Ellen DeGeneres is facing new criticism from a former staff member who claims the talk show host treated male employees with disdain and discouraged them from speaking to her wife, Portia de Rossi.

The ex-cameraman, who spoke to the Daily Mail, said DeGeneres once went through nine stage managers in a single season. "We had a feeling she really didn't like guys," he recalled, adding that staff members often tried to avoid being seated near de Rossi during tapings. While de Rossi was described as polite, the cameraman said any interaction with her risked drawing unwanted attention from DeGeneres.

"She would give you this look," he said, explaining what employees referred to as the "Ellen gaze," where her eyes narrowed and her cheekbones became more pronounced. He described it as "terrifying."

Claims of Strict Control

The former staffer also alleged that DeGeneres took issue with celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay after he called her out for using spoiled meat in a cooking segment. "She told one of her EPs, 'Don't let this guy on the show again,'" the cameraman said, claiming guests could be dropped quickly if they upset her.

The most serious allegation involved a senior producer whose child required a bone marrow transplant. According to the cameraman, the surgery was rescheduled to avoid clashing with the show's holiday schedule. "It was all loyalty to the show, but no loyalty to staff," he said. The Daily Mail reported it was unclear if DeGeneres knew about the request.

Some of the new claims are similar to what former staffers said back in 2020. That was the year the workplace scandal started. DeGeneres' reputation took a hit, and the show ended in 2022 after 19 seasons.

At the time, several employees described a climate of fear. One said people were punished for taking medical leave. Others recalled different forms of mistreatment.

Past Responses From DeGeneres

In 2020, when the workplace claims came out, DeGeneres addressed the audience on her show. "I learned that things happened here that never should've happened," she said. "I take that very seriously, and I want to say I'm so sorry to the people who were affected."

She kept defending herself in the years after. In interviews and on stage, she said the backlash looked organized. In 2023, she told a crowd, "People will say all kinds of things and you have no control over that. But you know the truth and that's all that matters."

De Rossi called her wife "strong" during the fallout and stayed public with her support. Some celebrities also spoke out for DeGeneres when the criticism was at its peak.

Today, DeGeneres lives in England and stays out of the spotlight.

Tags
Ellen Degeneres, Scandal