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Megyn Kelly isn't holding back when it comes to Ellen DeGeneres' alleged behavior behind the scenes.
During a recent episode of “The Megyn Kelly Show,” the journalist discussed claims about DeGeneres' treatment of staff while speaking with comedian Adam Carolla. The conversation centered on reports that the former daytime host's private demeanor was very different from the cheerful personality viewers saw on television.
Carolla kicked things off by suggesting that celebrities known for projecting kindness can sometimes be the opposite behind closed doors. He pointed to DeGeneres and Rosie O'Donnell as examples, claiming people who worked for them often had stories about how they behaved once the cameras stopped rolling.
Kelly then shared a story she said came from a blood relative of someone who worked on The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
“You were not allowed to look Ellen in the eye if you were on her production staff," Kelly stated.
Kelly acknowledged that asking employees not to interrupt a host before taping could be understandable, since many performers like to stay focused before going on camera.
However, she said the alleged rule was something entirely different.
"You can't make eye contact with her? She's a monster," Kelly concluded.
Carolla Shared His Own Observation
Carolla also questioned DeGeneres' on-screen persona by recalling an experience he had at a wedding the comedian attended.
According to Carolla, DeGeneres was the only guest who wasn't dancing, something he found surprising considering dancing became one of the signature elements of The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
Toxic Workplace Allegations Continue to Follow DeGeneres
The latest discussion comes years after DeGeneres publicly addressed allegations of a toxic workplace on her daytime talk show, OK! reported.
At the time, the comedian said she believed the program was a "place of happiness" and expressed disappointment after learning employees felt otherwise.
Around the same time, an older segment from The Ellen DeGeneres Show resurfaced online, showing DeGeneres teasing members of her production staff in front of the live audience.
The clip featured the television host displaying photos taken from crew members' personal Facebook accounts while making jokes about them during several awkward exchanges.
In one moment, DeGeneres poked fun at a staff member who purchased inexpensive underwear while visiting Hong Kong.
She joked: “Do we not pay you enough? Why aren’t you buying Ellen underwear? What are you doing going to Chinatown? What are those underwear for? I can see the price right there! So no matter what it looks like you’ll buy it if it’s 10 cents – is that what you’re about?”
'The Worst Person I’ve Ever Met'
Beyond the workplace allegations, a former household employee also described their experience working for DeGeneres in an interview with Daily Mail in 2020.
“My belief is that someone’s real personality comes out at home,” they claimed. “So after everything that has been said about her at work, you can imagine how terrible Ellen is going to be at home when her guard is down.”
The former employee alleged that DeGeneres frequently condescendingly spoke to staff.
“She would yell at us but it was more about the incredibly condescending tone she would use. She treated you like you were nothing.”
“She was going to torture you and you were going to sit there and listen to it because you were being paid,” they continued. “Ellen was the worst person I’ve ever met in my life. She takes pleasure in firing people.”
The source said they had initially been excited to work for the comedian because they believed she was "an amazing person."
However, they claimed others warned them against accepting the job.
“I was told that had a very high turnover and that I should stay under the radar as much as possible, avoid as much direct contact with Ellen as possible. Working there was described as being more like a boot camp,” they shared.
