The Kelly Clarkson Show has been steadily growing since its 2019 debut, winning five Daytime Emmys (and possibly two more at next month’s ceremony) and sliding into the coveted time slot previously held by Ellen DeGeneres and Oprah Winfrey. For these reasons — in addition to Kelly Clarkson’s consistently optimistic, fun-loving attitude — it was pretty shocking when Rolling Stone came out with a report that several employees felt “traumatized” from their experience working on the show. Following the accusations, the series has released a statement.
Rolling Stone spoke to one current and 10 former employees of Kelly Clarkson’s daytime talk show who said they were bullied by producers — including EP Alex Duda — as well as being overworked and underpaid. Several of those interviewed said they reported their issues to HR but “nothing of consequence happened.” The show released a statement in regards to the allegations, saying (per People):
We are committed to a safe and respectful work environment and take workplace complaints very seriously and to insinuate otherwise is untrue. When issues are reported they are promptly reviewed, investigated and acted upon as appropriate. The Kelly Clarkson Show strives to build a safe, respectful and equitable workplace that nurtures a culture of inclusivity and creativity.
The statement seems to dispute claims that the former employees’ HR claims went uninvestigated. While the sources said they would be “floored” if Kelly Clarkson herself was aware of the toxicity her lower-level employees experienced, seven of those interviewed said they used their exit interviews to relay their negative experiences. One said they had a follow-up call regarding two producers’ “unprofessional” behavior, but those same people ended up receiving promotions, according to the source.
Another ex-employee said they were approached by Human Resources in regards to an investigation prompted by another colleague’s complaint, but the results of the probe were never relayed.
Kelly Clarkson responded to the viral report personally, saying in a statement on Instagram that she loved her team, and “to find out that anyone is feeling unheard and or disrespected on this show is unacceptable.” As production of The Kelly Clarkson Show prepares to move to the East Coast, the coach on The Voice vowed to employ only “the best and kindest” in the business and that part of her team-building would include leadership training for her entire senior staff, including herself.
There’s been no statement from or regarding executive producer Alex Duda, who one ex-employee called a “monster.” Her Instagram account has been made private since the report came out May 12, after sources accused her of yelling and cursing at them, putting them in uncomfortable situations and bullying one employee for asking about how the show was going to address the spread of anti-Asian hate crimes.
The Kelly Clarkson Show is on hiatus due to the ongoing WGA writers strike, but Kelly Clarkson can still be seen on The Voice, which returns to NBC at 8 p.m. ET Monday, May 15.
