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Amidst controversy, Ellen should be given a second chance to prove that she can grow and change.
Working in a toxic place that imposes negative and destructive behavior is something no one wants to deal with. But this came true for The Ellen DeGeneres Show when several former employees exposed the show’s toxic environment.
Back in summer, a report by BuzzFeed News disclosed several accusations about the negativity of the show and how it was destructive to the employees. As time went on, more individuals came out with allegations and accusations. At first, they were focused on the work environment. But a second report came from BuzzFeed News where several anonymous reports included sexual harassments and misconduct by some of the top producers.
Ellen DeGeneres went on her show and gave a formal apology. While it was nicely said, she essentially denied she knew anything about the accusations. However, DeGeneres most likely had to have some knowledge about these issues, especially when the reports came out.
One former employee said DeGeneres wasn’t taking enough responsibility over the workplace.
“I think the executive producers surround her and tell her, ‘Things are going great, everybody’s happy,’ and she just believes that, but it’s her responsibility to go beyond that,” said the former employee.
DeGeneres has the responsibility of making sure her employees are being treated fairly while simultaneously providing entertainment. It is not always easy, but that’s what comes with being the head of management.
However, she must also be given the chance to show she can change — especially if she holds her promise of true improvement.
Dani Di Pacido from Forbes said, “If DeGeneres truly has managed to clean out her workplace, to halt the repulsive abuses of power allegedly taking place behind the scenes, then who really cares how nice she is, in person?”
While a pretty blunt statement, the point of it remains true. As long as improvements are made, then there is no point in blaming someone who has shown commitment to doing better.
Celebrities seem to agree, especially those who have been on the show.
Kevin Hart took to Instagram and said, “She has treated my family and my team with love and respect from day 1.”
We should give people second chances and encourage them to change and be the best they can be.
As one source stated over the controversy, “People want to give her a chance because this show means a lot to everyone working on it, but it’s going to be a long road.” If someone isn’t given this option of the “long road,” then they won’t be able to show character development. The same should be applied to DeGeneres’s situation.
In the end, no one is perfect. A nice apology is just words — it’s the actions that come after that should be scrutinized. As for DeGeneres, she should be given a second chance to prove she can grow and learn from past mistakes.