The Shocking Depths: Ellen DeGeneres' Alleged On-Set Tyranny

The Dirty Truth Behind Ellen DeGeneres' Kingdom of Fear

For over a decade, America's favorite daytime TV host, Ellen DeGeneres, reigned supreme with her charming smile and kind words of encouragement. But behind the scenes, insiders claim that DeGeneres was a tyrant who ruled with an iron fist, terrorizing staff members with her icy stare and ruthless behavior.

A former cameraman, who worked on DeGeneres' eponymous show from 2003 to 2022, has come forward to spill the tea about the alleged mistreatment of employees. The source, who wishes to remain anonymous, describes DeGeneres as a "nightmare" whose own behavior was among the worst on set.

"It was like living in a war zone," the former staffer recalls. "We were all walking on eggshells, never knowing when Ellen would blow up at us next." The cameraman claims that DeGeneres had a particular dislike of men and was notorious for burning through stage managers, with a staggering nine employees leaving their positions in just one season.

But what's even more shocking is the claim that DeGeneres pressured a senior staffer into rescheduling his child's major surgery to accommodate her schedule. "The kid had a bone marrow transplant," the source reveals. "Ellen wanted it done during the Christmas holiday week, so she could have what she wanted." The former employee describes how the producer was asked if he could "move the procedure around" to fit DeGeneres' busy schedule.

"It was all loyalty to the show, but no loyalty to staff," the cameraman says. "It was like they were disposable."

But DeGeneres' behavior didn't stop there. Insiders claim that she had a special seat reserved for her wife, Portia De Rossi, during tapings at stage left, marked by a gold plaque. "If you saw that golden plaque, stay the hell away," the source warns. "Ellen would get angry if anyone caught talking to Portia without permission."

The cameraman describes how DeGeneres' behavior changed dramatically when the cameras were rolling versus when they were off. "Cameras on, she'd be dancing and having fun, but cameras off – she was terrifying." He likens her death stare to the infamous Arc of the Covenant relic from Indiana Jones, where anyone who glanced at it would meet a deadly end.

"When Ellen looked away from you, you were probably okay," he says. "But if she stayed looking at you with that intense gaze, you knew you were in trouble."

The source claims that DeGeneres had a staff turnover rate several times higher than other shows he worked on, including Tyra Banks' talk show. While Banks typically lost two to three employees per season, DeGeneres blasted through around 20.

One of the most shocking allegations is that chef Gordon Ramsay was allegedly banished from the show for eight seasons after calling out DeGeneres for using rancid meat during a cookery demonstration. "He gave her some quip," the cameraman recalls. "She didn't like the reaction and made sure he never came back on the show again."

Even being nice to DeGeneres was enough to infuriate her, as one unfortunate warm-up man discovered. "Ellen came out on a unicycle and told one of her EPs, 'Don't let this guy on the show again'," the source reveals.

The cameraman claims that DeGeneres' enormous ego extended beyond the confines of her studio at Warner Bros., with even PAs being fired for getting in her way. "There was a PA who couldn't move his golf cart fast enough because he was blocking Ellen – trying to get out of the way – on the campus," he recalls.

"That guy was fired three days later – he worked on a different show."

The insider also claims that DeGeneres' icy demeanor thawed just once a year, during the show's annual holiday parties. "She would sometimes make small talk – like 'what do you, are you having fun'," he says. "That was about it."

Bosses allegedly tried to silence ex-employees from speaking out by threatening them with lawsuits or refusing to give them glowing references for future jobs.

DeGeneres finally faced the music in 2020 when several staffers spoke out about the awful atmosphere behind the scenes of her show. Workers claimed they'd been fired for taking bereavement leave and after attempting to take sick leave following a suicide attempt.

The tidal wave of allegations led to three top producers being fired over claims they'd kept a "choke hold" on staff complaints, preventing them from being escalated.

When approached by thescholarlynote.com about the latest claims made against her, DeGeneres' team declined to comment. NBC, which broadcast the show, also remained silent.

The question remains: how could such a supposedly kind and compassionate person be capable of such cruel behavior? The truth behind Ellen DeGeneres' kingdom of fear may never be fully revealed, but one thing is certain – her legacy will forever be marred by allegations of mistreatment and meanness.