NBCU Refutes Report of Toxic ‘Kelly Clarkson Show’ Environment: ‘To Insinuate Otherwise Is Untrue’

thewrap.com:

first reported that former employees and one current one described the show as “traumatizing to their mental health.”Sources cited in Rolling Stone’s report say that Clarkson doesn’t know that employees are unhappy with the working conditions.“NBC is protecting the show because it’s their new money maker, but Kelly has no clue how unhappy her staff is,” one former employee told Rolling Stone.The veterans of entertainment and daytime television, who recognize the high pressure environment, traced the toxic behind-the-scenes environment to executive producer Alex Duda, who shields Clarkson from what the behavior has created.“I think Alex Duda’s a monster,” a former employee said. “I have a friend who’s an executive producer who warned me about taking this job, because apparently she has done this on every show she’s worked on.”Some lower-level staffers shared that they have other jobs in addition to working on the show to supplement their income, like Uber eats, walking dogs and babysitting.

A divide between employees favored by executive and senior producers and those who aren’t was also described.Former employees expressed frustration and disappointment that the culture has not shifted since numerous HR complaints. “I would be shocked if [Kelly] knew.

I’d be floored if she knew the staff wasn’t getting paid for two weeks of Christmas hiatus,” a former employee said. “The Kelly that I interacted with and that everyone knows would probably be pretty aghast to learn that.”.