Wednesday, 17 August 2022
Meet the JournalistsPremiumAucklandWellingtonCanterbury/South Island
CrimePoliticsHealthEducationEnvironment and ClimateNZ Herald FocusData journalismKāhu, Māori ContentPropertyWeather
Small BusinessOpinionPersonal FinanceEconomyBusiness TravelCapital Markets
Politics
Premium SportRugbyCommonwealth GamesCricketRacingNetballBoxingLeagueFootballSuper RugbyAthleticsBasketballMotorsportTennisCyclingGolfAmerican SportsHockeyUFC
NZH Local FocusThe Northern AdvocateThe Northland AgeThe AucklanderWaikato HeraldBay of Plenty TimesHawke's Bay TodayRotorua Daily PostWhanganui ChronicleStratford PressManawatu GuardianKapiti NewsHorowhenua ChronicleTe Awamutu Courier
Covid-19
Te Rito
Te Rito
OneRoof PropertyCommercial Property
Open JusticeVideoPodcastsTechnologyWorldOpinion
SpyTVMoviesBooksMusicCultureSideswipeCompetitions
Fashion & BeautyFood & DrinkRoyalsRelationshipsWellbeingPets & AnimalsVivaCanvasEat WellCompetitionsRestaurants & Menus
New Zealand TravelAustralia TravelInternational Travel
Our Green FutureRuralOneRoof Property
Career AdviceCorporate News
Driven MotoringPhotos
SudokuCodecrackerCrosswordsWordsearchDaily quizzes
Classifieds
KaitaiaWhangareiDargavilleAucklandThamesTaurangaHamiltonWhakataneRotoruaTokoroaTe KuitiTaumarunuiTaupoGisborneNew PlymouthNapierHastingsDannevirkeWhanganuiPalmerston NorthLevinParaparaumuMastertonWellingtonMotuekaNelsonBlenheimWestportReeftonKaikouraGreymouthHokitikaChristchurchAshburtonTimaruWanakaOamaruQueenstownDunedinGoreInvercargill
NZ HeraldThe Northern AdvocateThe Northland AgeThe AucklanderWaikato HeraldBay Of Plenty TimesRotorua Daily PostHawke's Bay TodayWhanganui ChronicleThe Stratford PressManawatu GuardianKapiti NewsHorowhenua ChronicleTe Awamutu CourierVivaEat WellOneRoofDriven MotoringThe CountryPhoto SalesNZ Herald InsightsWatchMeGrabOneiHeart RadioRestaurant Hub

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.
Entertainment

Ellen DeGeneres: Former Today show boss spills on 'bizarre' encounter with talk show host

30 Jul, 2020 04:12 AM4 minutes to read
A former Today show boss has revealed what went on behind the scenes when Richard Wilkins interviewed Ellen DeGeneres in 2013. Photo / Supplied

A former Today show boss has revealed what went on behind the scenes when Richard Wilkins interviewed Ellen DeGeneres in 2013. Photo / Supplied

news.com.au
By Andrew Bucklow

A former executive producer of the Today show has opened up about his "bizarre" encounter with Ellen DeGeneres.

Neil Breen was the boss of the Channel 9 breakfast show in 2013 when Ellen came to Australia on a promotional tour.

Breen, who is now a 4BC radio host, told his listeners that "originally, she (Ellen) was going to co-host the Today show," during her trip Down Under, but that plan fell through.

Read More

  • Why Ellen's famous friends aren't coming to her defence - NZ Herald
  • Ellen DeGeneres' intense 2007 on-air breakdown: 'Things are so terribly wrong right now' - NZ Herald
  • The Ellen Degeneres Show reportedly under investigation after accusations from employees - NZ Herald
  • Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi's home has been burgled - NZ Herald

"The whole thing got watered down to Ellen DeGeneres would do a sit down interview … with Richard Wilkins," Breen said.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

The executive producer and Wilkins arrived at "one of the flash hotels in Melbourne" where the interview was going to be filmed.

"They controlled everything," he said about Ellen's army of producers. "They controlled the interview seats, the lights, how it would work, everything."

