Kelly Clarkson Responds To 'Toxic' Workplace Allegations From Daytime Talk Show Employees
"The Kelly Clarkson Show" recently came under fire for being a "toxic" place to work. The shocking allegations came to light when the show's former employees came forward to speak about how working at the show left them traumatized.
Even though the employees assured Rolling Stone that Kelly herself wasn't aware of the situation, she took it upon herself to clear the air. As any good leader and mentor, she held herself accountable for the actions that took place behind the scenes of her show. Per Page Six reports, the pop sensation Clarkson took to Instagram to address the toxic workplace environment claims and called it "unacceptable."
"In my 20 years in the entertainment industry, I’ve always led with my heart and what I believed to be right," she wrote in a post shared on Instagram on Friday. "I love my team at 'The Kelly Clarkson Show,' and to find out that anyone is feeling unheard and/or disrespected on this show is unacceptable." She continued, "I have always been, and will continue to be, committed to creating and maintaining a safe and healthy environment at 'The Kelly Clarkson Show.' As we prepare for a move to the East Coast, I am more committed than ever to ensuring that not only our team that is moving but also our new team in NY, is comprised of the best and kindest in the business. Part of that build will include leadership training for all of the senior staff, including myself. There is always room to grow and ensure we are all being/becoming the best versions of ourselves in any business, especially when it comes to leadership. To ensure that any notion of toxicity is eradicated," the "American Idol" alumna concluded.
Per Rolling Stone on Friday, a total of eleven employees claimed that they were not only overworked and underpaid, but that they were also subjected to bullying and verbal abuse. They also alleged that even after filing numerous reports to the daytime show's human resources department, nothing has been modified. Instead, they said that they were punished for their complaints, asserting that executive producers shouted at them and froze them out of meetings.
According to the ex-staffers, Kelly Clarkson herself was never a part of the unhealthy manners on set but it was executive producer Alex Duda, known for his work on "Steve Harvey" and "The Tyra Banks Show." "NBC is protecting the show because it's their new moneymaker," said one former employee to Rolling Stones. "But Kelly has no clue how unhappy her staff is," they said. "Kelly is fantastic," added another employee. "She is a person who never treats anyone with anything but dignity and is incredibly appreciative. I'd be floored if she knew the staff wasn't getting paid for two weeks of Christmas hiatus. The Kelly that I interacted with and that everyone knows would probably be pretty aghast to learn that."
Clarkson's show plugs the daytime space that was the slot of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" once. Also known as "Ellen," the show was also subjected to similar allegations claiming that DeGeneres and her producers enabled a toxic workplace environment tainted by racism, intimidation, and fear.
