Ellen Show crew reveal producers sexually harassed and bullied them – with one demanding oral sex

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Senior executives at The Ellen DeGeneres Show allegedly groped and kissed employees, solicited one staffer for oral sex, and were ‘handsy with women,’ three dozen former employees have claimed.

The bombshell allegations published by BuzzFeed News late on Thursday come hours after it was revealed that DeGeneres, the $50million-a-year queen of daytime television, apologized to staff over allegations the show was a hostile work environment for employees.

In a letter addressed to her staffers, DeGeneres said that she takes overall responsibility for her namesake show and that there are steps planned that will seek to ‘correct the issues.’

‘As we’ve grown exponentially, I’ve not been able to stay on top of everything and relied on others to do their jobs as they knew I’d want them done,’ DeGeneres wrote, hinting that senior staffers would be held accountable.

‘Clearly some didn’t.

‘That will now change and I’m committed to ensuring this does not happen again.’

Warner Bros., the studio that runs the show, was reportedly set to end its internal investigation after conducting interviews of current and former employees following complaints of a toxic culture that included bullying and intimidation.

DailyMail.com has reached out to Warner Bros. for comment on the latest sexual misconduct allegations.

BuzzFeed News reports that it interviewed 36 former employees of The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

One of the ex-staffers told the news site that Kevin Leman, the show’s head writer and executive producer, solicited him for oral sex.

The alleged incident took place at a company party in 2013.

Other former employees allege they saw Leman grope and kiss employees. At least one said they witnessed Leman grab a production assistant’s genitalia.

Another former employee said she witnessed Leman grope a production assistant in a car and kiss his neck.

Nearly a dozen told BuzzFeed News that Leman often made sexually explicit comments.

Leman was alleged to have made suggestive remarks about the ‘bulges in the crotches’ of male colleagues, according to BuzzFeed News.

He was also alleged to have asked his co-workers: ‘Are you a top or a bottom?’

‘It’s masked in sarcasm, but it’s not sarcasm,’ a former employee said.

Leman is alleged to have preyed on employees who were younger and lower-level, and thus felt powerless to lodge a complaint.

‘He’d probably do it in front of 10 people and they’d laugh because “It’s just Kevin being Kevin,” but if you’re in a position of power at a company, you don’t just get to touch me like that,’ a former employee told BuzzFeed News.

DailyMail.com has reached out to Leman for comment.

Warner Bros. released a statement to BuzzFeed News on Thursday in which the studio said it ‘hoped to determine the validity and extent of publicly reported allegations and to understand the full breadth of the show’s day-to-day culture.’

‘It was important to both Warner Bros. and Ellen that as many people as possible attached to the program could be heard,’ Warner Bros. added.

‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show is, and has always strived to be, a place that brings positivity to the world.

‘And 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.’

In her apology letter to her staff, DeGeneres hinted that senior level executives would be fired over allegations that they presided over a toxic work environment.

One of those who is reportedly about to be dismissed is Ed Glavin, an executive producer, sources told The Hollywood Reporter.

According to BuzzFeed News, Glavin was known to make employees uncomfortable by rubbing their shoulders and back.

Five former employees told the news site that Glavin would also place his hand around co-workers’ lower waist.

Glavin allegedly ‘had a reputation for being handsy with women,’ particularly in the control room, according to BuzzFeed News.

Dozens of ex-employees, many of whom left the show voluntarily, told BuzzFeed News that Glavin intimidated subordinates by establishing a culture of fear that deterred them from speaking up.

‘You could definitely see the creep factor and the creepy touching,’ one former employee told BuzzFeed News.

‘That was out in the open for everybody to see.

‘Obviously, no one wants that and no one wants to be uncomfortably touched by someone … but you didn’t want to piss them off or you would be fired, so it was just that culture of fear.’

Another ex-employee claimed Glavin would touch producers and assistants in front of almost 30 other people who were watching in the control room while the show was filming segments that they had worked on.

