Lea Thompson Responds to Brad Garrett’s Comments About Ellen DeGeneres: ‘True Story’
Backing him up. Lea Thompson responded to Brad Garrett‘s claims about Ellen DeGeneres after the TV personality issued an apology amid claims of a toxic workplace environment on the set of The Ellen Degeneres Show.
“True story. It is,” the Back to the Future actress, 59, wrote in response to the Everybody Loves Raymond star’s comments slamming DeGeneres, 62, via Twitter on Friday, July 31. “Sorry but it comes from the top @TheEllenShow. Know more than one who were treated horribly by her. Common knowledge,” Garrett previously tweeted in response to DeGeneres’ statement.
On Thursday, July 30, the talk show host broke her silence after weeks of allegations of mistreatment by former employees. “On day one of our show, I told everyone in our first meeting that The Ellen DeGeneres Show would be a place of happiness – no one would ever raise their voice, and everyone would be treated with respect,” DeGeneres wrote in a letter to her staff, which was obtained by Us Weekly. “Obviously, something changed, and I am disappointed to learn that this has not been the case. And for that, I am sorry. Anyone who knows me knows it’s the opposite of what I believe and what I hoped for our show.”
Three days before DeGeneres addressed her staff, WarnerMedia launched an investigation amid several claims. Production sent a memo to their employees explaining that as part of the investigation, a third party firm along with WarnerMedia’s employee relations group would be conducting interviews with current and former staff members, according to Variety. As of now, the show is still under investigation.
The company kicked off the internal review after Buzzfeed News published a report where one current and 10 former employees came forward with their experiences. Some claimed they were let go after taking time off for medical leave or bereavement after suffering a loved one’s death. Others alleged they were instructed not to talk to DeGeneres around the office. One Black staff member claimed she experienced racist comments and “microaggressions” throughout her time working for the show.
In a joint statement, executive producers Ed Glavin, Mary Connelly, and Andy Lassner said they take the allegations “very seriously,”
“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,” they told Buzzfeed News. “We are truly heartbroken and sorry to learn that even one person in our production family has had a negative experience. It’s not who we are and not who we strive to be, and not the mission Ellen has set for us.”
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