According to Deadline, three top producers have been relieved of their duties on The Ellen DeGeneres Show as a result of an investigation that was sparked by a BuzzFeed News report that was published last month.
That investigation, conducted by WarnerMedia, has led to the ousting of executive producers Ed Glavin and Kevin Leman, in addition to co-executive producer Jonathan Norman. The announcement that the three were gone was revealed in a virtual staff meeting on Monday, and was later confirmed by Deadline.
The departures come after Warner Bros. publicly addressed allegations made in that BuzzFeed piece, and paired that with promises of upcoming "staffing changes." Glavin, specifically, was mentioned in multiple complaints contained in the BuzzFeed story, meaning that his exit had been expected.
The report that led to the investigation accused the Ellen show of being a toxic workplace, as based upon testimonials from 10 people who used to work there, and one person who still does.
Warner released a statement at the end of July in which they said:
“Though not all of the allegations were corroborated, we are disappointed that the primary findings of the investigation indicated some deficiencies related to the show’s day-to-day management. We have identified several staffing changes, along with appropriate measures to address the issues that have been raised, and are taking the first steps to implement them. Warner Bros. and Ellen DeGeneres are all committed to ensuring a workplace based on respect and inclusion. We are confident this course of action will lead us to the right way forward for the show.”
On the same day that statement was released, DeGeneres also issued an apology to her staff.
“Anyone who knows me knows it’s the opposite of what I believe and what I hoped for our show,” she said. “I could not have the success I’ve had without all of your contributions. My name is on the show and everything we do and I take responsibility for that.
Also announced on Monday were HR changes that Deadline, citing sources, says are intended to"improve the environment on the show, including employee’s experience, interactions and reporting of any issues." Writer Nellie Andreeva says that DeGeneres led the meeting with the announcement of the producers' ousting, and said that it was necessary to make changes to have employees feel good so that they could put out a show that will make viewers feel good.