‘Even though I was being abused [at work] constantly, Ed putting his arm around you in the control room was like the nicest experience you had all day, as messed up as that sounds,’ she said.

‘But you had been crying last night and now your segment is going well … and then you feel like you got credit for something from the executive producer directly. … That friendly banter accompanied by a friendly hand.’

The former employees said Glavin was known to have an explosive temper.

One ex-staffer said that they gave notice that they were leaving, Glavin flipped over a table and chair while screaming.

Several former employees said Glavin would press a button at his desk that would remotely shut the door to his office ‘as an intimidation tactic’ while he reprimanded workers.

‘It seemed like a power move, more than anything,’ one former employee said.

It has also been alleged that Glavin used his private shower in his office bathroom.

‘You’d be going into his office for an important meeting and the shower door is open and you’re like, that’s a little weird,’ a former employee said.

‘The shower is right when you walk in on the right. Before you even see his desk, you see his shower.

‘He’d be openly showering and going into meetings with wet hair.’

DailyMail.com has reached out to Glavin for comment.

The show’s co-executive producer, Jonathan Norman, is alleged to have ‘groomed’ a former employee by taking him to concerts and showering him with other gifts and perks before attempting to perform oral sex on him.

Three ex-colleagues told BuzzFeed News that the alleged victim told them about the incident just after it happened.

‘We’re young people who were forming our careers and were unfortunately subjected to a toxic work environment as some of our first jobs out of college,’ the former employee said.

‘And some of us were sexually harassed and that’s what was shaping our careers our first year out of school.’

DailyMail.com has reached out to Norman for comment.

The bombshell allegations will likely lead to questions over whether DeGeneres was aware of these incidents.

The former employees who spoke to BuzzFeed News said they were pressured not to report any incidents of wrongdoing to human resources.

‘There was no such thing as a confidential conversation,’ a former employee said.

‘There was no clear direction that if something happens to you, you go to this person, it will remain confidential, and you will not be retaliated against.’

A former employee of the show accused the parent company, Warner Bros., of ‘turning a blind eye’ to alleged misconduct because the highly rated gabfest ‘is a cash cow.’

‘Warner Brothers has a responsibility not just to the people who work on The Ellen Show, but to its viewers and its shareholders to make sure people are protected on the job, and that they’re not harassed, and they’re not working in an environment that is toxic and unhealthy,’ the former employee said.

Opinion is split among former employees as to whether DeGeneres knew what was going on.

Some believe that she doesn’t spend enough time in the office nor does she interact with staff in order to get a feel for what goes on.

‘Everyone acted really differently around her,’ one former employee said.

‘There’s a show that’s happening behind the show, the show that the executive producers have us all put on for her when she comes to the offices.’

Others, however, said that it was implausible for her not to know given that she spends most of her time with senior-level producers who are alleged to have engaged in these behaviors.

‘For someone who’s so involved in the show and the creative aspect, and having been in those meetings with her, it’s very hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that she doesn’t hear the same whispers,’ one former employee who worked closely with DeGeneres said.

‘Unless she really is just in this bubble.’

Another former employee said: ‘She knows.’

‘She knows s*** goes on, but also she doesn’t want to hear it.’

In a letter addressed to her staffers, DeGeneres said that she takes overall responsibility for her namesake show and that there are steps planned that will seek to ‘correct the issues.’ 

According to THR, Glavin was at the center of several complaints from staffers.

‘Once he’s out, it will be like a new day,’ according to a source.

Glavin was reportedly responsible for the day-to-day handling of the staff. Sources told THR that DeGeneres was ‘largely kept shielded’ from Glavin’s conduct toward employees.

Sources also told THR that Glavin is likely to be one of several that will be dismissed.      

When reached by DailyMail.com, a Warner Bros. spokesperson declined comment. However, in a statement provided to Deadline, the studio acknowledged an investigation and its disappointment.     

‘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,” the statement said. “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.’     

