Yahoo News Katy Perry defends support of Ellen DeGeneres following backlash
Katy Perry has commented on her defence of Ellen DeGeneres after she received criticism for her remarks.
It comes as the pop star stated she only had "positive takeaways" from the host and the show in some tweets.
“I started that tweet off not undermining anyone else’s experience,” she told the Los Angeles Times. “I wanted to only speak from my own experience. I have over 100 million people that follow me on Twitter, so not everyone is going to agree with me.
Read more: How Ellen DeGeneres’ reputation changed
“And I’m not here to make everyone agree with me.”
A number of staff members on the talk show spoke anonymously to Buzzfeed claiming they had experienced intimidation and racism.
The allegations included employees being fired after taking medical leave or bereavement days, facing microaggressions and a culture of bullying and favouritism by executive producers.
Perry wasn't the only big name to speak out in defence of DeGeneres and the programme as Ashton Kutcher and Kevin Hart also offered up their support.
I haven’t spoken with @TheEllenShow and can only speak from my own experience. She & her team have only treated me & my team w/ respect & kindness. She never pandered to celebrity which I always saw as a refreshing honesty. When things aren’t right she handles it and fixes.
— ashton kutcher (@aplusk) August 5, 2020
The stars received a backlash online for their comments as users suggested their treatment may have had something to do with their celebrity status.
"You’ve only had positive takeaways because you’re one of the biggest artists on the planet Katy. That’s why," said a respondent to Perry.
Kutcher said DeGeneres and her team treated him and his people with "respect and kindness" but his followers asked him to consider employees' experiences.
I get celebrity friends coming out in defense of Ellen to an extent. And I like Ellen. But... employees are complaining about their work experience there. Can that be understood? No one knows what it’s like but them. It’s invalidating what *they* experienced on a regular basis.
— Ameri Naija (@AmeriNaija) August 5, 2020
"I get celebrity friends coming out in defense of Ellen to an extent. And I like Ellen. But... employees are complaining about their work experience there. Can that be understood? No one knows what it’s like but them. It’s invalidating what *they* experienced on a regular basis," one responded.
Kutcher replied with a simple: "I understand".
DeGeneres apologised to employees following the reports of a toxic work environment on her show.
In a letter to crew she stated that when The Ellen DeGeneres Show started she told everyone it would be “a place of happiness”.
Read more: Ellen DJ speaks out on toxic workplace claims
“Obviously, something changed, and I am disappointed to learn that this has not been the case,” she said. “And for that, I am sorry.”
