Ellen DeGeneres has been rumored to be mean and rude, but some are wondering why this issue has only resurfaced today if she has been like that for years.
Ellen DeGeneres is a picture of generosity and kindness on her show. However, she has been plagued with various criticisms in the past months after several complaints about her attitude. Many came forward with horrible stories regarding their encounter with her. She was even dubbed “the Queen of Mean.” So, why people only talk about it now?
Ellen DeGeneres issues
The Ellen Show has been subjected to an internal investigation recently after employees complained about its toxic working environment.
According to the staffers, they had a hard time leaving their jobs. Whenever they file for leave, it feels like a battle between them and the supervisors.
Back in May, Kevin T. Porter started a thread about Ellen DeGeneres being mean and rude attitude.
“She’s also notoriously one of the meanest people alive,” he wrote.
He encouraged others to share their not so kind encounter with DeGeneres, and it turned out that many had a horrible experience with the host. It was when Ellen’s mean reputation started to make headlines.
When I was PAing on a commercial set with Ellen, I was tasked with holding the door when she exited during takes. We were the only 2 people in the hallway, but she never talked, smiled or even looked at me. NOT ONCE. Not even polite thank you for opening the door a hundred times.
— Meg Pinsonneault (@megisaweirdo) July 30, 2020
Timing explained
One Quora user suggested that on the employees’ part, it’s because it’s difficult to speak up with a boss.
“I think it’s coming out now and not earlier because speaking up about your boss is hard? I know…..It took me years to speak up about mine fearful thst [sic] she’d be able to pinpoint it being me and would take it out on me,” Karen Hurst, Dean Education Technology and General Education at CarringtonCollege wrote.
“In this case if it was on the producers, there are multiple of them so harder to hide from 4 bosses than my 1. it also took me a long time to speak up because i was hush hush talking to coworkers to see if others felt the same so it wasn’t just a she said, she said it was a we said, she said. then I realized that if she did I’d own the company (whistle blower law) and the company’s policy on retaliation. So I spoke up and the stress of it all gave me a stroke! Not even kidding!”
“I imagine thsts what happened here….there were a lot of coffee or bar meetings between employees to figure out if they were alone or not and then a ‘if you report it, I will’ type of negotiation. Thst [sic] takes time too. I have no knowledge of what happened in the Ellen show case and can only guess based on my own experience in a company thst is in a far different industry too :)”
That’s just Karen’s opinion.
Another potential reason
Another user suggested a different reason.
Charles Mercier, who studied Psychology at Virginia Tech, has a different opinion. For him, the issue has been around for quite some time, but the people choose to ignore it because they get something from DeGeneres.
“As long as people are generally benefiting from this person on an upward trend, the gossip is generally ignored,” he wrote.
Ellen DeGeneres has been called out
Ellen DeGeneres has been called out by various individuals, including celebrities, for being mean. For instance, just recently, Fargo star Brad Garrett confirmed her horrible treatment towards the people around her.
“Sorry but it comes from the top @TheEllenShow. Know more than one who were treated horribly by her. Common knowledge,” he wrote on Twitter.
Actress Lea Thompson agreed with Garrett. “True story. It is,” she also wrote on the microblogging site.
Sorry but it comes from the top @TheEllenShow Know more than one who were treated horribly by her. Common knowledge. DeGeneres Sends Emotional Apology to Staff – Variety https://t.co/D0uxOgyyre
— Brad Garrett (@RealBradGarrett) July 31, 2020
True story. It is.
— Lea Thompson (@LeaKThompson) July 31, 2020
Image used courtesy of Entertainment Tonight/YouTube Screenshot