Earlier this month, Glavin and the show’s two other top producers, Mary Connelly and Andy Lassner, gave a statement to BuzzFeed News which read: ‘Over the course of nearly two decades, 3,000 episodes, and employing over 1000 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.’

The news of Glavin’s reported firing comes as Warner Bros. subsidiary Telepictures is about to wrap up an in-house investigation into allegations that Ellen staffers were subjected to bullying, racist comments and abuse.

An internal memo sent last week explained that current and former staff will be interviewed about claims of ‘mistreatment, racism and intimidation’ behind the scenes.

Ellen hasn’t been accused of any wrongdoing herself. 

The memo insisted that producers Telepictures and Warner Bros. Television are committed ‘to providing an environment where employees can flourish’.      

In her letter to staff, DeGeneres noted the irony of the allegations in light of her show’s stated mission to be a ‘place of happiness.’

She also alluded to her highly publicized ‘coming out’ as a lesbian in the 1990s.

‘As someone who was judged and nearly lost everything for just being who I am, I truly understand and have deep compassion for those being looked at differently, or treated unfairly, not equal, or – worse – disregarded,’ she writes.

Industry observers did not expect the show to be canceled altogether given its popularity and the substantial revenue that it generates for Warner Bros.

According to Forbes, Ellen is a cash cow, bringing in an estimated $35million annually for the studio.

DeGeneres herself is among the highest paid talk show hosts in the country, earning an estimated $50million a year from the program.

Firing a producer and others instead of canceling the entire show appears to be a wise choice, according to Damali Peterman, an entertainment lawyer and conflict mediator.

‘I don’t think there’s the perfect show, the perfect restaurant, the perfect workplace,’ Peterman told DailyMail.com

‘There are solutions that can be brought to light or presented to resolve specific issues.

‘If we know that someone can be called racist, and that can’t be addressed through a dialogue, maybe that person should be terminated.

‘But does that rise to the level of an entire show that employs thousands of people? That’s not the right solution.’

Meanwhile, DeGeneres is likely to come in for criticism from those who say she’s scapegoating Glavin and others who may be fired.

‘Ellen’s statement seems to be an attempt to scam the public into believing that she had no knowledge of the horrific conduct that is now a Warner investigation which could decimate her career into scattered bits across Tinseltown,’ said Eric Schiffer, a brand and reputation management expert. 

‘Ellen was about to be buried alive and she only took responsibility because of the threat and pressure of losing her show. 

‘If an avalanche of investigators were not closing in on her she would have continued to clam up. 

‘Ellen must somehow believe the public is stupid and would accept that she didn’t know what was happening with people in her own production facility on her own payroll. 

‘It’s this same display of stone-cold crazy Hollywood arrogance that allowed people to be treated like animals and led to Ellen’s underlying investigation.’ 

Earlier this week, more allegations surfaced about what has been described as a toxic culture on the set of Ellen. 

A senior executive of Australia’s Today show says he was told not to look at or speak to DeGeneres when she appeared on the program back in 2013. 

Neil Breen, who now presents his own show, said Ellen’s staff were the only ones who were allowed to interact with her – and they ‘walked on eggshells’, laughing so loudly at her jokes during the interview that he had to tell them to be quiet.

He added that Ellen’s people dictated everything – from seating, to lighting, to how the interview would work – adding that he found the whole situation ‘bizarre’. 

Breen told 4BC, the radio station where he is now a host, that Ellen was initially supposed to co-host the Today show during her tour of Australia seven years ago, but the plan was continually changed and watered down by her team.

Eventually, it was agreed that Ellen would do a sit-down interview with entertainment reporter Richard Wilkins in Melbourne – meaning production had to be moved there from Sydney at the show’s expense, Breen said.

Breen said that he and Wilkins arrived at ‘one of the plush hotels in Melbourne’ on the day of the interview to find ‘a lot of people’ from Ellen’s team waiting for them. 