Before Ellen arrived, Breen claimed he and Wilkins were given a briefing by one of the talk show host's producers and were told to abide by some strict rules.

"The producers called us aside and said, 'OK, this is how it's going to work here this morning. Ellen's going to arrive at 10.15 and she'll be sitting in this chair here and Richard you'll be sitting in this chair here. Neil, no one is to talk to Ellen. You don't talk to her, you don't approach her, you don't look at her. She'll come in, she'll sit down, she'll talk to Richard and then Ellen will leave.'"

Breen said he was shocked by the producer's comments.

"I sort of said, 'Are you fair dinkum? I can't look at her?'" he recalled on 4BC.

Related articles

Lifestyle

Martha Stewart, 78, stuns in pool snap

30 Jul 05:10 PM
Entertainment

'Worst non-apology ever': Ellen slammed over letter to staff

31 Jul 03:17 AM
Entertainment

Star's emotional family reunion

04 Aug 12:48 AM

Breen added that Ellen was surrounded by hangers-on during the interview and they continually interrupted Wilkins' chat.

"Every word she said, all these producers would giggle and laugh," Breen said. "I had to ask them to be quiet because we were filming an interview.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

"I'm not blaming Ellen, because I didn't get to talk to her because I wasn't allowed to, so I don't know if she's a nice person or not, I wouldn't have a clue," he continued. "But I can tell you, the people who worked with her walked on eggshells the whole time and the whole thing was totally bizarre."

Breen's comments come not long after it was announced that Distributor WarnerMedia had launched a probe into Ellen's talk show following accusations from current and former staffers of bullying and racism on the set.

Executives reportedly sent a memo to staff last week saying they have engaged an employee relations group and a third party firm, "who will interview current and former staffers about their experiences on set," as per Variety.

Earlier this month, a bombshell Buzzfeed report collated stories from 10 former and one current Ellen employee – all speaking anonymously – described a "toxic work environment" with a culture of "racism, fear and intimidation".

"That 'be kind' bulls**t only happens when the cameras are on. It's all for show," one former employee was quoted as saying.

Former employees alleged to Buzzfeed that they'd been fired for taking medical leave, attending family funerals, and one for posting a selfie in the office on her Instagram Stories.

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

Others claimed that raising complaints about offensive or racist comments from colleagues saw them labelled as "PC police".

In a statement to Buzzfeed, Ellen executive producers Ed Glavin, Mary Connelly and Andy Lassner insisted that "the day-to-day responsibility of the Ellen show is completely on us. We take all of this very seriously and we realise, as many in the world are learning, that we need to do better, are committed to do better, and we will do better."

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Entertainment

Entertainment

Peter Andre reacts to Kiwi radio star's Mysterious Girl performance

17 Aug 01:18 AM
Entertainment

Academy apologises 50 years after Sacheen Littlefeather booed off stage

17 Aug 12:00 AM
Entertainment

Former Matatini champions fill Rome's ancient Colosseum with waiata

Entertainment

Shock reactions to first prominent person of colour in GoT franchise

16 Aug 10:02 PM
Entertainment

Flash star seeks help for 'mental health issues'

16 Aug 09:29 PM

Most Popular

'We know ... this is incredibly unsettling' - Police update on suitcase homicide mystery
New Zealand|Crime

'We know ... this is incredibly unsettling' - Police update on suitcase homicide mystery

17 Aug 01:32 AM
Premium
NZ's highest paid CEO: Fletcher boss takes home $6.58m
BusinessUpdated

NZ's highest paid CEO: Fletcher boss takes home $6.58m

17 Aug 01:04 AM
NZ's low literacy rate is bad news for the economy
Education

NZ's low literacy rate is bad news for the economy

16 Aug 08:12 PM

Advertisement

Advertise with NZME.
About NZMEHelp & SupportContact UsSubscribe to NZ HeraldHouse Rules
Manage Your Print SubscriptionNZ Herald E-EditionAdvertise with NZMEBook Your AdPrivacy Policy
Terms of UseCompetition Terms & ConditionsSubscriptions Terms & Conditions
© Copyright 2022 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP