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Ellen DeGeneres Is Sending a ‘Message of Arrogance’ by Staying Silent Amid Backlash, Brand Expert Says
In the hot seat. Ellen DeGeneres has kept quiet since former employees accused her of racism and fear on the set of her hit show, but that silence could be detrimental to her image. “Ellen slithering away sends a message of arrogance that is stone cold crazy for any celebrity, and effectively decapitates a brand,” Eric Schiffer, chairman of Reputation Management Consultants, exclusively tells In Touch.
“Ellen must own her problems by showing through action that she got the message,” the reputation expert says, when asked how to comedian can “save her brand.”
“She should apologize, making clear that any behavior like that on her watch is unacceptable. Take sensitivity training and show real changes to her staff and the world. None of which she’s really doing at the moment.”
While Eric thinks it is unlikely she will apologize at this point, he thinks DeGeneres needs to “take responsibility” and be transparent.
“When you present an image to the public that is inconsistent with who you may really be, it causes you to lose trust because there’s a need for consistency, and she needs to align her brand with where she is at, or she’s going to face continued challenges,” he explains. “She can also rectify the inconsistencies, but it requires her to crack out of this current state and not blame her staff for all of it.”
Several former employees of The Ellen DeGeneres Show claimed “that ‘be kind’ bulls–t only happens when the cameras are on” in a scathing article published by Buzzfeed News on July 16, slamming the show for allegedly treating their staffers very poorly. “It’s all for show,” one former employee claimed to the outlet. “I know they give money to people and help them out, but it’s for show.”
Executive producers Ed Glavin, Mary Connelly, and Andy Lassner addressed the allegations in a joint statement to the outlet. “Over the course of nearly two decades, 3,000 episodes, and employing over 1000 staff members, we have strived to create an open, safe, and inclusive work environment.”
“We are truly heartbroken and sorry to learn that even one person in our production family has had a negative experience,” they continued. “It’s not who we are and not who we strive to be, and not the mission Ellen has set for us.”
DeGeneres has yet to speak out on the matter, but fans are ready to hear her side of the story.
In Touch reached out to DeGeneres for comment on the backlash but did not hear back by time of publication.
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