After a lot of controversy, the popular talk show “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” is coming to an end in May 2022. Now sources are saying the eponymous show’s host is handing out more than $2 million worth of bonuses to her staffers — based on the length of their tenure according to some reports.
DeGeneres is preparing to go out with a bang despite numerous allegations of the show being a toxic work environment. Her last few months of guests will include big names including former First Lady Michelle Obama, the Daily Mail reported. Kim Kardashian, David Letterman, Jennifer Garner, Channing Tatum, Serena Williams, Zac Efron, Adam Levine, Behati Prinsloo, Gwen Stefani, Diane Keaton and DeGeneres’ wife Portia de Rossi are also slated to show up on Ellen’s set.
In addition, the employees who stuck it out with the 64-year-old comedian will be receiving cash bonuses, a source close to the show told the publication.
Sources also told Deadline that employees of “Ellen” will receive payouts determined by tenure. They said anyone working for the show one to four years will receive two-week pay, any with four to eight years there will receive three-week pay, et cetera, with a maximum payment topping off at six weeks of pay for anyone there longer than six years.
Deadline also reported that around 30% of the show’s staff have been part of the show for more than 10 years. Some senior level employees were with “Ellen” for all 19 seasons.
This payout comes after the toxic workplace allegations, which began circulating in 2020, forever changed the show’s legacy.
Per Us Weekly, “employees alleged they faced racism, fear, and intimidation behind the scenes” of DeGeneres’ wildly popular talk show. Employees were told not to bring up issues they experienced at work.
“We all have a kind of ‘this isn’t normal’ feeling about how people get treated there,” a former “Ellen” staffer told BuzzFeed. “And there’s this ushering out the door. Or your contract isn’t renewed the minute you ruffle anyone’s feathers. Or you don’t show that you’re extremely grateful and appreciative to work there.”
“They kind of feed off of that, like, ‘This is Ellen; this is as good as it gets. You’ll never find anything better than this,’” another staffer said.
While many of the complaints were against upper management and not DeGeneres herself, the whole controversy encouraged former colleagues to share their own stories of the comedian being far different in real life than the person she plays on TV. Eventually, the backlash against “Ellen” became so extreme, the host was forced to write a formal letter to her staff.
“On day one of our show, I told everyone in our first meeting that ‘The Ellen DeGeneres Show’ would be a place of happiness,” DeGeneres said in a letter. “No one would ever raise their voice, and everyone would be treated with respect.”
“Obviously, something changed, and I am disappointed to learn that this has not been the case. And for that, I am sorry. Anyone who knows me knows it’s the opposite of what I believe and what I hoped for our show,” she continued.
“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. To think that any one of you felt that way is awful to me.”
Despite the apology, many employees didn’t feel it was enough.
BuzzFeed reporters spoke to 36 former employees of the show who “many of whom independently corroborated incidents of harassment, sexual misconduct, and assault from top producers.”
“Another longtime former employee who also worked with DeGeneres said the talk show host ‘doesn’t want to know’ about what goes on behind the scenes, and ‘nobody wants to rock the boat,” BuzzFeed reported. And one former employee confirmed the show host knew what was going on.
“She knows,” the source told BuzzFeed. “She knows s*** goes on, but also she doesn’t want to hear it.”
After all the negative press, DeGeneres announced she was ending the formerly beloved talk show. The final episode of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” is scheduled to air May 26.
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