The Ellen DeGeneres Show is cleaning house. The popular daytime series has axed three of its top producers following an internal investigation brought on by anonymous accusations of racial insensitivity, sexual misconduct and other problematic behaviours that led to a toxic work environment first reported by
Buzzfeed back in July.According to an
exclusive report in Variety, executive producers Ed Glavin and Kevin Leman, along with co-executive producer Jonathan Norman, have been let go from the series as a result of “damning allegations."
Variety also reports that Glavin and Leman have been ousted from other DeGeneres-produced series, like
Ellen’s Game of Games, as well.At
The Ellen DeGeneres Show, that leaves original series producers Mary Connelly, Andy Lassner and Derek Westervelt at the helm, alongside DeGeneres herself, who has
promised to do better following the allegations.[video_embed id='2007574']RELATED: ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’ accused of having a toxic work environment[/video_embed]
Variety reports that the show’s 200 or so staff members learned about the firings during a videoconference call with Ellen herself. Multiple sources told the publication that DeGeneres admitted to everyone that she is “not perfect” and in the effort to keep the series running as a “well-oiled machine,” leaders were perhaps not as sensitive to “human beings” as they should have been. She also called the allegations “heartbreaking” and pledged to try and stick to previously agreed-upon timetables (rather than shifting the schedule on short notice) to try and make the overall process better for everyone involved.Connelly and Lassner were also on the call, and they said that while the internal investigation showed no “evidence of systemic racism,” they realize that more needs to be done for diversity and inclusion. In that vein DeGeneres and everyone else on staff will reportedly participate in diversity and inclusion workshops, and DeGeneres has also promised to hold meetings in small groups with the staffers once in-person production resumes.In the meantime, the series has also promoted Ellen’s longtime DJ, Stephen “tWitch” Boss, to the position of co-executive producer. According to
another report in Variety that news was also announced during the teleconference call, as DeGeneres revealed she wanted to “come back strong” with a renewed commitment to diversity. According to an insider, this promotion will give Boss more influence in programming and in the overall work culture.The former
So You Think You Can Dance runner-up has been a DJ on the daytime series since 2014, when he replaced former DJ Tony Okungbowa, and recently shared that he "
feels genuine love" working on the show. In addition to appearing on the series he also stars on
Ellen’s Game of Games, and he hosts
Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings with his wife Allison Holker for Disney Plus.In May 2019,
The Ellen DeGeneres Show was
renewed for three more seasons. The show is currently on its summer hiatus, but it is expected to return to the air on September 14 for its 18
th season. The staff has been working remotely
since August 3 in anticipation of the return.[video_embed id='2015930']RELATED: Ellen DeGeneres is spotted having lunch with Kevin Hart amid talk show scandal[/video_embed]
