There’s no arguing the popularity of The Kelly Clarkson Show. With its upbeat host, cool “Kellyoke” covers and an impressive roster of celebrity guests, the daytime talk show has risen to the top of the ratings. However, many fans were forced to look at the show in a different light, after 11 current and former employees spoke out about the “toxic” work environment they experienced, and it begged the question of whether Kelly Clarkson was, in fact, a monster to work for. Following the Rolling Stone article, another employee has weighed in on their experience.
Ten former and one current employee were interviewed for the bombshell report that came out May 12, describing how they were “traumatized” while working on The Kelly Clarkson Show. The sources shared details about the toll taken on their mental health, including how they were bullied, overworked and put in uncomfortable situations. However, the anonymous insiders absolved Kelly Clarkson of any wrongdoing, and another current employee has come forward in her defense as well, telling Variety that the Rolling Stone article is not reflective of their positive experience working for the singer.
The Kelly Clarkson Show employs more than 200 people, and the staffer said many of them do not agree with the picture painted in the exposé. They used the ongoing WGA writer’s strike as an example of how The Voice coach treats her staff, saying that when the strike began, the “Since U Been Gone” artist sent employees a “heartfelt” message to let them know that she would be covering their pay out of her own pocket for the days they had been schedule to work. Due to the strike, the talk show went dark on May 2 — several weeks before it was set to shut down for the season on May 20 — so that was probably a pretty hefty sum.
Kelly Clarkson’s actions, however, weren’t in question in the Rolling Stone report, with the one of the ex-employees saying:
Kelly is fantastic. She is a person who never treats anyone with anything but dignity and is incredibly appreciative. I would be shocked if she knew.
The American Idol champion responded after the story went viral, saying that anyone feeling disrespected or unheard was “unacceptable.” She further vowed to undergo leadership training with the rest of her senior staff “to ensure that any notion of toxicity is eradicated.” The show released a statement as well, disputing claims that HR didn’t follow up on the complaints from the former staffers regarding EP and showrunner Alex Duda and other producers.
The toxic workplace accusations came just days after it was announced that The Kelly Clarkson Show would be moving production to New York starting next season. Alex Duda and musical director Jason Halbert were announced to be making the move, and the showrunner had reportedly had conversations with other staffers to gauge interest in relocating with the show.
We’ll have to wait to see if this report prompts any behind-the-scenes changes on Kelly Clarkson’s talk show, but in the meantime, you can still catch the host on The Voice, which is set to wrap its 23rd season in a two-night finale May 22-23 following the live Semifinals on May 15. Be sure to see what premieres are coming soon with our 2023 TV schedule.
