Over the last few weeks, the Ellen DeGeneres Show has gone from beloved primetime show to being mired in controversy after former employees came forward with allegations of bullying, intimidation and even racism.
As accusations around the toxic environment around set have continued to swirl, many have been waiting for former guests of the show to weigh in on the debate, hoping that their insight can clear up some of the more colourful rumours. Now, show guest Dana Dimatteo - who appeared on the show back in 2018 - has spoken out.
According to DiMatteo, who was picked from the audience to participate in a game, DeGeneres’ warm and friendly persona was actually a facade, adding that she would completely transform once the cameras stopped rolling.
As she explained in an interview with The Sun:
“During commercial breaks, Ellen would break out of her ‘kind’ character and sit moodily in silence on her couch, not acknowledging anyone.
“She didn’t say one word to the audience unless the cameras were on, she snapped out of her character the second the cameras stopped rolling.”
Watch Ellen’s Emotional Message To Celebrate Life Every Day:DiMatteo went on to add:
“We were told by the producers that if we were picked we were not allowed to be funnier or smarter than Ellen, that she is the star and the comedian, not us.
“We were told to act in a very specific way and to only speak if she asked us a question. ‘They made us scream and jump around backstage as a test, it was pretty humiliating.”
Since the accusations first became public, DeGeneres has issued an open letter, insisting that she had no idea about the toxic environment behind the scenes and vowing to make things better.
Even after receiving public pledges of support from the likes of Katy Perry, Scooter Braun, Ashton Kutcher and Alec Baldwin, it remains to be seen whether DeGeneres can salvage her show or reputation.