A former camera assistant on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" show, in an interview with the Australian radio show drew a parallel between their work environment and the popular movie "The Devil Wears Prada" that detailed the toxic atmosphere of a fashion magazine workplace and its power-hungry and verbally abusive chief editor.
“It’s kind of like ‘The Devil Wears Prada.’ Everyone is trying to make it to the [end of a] year,” said the unnamed staffer, when interviewed for the radio show Stav.
According to the anonymous staffer, she had been working for the show for "a little over a year" and chose to resign. When elaborating on the atmosphere of her workplace, she noted that, when it came to the staffers, the idea that the show will succeed "with or without you" was pushed.
"There's a line out the door for your job", she quoted an alleged "internal message," noting that it also stated: "if you don't like it here, you can leave".
When one of the hosts suggested that the attitude was industry-wide, given that there are "many people who want to work there and so few jobs", the former staffer agreed that the business is tough, but outlined that it's "more than that".
“It’s basic rights; being paid overtime, water on a hot day,” she said. “If you ask for that, you’re told, well, there’s the door.”
She echoed previous allegations that the crew was not allowed to stay in the same room as DeGeneres, saying that "you just see her and you have to run".
Additional speculation around The Ellen DeGeneres Show includes accusations of sexual harassment, bullying and racism, which, according to accusers, the star "did nothing" about. The scandal over the allegations raised concern that DeGeneres could dissolve the show, as it "feels done".
The only reaction from the host, however, came in a memo in which she addressed the staffers, apologized and said that an investigation into the matter had been launched.
