Speaking out. Katy Perry is standing by her friend Ellen DeGeneres amidst controversy surrounding her daytime talk show. The “Daisies” singer, 35 — who’s a been a frequent guest on The Ellen DeGeneres Show for years — shared her support for the host, 63, in a series of tweets on August 4.
1/2 I know I can’t speak for anyone else’s experience besides my own but I want to acknowledge that I have only ever had positive takeaways from my time with Ellen & on the @theellenshow. I think we all have witnessed the light & continual fight for equality that she has brought
— KATY PERRY (@katyperry) August 4, 2020
“I know I can’t speak for anyone else’s experience besides my own but I want to acknowledge that I have only ever had positive takeaways from my time with Ellen & on the @theellenshow,” Katy, who’s currently pregnant with her first child, wrote in a tweet, labeled “1/2.” She continued, “I think we all have witnessed the light & continual fight for equality that she has brought to the world through her platform for decades. Sending you love & a hug, friend @TheEllenShow,” Katy concluded, adding a red heart emoji.
2/2 to the world through her platform for decades. Sending you love & a hug, friend @TheEllenShow ♥️
— KATY PERRY (@katyperry) August 4, 2020
News of the alleged “toxic work environment” at The Ellen DeGeneres Show came to light back in July, which sparked an internal investigation by Warner Bros. The investigation is currently ongoing. Ellen spoke out for the first time at the end of July in a lengthy letter to her employees, in which she addressed workplace toxicity.
“Hey everybody – it’s Ellen,” she began in the memo obtained by HollywoodLife‘s sister site Variety on July 30. “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,” Ellen recalled. “Obviously, something changed, and I am disappointed to learn that this has not been the case. And for that, I am sorry,” she said, adding, “Anyone who knows me knows it’s the opposite of what I believe and what I hoped for our show.”
Ellen continued, noting, “My name is on the show and everything we do and I take responsibility for that. Alongside Warner Bros, we immediately began an internal investigation and we are taking steps, together, to correct the issues,” she revealed, explaining, “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. Clearly some didn’t. That will now change and I’m committed to ensuring this does not happen again.”
Ellen went on to “promise to do my part in continuing to push myself and everyone around me to learn and grow.” She ended her note by apologizing to any staffer who didn’t “love working” on her show, and clarified that she would’ve made the announcement “in person” if not for the COVID-19 pandemic.
A spokesperson for Warner Bros. also provided the following statement to Variety: “We have identified several staffing changes, along with appropriate measures to address the issues that have been raised, and are taking the first steps to implement them. Warner Bros. and Ellen DeGeneres are all committed to ensuring a workplace based on respect and inclusion. We are confident this course of action will lead us to the right way forward for the show.”
The Ellen DeGeneres Show is expected to return, along with the veteran host, to TV in September. It’s still unclear as to whether or not Ellen will address the controversy on-air.