What’s up?
It’s Sussan Mourad here with Clevver News and amid the ongoing claims that The Ellen
DeGeneres Show is a toxic place, both Mariah Carey and executive producer Andy Lassner
address their experiences with Ellen.
Over the past couple months, everyone has been talking about the toxic work environment
on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Even A-list celebs like Mariah Carey are speaking out about their less than pleasant experiences
on the show.
The Ellen Show backlash all started when BuzzFeed published an article with accounts from both
current and former employees.
The employees allegedly experienced racist comments, sexual harassment, discrimination,
and overall an unfair work environment on set of Ellen’s show.
Ellen has since fired three of her top producers and promised to make the work environment
better in both a statement and video conference with her staff.
According to The Daily Mail, Ellen said quote, “I’m a multi-layered person, and I try
to be the best person I can be and I try to learn from my mistakes.
I’m hearing that some people felt that I wasn’t kind or too short with them, or too
impatient.
I apologize to anybody if I’ve hurt your feelings in any way.”
Around the same time, executive producers Andy Lassner, Ed Glavin, and Mary Connelly
said in a joint statement to BuzzFeed News that they were quote “truly heartbroken
and sorry to learn that even one person in our production family has had a negative experience.”
And while three of these top producers, Ed Glavin, Jonathan Norman, and Kevin Leman,
were fired from the show, Ellen’s right hand man Andy is still on board.
Aside from being an executive producer, Andy has famously made many hilarious appearances
on Ellen’s show doing any silly thing she puts him up to.
“Andy in 17 I think you’ve made me laugh harder than anyone.
Am I laughing at you?
Maybe.
But I’m also laughing with you.
At you.”
Throughout all of this, Andy has remained quiet on social media, aside from some posts
he shared from Idaho about a month ago.
If you follow Andy on social media you know that he’s typically very active online,
especially on his Instagram where he frequently shares funny videos of himself “slow walking.”
“Not a great hair day for me, in fact it’s a bad hair day so far and yet I still got
up and got on this treadmill because I love you and that’s my commitment to my fellow
slow walkers.”
But like we said, Andy had been quiet online throughout The Ellen Show scandal until this
week.
He took to Instagram to share a video message with fans writing quote, “I’ve missed
my people.”
In the video, Andy got real with fans about how the past few months have been for him.
“I’m back.
I’ve been away for a little bit dealing with, you know, some stuff.
You may have read about it.
It’s been a couple of rough months.”
Andy also continued on saying that through these tough times, he’s both learned and
grown.
“It’s when we go through these things, I guess, that we learn the most about ourselves
and maybe even some growth.
But to tell you it hasn’t been rough would be a lie, and I’ve always been honest with
you.
So, it’s been rough.”
And he concluded by telling his fans that he’s back and he will talk to them again
soon.
Andy’s video was met with mixed reviews with most fans writing things like “Welcome
back!
Nice to see you on here again, you always bring a light to my feed!”
Asset: screenshot
This person added, “We don’t know each other, but I feel your heart.
It really needs a hug right now, I’m Sending you a virtual energy heart hug.
I wish you well”
And this fan chimed in writing, “I have been checking back on your page time and time
again with love and concern.
I’m so happy you’re back.
Let’s get our slow walking on!”
But others, who were happy Andy was back on social media, also still shared their concerns
about The Ellen DeGeneres show.
Like this person who wrote quote, “Andy glad to see you’re ok and back on IG but
given three other exec producers were fired I really hope you have taken this time off
to look inward and make sure the show you work on is actually treating its employees
fairly.
I just don’t want any of the toxic workplace stuff to be forgotten when the show starts
back up.”
And The Ellen Show is set to return to air next month.
I guess we'll just have to wait and see if Ellen or Andy address anything publicly on
the show, but for now, it’s mostly been celebs speaking out on everything going on.
Celebs like Kevin Hart, Katy Perry, Jay Leno, Scooter Braun, Ashton Kutcher, Sofia Vergara,
and more have all spoken out and showed their support for Ellen during this time.
But a few viral resurfaced clips of old Ellen interviews have made fans continue to question
how Ellen treats others, even fellow celebs.
One clip in particular that fans have been looking at in a new light is an interview
with Mariah Carey from 2008.
One fan shared this clip writing quote, “Remember when Mariah came pregnant on Ellen's show
in 2008 and she tried to force her to drink alcohol to prove she wasn't?
Despite all of Mariah's refusing to take part...
She had a miscarriage weeks later.”
And here’s a look at the clip…
“Let’s toast to you not being pregnant if you’re not pregnant.
Oh my goodness I can’t believe that.
Why would we toast to that?”
And Mariah has now spoken out about this moment for the first time in a new interview with
Vulture.
Mariah said quote, “I was extremely uncomfortable with that moment is all I can say.
And I have had a really hard time grappling with the aftermath.”
Without naming names, she went on and talked about Ellen explaining that quote, “I wasn’t
ready to tell anyone because I had had a miscarriage.
I don’t want to throw anyone that’s already being thrown under any proverbial bus, but
I didn’t enjoy that moment.”
Mariah also revealed that she was left thinking “what am I supposed to do” in that moment
and said that there is quote, “An empathy that can be applied to those moments that
I would have liked to have been implemented.”
So clearly, even all these years later, that moment still makes her uncomfortable.
And while Mariah didn’t necessarily want to throw Ellen under the bus, she also didn’t
praise or defend her the way some other celebs have been doing.
If you want to know what other celebs Ellen has made uncomfortable on her show, click
right over here for another Clevver News video.
And let us know down in the comments below what you think of Andy’s return to social
media and Mariah’s response to the old interview.
I’m your host Sussan Mourad, bye guys!