In a statement posted to her Instagram, Kelly Clarkson spoke in support of employees on her syndicated talk show who, according to a Rolling Stone expose, have reported a toxic workplace environment.
Clarkson said that if these employees feel “unheard and or disrespected,” that is “unacceptable.”
“In my 20 years in the entertainment industry, I’ve always led with my heart and what I believed to be right. I love my team at ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show,’ and to find out that anyone is feeling unheard and or disrespected on this show is unacceptable,” she said.
Earlier Friday, Rolling Stone reported that employees feel overworked and underpaid, and mired in a “toxic” environment. The report cited one employee who said that working on she show is “traumatizing to their mental health.”
According to the report, Clarkson herself is not blamed for the workplace conditions. The negative behind-the-scenes environment was instead blamed on executive producer Alex Duda, who according to Rolling Stone has kept Clarkson from learning about the problem.
“I would be shocked if [Kelly] knew. I’d be floored if she knew the staff wasn’t getting paid for two weeks of Christmas hiatus,” one former employee told the outlet. “The Kelly that I interacted with and that everyone knows would probably be pretty aghast to learn that.”
In a statement released in response to the report, NBCUniversal, which produces the syndicated series, said: “We are committed to a safe and respectful work environment and take workplace complaints very seriously and to insinuate otherwise is untrue. When issues are reported they are promptly reviewed, investigated and acted upon as appropriate. ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show’ strives to build a safe, respectful and equitable workplace that nurtures a culture of inclusivity and creativity.”