Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Ellen DeGeneres talk show guests are allegedly warned ‘not to be funnier’ than host

Guests are said to be given strict rules to follow should they be invited onto series

Jacob Stolworthy
Sunday 16 August 2020 08:41 BST
Comments
Ellen DeGeneres compares quarantining in her mansion to jail

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

A guest who appeared on Ellen DeGeneres’ chat show has claimed that people are warned not to be funnier than the host.

Dana Dimatteo was on the series in 2018 after flying from Chicago to Los Angeles, and her experience ended up being a lot different to what she expected it would be.

Dimatteo was eventually selected to participate in the “Make It Rain” segment, which sees contestants drenched in water while attempting to win a cash prize.

In the recording, DeGeneres and Dimatteo smile along as the cameras continue rolling. However, the guest claims that this is all for show.

“During commercial breaks, Ellen would break out of her ‘kind’ character and sit moodily in silence on her couch, not acknowledging anyone,” the guest told The Sun Online.

“She didn’t say one word to the audience unless the cameras were on – she snapped out of her character the second the cameras stopped rolling.”

According to Dimatteo, producers told audience members that if they were selected to participate, they “were not allowed to be funnier or smarter than Ellen” as ”she is the star and the comedian – not us”.

Dimatteo, who said that she “didn’t enjoy” her experience, is the latest person to criticise the long-running talk show.

The series is also undergoing an internal investigation over allegations of sexual misconduct on the show’s set, as well as workplace bullying.

Apple TV+ logo

Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days

New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled

Try for free
Apple TV+ logo

Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days

New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled

Try for free
DeGeneres‘ show is under investigation
DeGeneres‘ show is under investigation (Getty Images)

While DeGeneres, 62, herself has not been personally accused of mistreating staff, she said in a statement that, as the face of the show, she took “full responsibility” for the situation.

DeGeneres issued an apology to former staff members after an investigation by WarnerMedia found “deficiencies in day-to-day management” on the set of her popular chat show.

The investigation was sparked after a number of ex-staff members shared anonymous accounts of their negative experiences working on the series.

DeGeneres herself is at the centre of numerous “mean” accusations. One such claim came from Back to the Future star Lea Thompson, who claimed that the host’s “horrible” behaviour is “common knowledge” in Hollywood.

Stars to jump to DeGeneres’ defence include Katy Perry, Kevin Hart and Ashton Kutcher, who was forced to defend his stance following his comments.

The Independent has contacted a representative for The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in