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Ellen DeGeneres’ On-Air Apology Was Tone Deaf, Current and Former Staffers Say

“Not only did Ellen turn my trauma, turn our traumas, into a joke, she somehow managed to make this about her,” former employee tells BuzzFeed News

| September 22, 2020 @ 7:25 AM Last Updated: September 22, 2020 @ 9:21 AM

Ellen DeGeneres opened Season 18 of “The Ellen DeGeneres” show Monday with a monologue that addressed the toxic workplace accusations posed against the show by current and former employees over the summer. But DeGeneres’ speech, which included apologies and a promise to start a “new chapter” at her show, was found tone-deaf by some former and current “Ellen” staffers due to the inclusion of jokes about how “great” her summer was, according to BuzzFeed News.

One former employee told BuzzFeed news, “When she said, ‘Oh my summer was great’ and that was supposed to be funny I thought, ‘It’s funny that you had a rough summer because everyone was calling out all of the allegations of your toxic work environment and now you’re the one suffering?'”

You can view DeGeneres’ monologue via the video above.

Also Read: Ellen DeGeneres Opens Season 18 With Apology for Toxic Workplace Accusations, Says She Is 'That Person You See on TV' (Video)

“Not only did Ellen turn my trauma, turn our traumas, into a joke, she somehow managed to make this about her,” another former staffer told BuzzFeed News.

One current “Ellen” employee told BuzzFeed News they also did not approve of the “inappropriate jokes” in DeGeneres’ on-air apology, adding that they were frustrated that their responsibilities at the show were “put on hold” until DeGeneres’ premiere monologue had been delivered. The staffer told BuzzFeed News they are relieved they can get back to work now, but say “it’s all tactical.”

“The average person will listen to it and make their own choices, but what people don’t always take into account is that information is power, and she’s sharing it now because it’s for premiere week and it’s to get viewers back, and that just feels the opposite of what this message is about,” the employee said.

Also Read: 'Ellen DeGeneres Show' Sets Season 18 Premiere - 'And, Yes, We're Gonna Talk About It,' Host Promises

A spokesperson for DeGeneres declined to comment Tuesday and representatives for “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and distributor Warner Bros. TV did not immediately respond to TheWrap’s request.

An individual with knowledge of the situation on set told TheWrap that the environment “feels very different,” and that DeGeneres is “more engaged than ever.” The insider says that DeGeneres had been connecting with her staff over Zoom leading up to Monday’s premiere to make sure they feel “heard and valued” and that she wanted to “directly” address her audience about the situation in the season premiere.

Dozens of current and former staffers spoke out about their time working on “Ellen” in a pair of bombshell Buzzfeed News reports in July.

Also Read: Fall TV 2020: All the Premiere Dates for New and Returning Shows - So Far (Photos)

WarnerMedia’s subsequent investigation into multiple accusations of workplace and sexual misconduct resulted in “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” removing three of its top producers: Ed Glavin, Kevin Leman and Jonathan Norman.

In a memo to staff back in July, DeGeneres said she was “disappointed” to learn that employees felt mistreated while working on her show and committed herself to “ensuring this does not happen again.”

Fall TV 2020: All the Premiere Dates for New and Returning Shows - So Far (Photos)

