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Home / Entertainment

Kyle and Jackie O defend Ellen amid accusations of a 'toxic' work environment

By Andrew Bucklow
news.com.au·
6 Aug, 2020 02:12 AM3 mins to read

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Ex-producer Hedda Muskat revealed to ZM’s Fletch, Vaughan and Megan that Ellen was well aware of what was going on behind the scenes and fostered the ‘culture of fear.’ Video / ZM

Kyle and Jackie O have spoken out in defence of Ellen DeGeneres after one of the talk show host's former producer's revealed what it was really like to work with the star.

This morning the KIIS FM hosts discussed an interview one of Ellen's former producers, Hedda Muskat, gave on Channel 7's Sunrise.

Ms Muskat, who worked on the first season of The Ellen Show in 2003 before being fired, claimed that the comedian would "laugh" when executive producer Ed Glavin would hurl abuse at staff members.

Kyle and Jackie O have dismissed some of the claims about the alleged toxic work environment on Ellen's show, insisting: "It's normal." Photos / Supplied, Getty Images
Kyle and Jackie O have dismissed some of the claims about the alleged toxic work environment on Ellen's show, insisting: "It's normal." Photos / Supplied, Getty Images
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"I was privy in meetings while he (Mr Glavin) went off at people with a vein bulging in his neck … she (Ellen) would turn around, laugh and say that 'Every production needs their dog,'" Ms Muskat said.

Reacting to the claim, Kyle said on air today: "I see nothing wrong with that. Every production does need its dog. You can't be all sitting around holding hands, patting each other on the back all the time."

And Jackie O agreed, saying: "I'm with you on that. It is like that, it is serious, and it's a lot of hard work and it's stressful for a lot of people and it would be stressful for Ellen and the producers particularly. Sometimes they do have to be the bad guy."

The radio hosts then discussed Ms Muskat's claim that Ellen would "snarl" when she tried to pitch her segment ideas, and that the comedian "always hurried me, like 'Get to the point, get to the point'".

Again, Kyle and Jackie O sided with Ellen.

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"I know exactly what sort of producer this woman was," Kyle laughed.

"She was a 'have a chat,' wasn't she," Jackie O said.

Kyle said the same things happened with their producers on the KIIS FM breakfast show.

"Sometimes they come in with the best intentions and they're not dumb, they just don't know how to get to the point real quick," he said.

"I don't think Ellen disliked this producer," Jackie O added. "It's just that … some people aren't great at pitching ideas."

Kyle agreed: "When you're dealing with big shows that are at the top of their game, clearly this is one of those shows, clearly Ellen is one of those shows, you haven't got time for pissants."

Jackie said the behaviour that Ms Muskat spoke about "is normal in this business" and argued that Ellen was "being unfairly targeted".

"The fact that Ellen was sitting there hearing pitches (from someone who wasn't the executive producer) is actually quite impressive," Jackie O said.

After dismissing the former Ellen producer's claims, Jackie asked: "Are we bad for saying this?"

"No, it's the truth," Kyle said. "Every show's doing it. Sunrise, the Today show, Studio 10."

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Kyle and Jackie O suggested that Ms Muskat's gripes have more to do with the executive producer, Ed Glavin, rather than Ellen.

"It does feel like everyone's stacking on Ellen because at the end of the day it's Ellen's face in the paper that we all know," Kyle said.

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