Controversy continues to surround The Ellen DeGeneres Show in the wake of numerous allegations made by employees. Members of the shows’ crew previously alleged that they were being treated unfairly during the show’s remote phase, with allegations of a toxic workplace culture and sexual misconduct following soon after. In light of these developments, many are holding DeGeneres responsible and calling for her to be replaced. However, a few celebrities have come to her defense and, now, Kevin Hart is the latest to do so.
Kevin Hart recently came to Ellen DeGeneres’ defense on through an Instagram post in which he praised Ellen as one of the “dopest” people he knows:
It’s crazy to see my friend go thru what she’s going thru publicly. I have known Ellen for years and I can honestly say that she’s one of the dopest people on the fucking planet. She has treated my family and my team with love and respect from day 1.
Hart would go on to say that the internet has become a “crazy world of negativity” and stated his belief that the public now enjoys watching peoples’ downfalls:
The internet has become a crazy world of negativity....we are falling in love with peoples down fall. It’s honestly sad...When did we get here? I stand by the ones that I know and that I love.
The actor and comedian would end his post by saying that his intention is not to disregard the feelings and experiences of others. He says the goal was to discuss his personal experiences with DeGeneres:
This post is not meant to disregard the feelings of others and their experiences....It’s simply to show what my experiences have been with my friend.
With his message, Kevin Hart also included a photo of one of his appearances on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. You can see his post below:
As mentioned, Kevin Hart isn’t the first celebrity to speak out in support of Ellen DeGeneres. Media entrepreneur Scooter Braun also took to social media to voice his support. Katy Perry has since tweeted out positive thoughts as well. In addition, DeGeneres’ wife, Portia de Rossi, has also been a vocal supporter of her spouse.
Conversely, several celebrities have corroborated the claims made by DeGenres’ employees. Brad Garret was the first to speak on the matter, saying that the behind-the-scenes drama is “common knowledge.” Actress and director Lea Thompson also took to social media to back up Garrett’s claims. Former show DJ Tony Okungbowa also admitted that he felt “toxicity on the set.
The Ellen DeGeneres Show is currently undergoing an internal investigation initiated by Warner Bros. Television. DeGeneres has also spoken out on the allegations and has expressed her hope to create change moving forward. At this point, neither Warner Bros. nor NBC have given any indication on the future of the show. However, one producer recently stated that the show will not be taken off the air.
Keep checking in at CinemaBlend for more updates on the situation as they arrive, as well as other news relating to TV and film.
