Ellen DeGeneres accused by comic Adam Carolla of leaving her former TV chat show staff ‘scared'
The 67-year-old comedian's career on the small screen has come to an end after she was branded the 'Queen of Mean' over her alleged behaviour behind the camera towards her workers.
Now comic Adam, 61, has blasted the backstage atmosphere on The Ellen DeGeneres Show as terrifyingly toxic.
He has spoken out after appearing on the series as a guest in 2012, and has now recalled how even producers seemed paralysed by fear around the host.
Adam made his accusations during an appearance on the After Party show with Emily Dashinsky, sharing details of his experience with Ellen.
He said a segment producer repeatedly warned him not to reference meat ahead of his on-air chat with the comic – who was vegan at the time.
Adam said: '(I thought) this (producer) guy's scared to death. He came back 20 minutes later right before I went out, and he's like, 'OK, but don't talk about beef or meat or anything'.
"I was like, 'Oh, this guy's scared to death. This guy's scared'."
Adam also recounted the show's environment felt markedly different from other talk shows.
He contrasted Ellen's set with programmes hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and Jay Leno, where he found staff more at ease and professional.
Adam went on: 'Ellen's show, people were scared – real scared.'
He continued: 'She's not a nice person at all. Everyone was scared of her, which means she's mean... she's not gonna be mean to me, I'm a guest on the show, right? I wouldn't know it from my exchanges, I would know it from how her staff was cowering'.
Adam's revelations come amid a long‑standing debate over Ellen's alleged workplace culture.
In 2020, a BuzzFeed News investigation detailed allegations of racism, intimidation and fear on the set of the host's daytime talk show, leading to an internal inquiry and the departure of several top producers.
The show ended in 2022 after nearly two decades on air.
Ellen responded publicly in her 2024 Netflix special For Your Approval, reflecting on being labelled 'mean' and describing her journey toward self‑acceptance.
She said: 'After a lifetime of caring, I just can't anymore. So I don't.'
Ellen added she took pride in who she had become four years on from the scandal.
Her executive producers — Ed Glavin, Mary Connelly and Andy Lassner — issued a statement pledging to improve workplace culture, emphasising their responsibility over daily operations on the show.
They contended the host's image did not align with the internal environment experienced by some staffers.
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