While the controversy regarding The Ellen DeGeneres Show has been making headlines on a daily basis, Jerry O'Connell is one of the celebrities who came forward to support the host, Ellen DeGeneres. O'Connell revealed on Instagram which side he took amid the ongoing allegations.
The 46-year-old actor spoke with ET and explained the reason behind holding up for DeGeneres. O'Connell posted the same graphic that was initially posted by Portia de Rossi, DeGeneres' wife. The graphical image reads “I Stand By Ellen”.
However, the actor explained the reason he supports the comic is the long-term friendship he shares with de Rossi and DeGeneres. "I've known Ellen and Portia for almost three decades now and I saw that Portia… Instagrammed out, 'All of our friends, we need your support right now.' And I felt compelled to [repost] it," O'Connell wrote on his Instagram.
There are several big names from the industry that are coming forward to support their voice for the 62-year-old host such as Ashton Kutcher, Kevin Hart, Scooter Braun, and Katy Perry. Just like other celebrities who received bashing for supporting DeGeneres, even O'Connell received negative comments.
The comments highlighted the fact that O'Connell went against the accusations and claims regarding the hostile and toxic working environment behind the scenes. O'Connell responded to the negative comments he received through social media and said that the comment section can't change his decision to support his friends.
The actor said his motive of showing support is to let the couple know that he loves them. Given that, the actor admitted that he doesn't turn down the stories coming from the former employees. In fact, he believes those stories and wants the work environment to be healthier.
However, O'Connell emphasized that these stories aren't going to change his love for the couple. Warner Bros. Television took a decision to circulate a memo in-house to ensure that all the staffers would cooperate with the third-party firm who will be investigating the allegations.
The independent firm is hired to interview former employees as well as current employees. The studio has encouraged everyone associated with the show to come forward and share their experiences regarding The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
DeGeneres issued an apology letter to the entire staff. The internal letter which was later received by a media outlet revealed that she had a conversation about justice and fairness. In fact, there was a virtual meeting held on Aug. 3 that updated the employees regarding the alleged misconduct at the workplace.