‘The producer called us aside and said, “Now Neil, no one is to talk to Ellen. You don’t talk to her, you don’t approach her, you don’t look at her,”‘ he said.  

During the interview itself, Breen had to ask Ellen’s staff to stop laughing at her jokes because it was interrupting the recording.

Breen said he had no idea whether Ellen knew what was happening around her, ‘because I never got to talk to her’.

‘I have no idea whether she’s a nice person or not, I wouldn’t have a clue,’ he added. ‘But I can tell you the people who work with her walked on eggshells the whole time.

‘We’re there to do an interview to promote what she’s doing, but you can’t look at her? Someone get real.’ 

Earlier this month, a number of employees of The Ellen DeGeneres Show described it as a ‘toxic work environment’.

One current and 10 former employees of the daytime chat show accused the three executive producers – Glavin, Mary Connelly and Andy Lassner – of ‘bullying’.

A source told Buzzfeed: ‘The issue is these three executive producers running the show who are in charge of all these people [and] who make the culture and are putting out this feeling of bullying and being mean.

 ‘They feel that everybody who works at The Ellen Show is lucky to work there: “So if you have a problem, you should leave because we’ll hire someone else because everybody wants to work here.”‘ 

Although DeGeneres has not been accused of any wrongdoing, employees have claimed they were instructed not to talk to her if they saw her in the building.

One former employee said: ‘If she wants to have her own show and have her name on the show title, she needs to be more involved to see what’s going on. I think the executive producers surround her and tell her, “Things are going great, everybody’s happy,” and she just believes that, but it’s her responsibility to go beyond that.’

A black woman claims she suffered a number of ‘microaggressions’, her request for a raise was ignored and she was accused of ‘walking around looking resentful and angry’ after asking for staff members to undergo diversity and inclusion training.

Another former employee alleges they were fired after taking medical leave for one month following a suicide attempt.

They said: ‘You’d think that if someone just tried to kill themselves, you don’t want to add any more stress to their lives.’  

In April, it was reported that the Ellen crew was angry over the lack of communication and transparency from bosses after being forced to take pay cuts when production first shut down due to the coronavirus outbreak.

A group of about 30 staffers were upset that Ellen had hired an external non-union company called Key Code Media to film the show while quarantined at home.

‘Higher-ups in production would occasionally answer phone calls but reveal little’ to the crew members, who had their pay slashed by 40 per cent amid changes brought about by the virus, insiders told Variety. 

Sources told the outlet that this was not the case with all the shows, as crews for John Oliver, Desus & Mero, and Samantha Bee were paid their full rates, while Jimmy Kimmel dipped into his own pocket for a time to keep his staff on their regular rates.

Producers responded that ‘our executive producers and Telepictures are committed to taking care of our staff and crew and have made decisions first and foremost with them in mind’.

Earlier this year, numerous reports from previous employees emerged claiming that Ellen had been unfriendly on set and that crew members were warned not to talk to the host or make eye contact. 

The backlash against Ellen gained momentum on March 20, when comedian Kevin T. Porter asked his Twitter followers to post their ‘insane’ tales of ‘Ellen being mean’. (Porter’s effort was linked to a charity drive for the Los Angeles Food Bank.) 

Writer Ben Simeon responded that ‘a new staff member was told, “Every day [Ellen] picks someone different to really hate. It’s not your fault, just suck it up for the day and she’ll be mean to someone else the next day.” They didn’t believe it, but it ended up being entirely true.’

‘Everyone must chew gum from a bowl outside her office before talking to her and if she thinks you smell that day you have to go home and shower,’ Simeon added in another tweet.

Ellen – who is reportedly worth $330million – has also caught flak for tone deafness after joking that locking down in her opulent mansion was ‘like being in jail.’

It comes after reps for the show were forced to deny reports earlier this month that the program was on the verge of being cancelled.

During the coronavirus pandemic, Ellen has continued to broadcast her daytime show from the living room of the Montecito, California, mansion she shares with her wife, Australian actress Portia De Rossi, 47. 

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