Her daytime talk show is at the centre of allegations of bullying and harassment behind the scenes, but there is still hope for Ellen DeGeneres, according to a brand expert.
Eric Schiffer, the chairman of Reputation Management Consultants, told News.com.au on Friday that the 62-year-old needs to take control of the scandal by issuing a second apology to her staff – after her initial statement was widely dismissed as insufficient.
‘Her first “apology” was wretchedly weak, lacked total truth and responsibility and pointed the finger at her staff,’ Mr Schiffer explained.
Damage control: Her daytime talk show is at the centre of allegations of bullying and harassment behind the scenes, but there is still hope for Ellen DeGeneres, according to a brand expert. Pictured: DeGeneres at the Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles on January 5
‘It came off as one more celebrity elite escaping accountability, not to mention, it was far overdue,’ he added.
In her first apology, issued in late July, DeGeneres claimed she had no knowledge of the ‘toxic culture’ behind the scenes of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and appeared to shift the blame on to her senior executives.
‘As we’ve grown exponentially, I’ve not been able to stay on top of everything and relied on others to do their jobs as they knew I’d want them done,’ she said in an open letter to her employees.
First steps: Eric Schiffer, the chairman of Reputation Management Consultants, told News.com.au on Friday that the 62-year-old needs to take control of the scandal by issuing a second apology to her staff – after her initial statement was widely dismissed as insufficient
‘Clearly some didn’t. That will now change and I’m committed to ensuring this does not happen again.
‘I’m also learning that people who work with me and for me are speaking on my behalf and misrepresenting who I am and that has to stop.’
But Schiffer claimed this apology showed a refusal to take personal responsibility for the situation, and claimed DeGeneres should take a long break from the spotlight and return with a ‘heartfelt apology’.
Clueless: In her first apology, issued at the end of July, Ellen claimed she had no idea of the toxic culture taking place behind the scenes at The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Pictured with wife Portia de Rossi (left) at the Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles in January
It comes after current and former employees working on The Ellen DeGeneres Show made allegations of bullying, harassment and sexual misconduct, prompting an internal investigation by WarnerMedia.
An exposé by BuzzFeed News last month alleged that a culture of ‘racism, fear, and intimidation’ was pervasive behind the scenes.
‘That “be kind” bulls**t only happens when the cameras are on. It’s all for show,’ a former staffer told the publication.
Stepping away: Schiffer claimed her apology showed a refusal to take responsibility for the situation, and claimed Ellen should take a long break from the spotlight and return with a ‘heartfelt apology’. Pictured at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles in January
Despite the bad publicity, Schiffer said he didn’t expect DeGeneres to step down, despite widespread reports she was ready to quit the show.
‘Ellen’s mammoth ego is too gigantic for her to quit. She is betting on Hollywood greed from her cash cow counting friends at Warner Bros. who will test the waters and hope advertisers don’t face well-organised boycotts,’ he added.
But Schiffer admitted she was likely to have a harder time convincing her fans to forgive her, claiming ‘viewers like truth and authenticity’.
Forgive and forget: Schiffer admitted she was likely to have a harder time convincing her fans to forgive her, claiming ‘viewers like truth and authenticity’. Pictured during iHEART Radio’s Living Room Concert in March