  • fall premiere dates 2020 Fox/ABC/Amazon/FX
  • Teen Mom 2 MTV
  • 16 and Recovering - MTV MTV
  • Transplant - Season 1 NBC
  • House of Payne BET
  • Assisted Living BET
  • AP Bio Season 3 Peacock
  • HBO Max
  • Away Hilary Swank Netflix
  • Noughts and Crosses Peacock
  • Stormfront Aya Cash The Boys Season 2 Amazon Prime Video
  • Viola Davis and husband OWN
  • Method Man in Power Book II: Ghost Starz
  • American Ninja Warrior - season 11 NBC
  • LA's Finest - Season 1 - Episode 101 Spectrum Originals
  • Woke Lamorne Morris Hulu
  • Madison Reyes in "Julie and the Phantoms" on Netflix Netflix
  • The Duchess Netflix
  • our cartoon president trump colbert showtime Showtime
  • Dancing With the Stars ABC
  • The Third Day Katherine Waterston HBO
  • We Are Who We Are HBO
  • Enslaved Epix
  • Comedy Central
  • Challenger_ Final Flight Netflix
  • FXX
  • Departure - Season 1 Peacock
  • The Great Pottery Throw Down HBO Max
  • Jurassic World Camp Cretaceous Hulu
  • Pen15 Hulu
  • Ratched Sarah Paulson Netflix
  • Worlds Funniest Animals The CW
  • LA's Finest Fox
  • filthy rich Fox
  • Nick Cannon Masked Singer Fox
  • I Can See Your Voice Fox
  • Rainn Wilson Utopia Amazon
  • A Wilderness of Error FX
  • Simpsons Fox
  • Bless the Harts Fox
  • Bobs Burgers Fox
  • Showtime
  • Family Guy Fox
  • Fargo Year 4 - Chris Rock FX
  • The Weakest Link - Season 1 NBC
  • Gangs of London AMC
  • Salisbury Poisonings AMC
  • Monsterland Getty
  • Emily in Paris Netflix
  • Undercover Boss CBS
  • Warrior
  • snl saturday night live weekend update michael che on stay at home protesters NBC
  • Pandora
  • Ethan Hawke Good Lord Bird Showtime Showtime
  • britannia Epix
  • The Walking Dead World Beyond AMC
  • Soulmates AMC
  • Swamp Thing DC Universe
  • Ellen's Game of Games - Season 2 NBC
  • NEXT Fox
  • Devils Patrick Dempsey The CW
  • Coroner The CW
  • Supernatural The CW
  • Connecting - Season 1 NBC
  • CW - The Outpost The CW
  • Disney+
  • Haunting of Bly Manor Netflix
  • fear the walking dead ftwd season 6 premiere and trailer AMC
  • CLARE CRAWLEY bachelorette ABC
  • Tell Me a Story The CW
  • The Amazing Race CBS
  • Sistas BET
  • Star Trek Discovery Season 3 CBS All Access
  • Helstrom Hulu Comic-Con at Home San Diego Comic-Con Trailer Hulu
  • Grand Army Netflix
  • Shark Tank ABC
  • ABC
  • Getty
  • Who Wants to Be a Millionaire ABC
  • Card Sharks ABC
  • Unsolved Mysteries Netflix
  • The Voice NBC
  • The Goldbergs ABC
  • The Conners ABC
  • Blackish ABC
  • Queens Gambit Netflix
  • The Undoing HBO
  • NBC
  • American Housewife ABC
  • Superstore - Season 4 NBC
  • Mandalorian Disney+
  • The Good Doctor ABC
  • Young Sheldon CBS
  • B Positive CBS
  • Mom CBS
  • CBS
  • NCIS New Orleans CBS
  • A Teacher Kate Mara FX on Hulu
  • Chicago Med - Season 4 NBC
  • Chicago Fire - Season 7 NBC
  • CBS
  • Chicago P.D. - Season 6 NBC
  • Station 19 ABC
  • Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - Season 21 NBC
  • ELLEN POMPEO Greys Anatomy ABC
  • The Unicorn CBS
  • The Blacklist Red NBC
  • the crown season 3 queen elizabeth conspiracy theories harold wilson anthony blunt russian Netflix
  • The Neighborhood CBS
  • Bob Hearts Abishola CBS
  • All Rise CBS CBS
  • His Dark Materials HBO
  • Bull cbs CBS
  • NCIS CBS
  • FBI - "Emotional Rescue" CBS
  • FBI Most Wanted CBS
  • Kylie Bunbury Big Sky ABC
  • For Life ABC
  • A Million Little Things ABC
  • Animaniacs Hulu
  • Seal Team CBS
  • HBO Max
  • Virgin River Netflix
  • Shameless Showtime
  • The Stand CBS All Access
1 of 125

Here’s when 125 broadcast, cable and streaming series debut and come back

Fall is in full swing, but not much has changed since this summer with many people still staying at home as much as possible to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Luckily, dozens of new and returning shows are premiering this autumn to keep you company. TheWrap has rounded up all the dates we know -- so far -- for Fall TV shows' debuts. We will continue to update the list as more become available.

For the purposes of this gallery, we've designated Sept. 1 as the beginning of fall rather than the official Sept. 22 start, since "Fall TV" is sure to be more loosely defined this year.

Also Read: ‘The Masked Singer’ Pulled Off Its Pandemic Season With Animation, Fan Voting and a Baby Alien

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