According to an exposé published by Rolling Stone on Friday, several producers on the Kelly Clarkson Show have been accused of creating a toxic work environment. The outlet reports that it spoke to a current and 10 former employees of the NBC daytime series, all anonymous but described by Rolling Stone as “entertainment industry veterans.”
Presenter Kelly Clarkson, on the other hand, is described as “fantastic”.
“Kelly has no idea how unhappy her employees are,” a former employee told Rolling Stone. Among the allegations leveled at the production, the staff told the magazine that they were overworked and underpaid, and that their mental health had suffered from working on the show.
“Kelly is fantastic. She is a person who treats no one with anything but dignity and is incredibly appreciative,” said another former outlet employee. “I’d be shocked if she knew. I would be amazed if she knew that the staff is not paid for the two week Christmas break. The Kelly I dealt with and everyone knows would probably be pretty shocked to find out.”
Another staffer said that despite working on various sets in the entertainment industry, her experience on The Kelly Clarkson Show was “by far the worst experience I’ve ever had in my entire life,” claiming that she ” kept me from wanting anything, “never having to work a day again” and that the job “traumatized” her.
“This job has taken a toll on my mental health,” another employee told Rolling Stone.
Several employees said their grievances had been raised with HR, including during exit talks, but that no action appeared to have been taken. A former employee claimed, “Some people have a culture of irresponsibility and that needs to change.”
However, not all employees of The Kelly Clarkson Show describe the show’s work environment as “toxic.” A staffer tells ET: “The Rolling Stone article was a surprise. Kelly is a fast-paced production and not without its stresses, but nothing about the environment could be classified as toxic. The show is still paying us even though we had to close.” canceled early because of the writers’ strike. They also find a way for the staff to stay in LA to work on the series, even though the series will be filmed in New York next season.
Meanwhile, another source tells ET of Clarkson, “She was completely shielded from everything by the executive producers.”
After the article was published, a spokesman for NBCU told ET in a statement: “We are committed to a safe and respectful work environment and take workplace grievances very seriously. To assume otherwise is wrong. When issues are reported, they are promptly reviewed and investigated.” and responded to appropriately. The Kelly Clarkson Show strives to create a safe, respectful and equal workplace that fosters a culture of inclusivity and creativity.”
ET reached out to Clarkson for comment. Rolling Stone notes that neither NBC nor Clarkson have responded to separate requests for comment on their story.
The Rolling Stone report’s author is Krystie Lee Yandoli, the same author who broke the BuzzFeed News story about several staffers on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, which alleges that the popular daytime talk show has a “toxic work culture.” The report led to a 2020 investigation by WarnerMedia and the exit of three top producers from the show before the show ended last May.
ET spoke to Yandoli, who informed her that the staff members she spoke to had nothing bad to say about the way Clarkson treated them.
“The staff I spoke to who worked closely with Kelly said she was lovely,” Yandoli said. “She’s gorgeous. They don’t have anything bad to say about Kelly herself, although many people also said that Kelly was quite isolated from her inner circle and executive producers, which isn’t entirely uncommon on a talk show. “Be fair.”
“I think what most people had to say – and that was the common denominator of the 11 people I spoke to – is that they’re not happy that in 2023 the culture behind the scenes of daytime television, which has been around since “As you know, according to people who are veterans of the industry, it’s still maintained under the guise that this is television,” she continued. “This is during the day. It’s a stressful environment and they don’t appreciate contacting HR. They tried to make changes internally, but no, they didn’t see any change.”
The Rolling Stone article follows news that production of The Kelly Clarkson Show is set to move to New York City in the fall and will be based at NBC Studios at 30 Rockefeller Center in Manhattan. Clarkson’s show is filmed at Studio 6A with a live studio audience.
The news marks an important step for Clarkson and the syndicated talk show, which was renewed through 2025 back in November. The Kelly Clarkson Show is currently in its fourth season and opened its last two seasons with special week-long stops in New York City. “She’s ready for the move and looking forward to a new change,” a source told ET at the time of the announcement.
ET has learned that contract negotiations for the new season of The Kelly Clarkson Show are currently being negotiated with staff ahead of the show’s move to New York. According to a source, not all employees will relocate to New York, many will continue to have jobs in Los Angeles.
“Everyone is always on high alert during contract negotiations, especially with the show going to New York. The staff are currently considering whether to relocate or leave the show,” the source says. “Some are willing to move, some are not. As a result, tensions are high and everyone feels their fate is at stake. In connection with the current writers’ strike, many feel that their livelihoods are in question, which can lead to problems.” to act in all possible ways. But for now, most are keeping a low profile and looking forward to a new future for the show.”
The Kelly Clarkson Show premiered on September 9, 2019 and will have aired 720 episodes by the end of the current season. The daytime talk show became an early success story, officially taking over the slot formerly held by The Ellen DeGeneres Show ahead of its fourth season.
It is also known for its popular “Kellyoke” segments, which open each episode and in which Clarkson performs covers of popular songs at the request of fans. In June 2022, Clarkson released the six-track Kellyoke EP, featuring her renditions of songs by Billie Eilish, Roy Orbison, Whitney Houston and The Weeknd.
The Kelly Clarkson Show has won 13 Daytime Emmys to date, including three for Clarkson’s Outstanding Entertainment Talk Show Host (2020-2022) and two for Outstanding Talk Show Entertainment (2021-2022). It’s nominated for 11 Daytime Emmys this year, including Outstanding Daytime Talk Series Host and Outstanding Talk Series.
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