ABC/Todd Wawrychuk(LOS ANGELES) — Last week, one current and 10 former and current staffers of The Ellen DeGeneres Show came forward to Buzzfeed to claim the show’s sunny personality hides some major on-set clouds. 

The staffers claimed they tolerated racist comments and other elements of a toxic work environment from senior producers and other higher-ranking staffers while working on the show. 

Now, Us magazine claims current staff members are “loving” that the dirty laundry is being aired. “They’ve been calling and texting each other about the story,” claims a source connected with the show. “They’re loving that the truth — which has been an open secret for years in the industry — is finally receiving more interest.”

In response to the Buzzfeed piece, Ellen executive producers Ed Glavin, Mary Connelly and Andy Lassner issued a joint statement to BuzzFeed, which read in part, “Over the course of nearly two decades, 3,000 episodes, and employing over 1,000 staff members, we have strived to create an open, safe, and inclusive work environment. We are truly heartbroken and sorry to learn that even one person in our production family has had a negative experience. It’s not who we are and not who we strive to be, and not the mission Ellen has set for us.”

It continued, “For the record, the day to day responsibility of the Ellen show is completely on us. We…realize, as many in the world are learning, that we need to do better, are committed to do better, and we will do better.”

By Stephen Iervolino
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