Former ‘Ellen’ Producer Says Host Was Aware of Abuses Amid ‘Culture of Fear’

Following weeks of reporting and a third-party investigation into the toxic work culture at “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” one former producer has chosen to speak publicly about her experience with what she described as a “culture of fear” in the show’s earliest days. Hedda Muskat was an early hire on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” back in 2003 when the show was still in development. A veteran of “The Howie Mandel Show” and “The Martin Short Show,” she was among a handful of writers and producers recruited by executive producer Andy Lassner to flesh out what “Ellen” would later become. But within a year and a half of joining, Muskat said she was sidelined in favor of a younger, less experienced producer before being pushed out entirely. Also Read: 3 'Ellen DeGeneres Show' Executive Producers Accused of Sexual Misconduct by Former Employees Muskat was among the dozens of current and former employees who anonymously discussed their experiences in a pair of bombshell reports from BuzzFeed News about the hostile workplace behind the scenes of “The Ellen DeGeneres Show.” The staffers described instances of racial discrimination and sexual misconduct, as well as a generally inhospitable work environment, which Muskat says started with DeGeneres...Read original story Former ‘Ellen’ Producer Says Host Was Aware of Abuses Amid ‘Culture of Fear’ At TheWrap