driven talk show or a major corporation with wage, workplace safety or sexual harassment problems, the people at the top set the tone."