An investigation by Rolling Stone is unearthing a world of accusations against the producers behind The Kelly Clarkson Show. The media outlet spoke with one current employee and 10 former employees of the daytime television program and none of them had anything nice to say about how the show is run.
Before we dive into their accusations, we’d like to emphasize that the accusations aren’t being directed towards Kelly Clarkson herself – the host of the show that bears her name. In fact, staffers glorified the 41-year-old singer’s ability to practice inclusivity and genuinely cared for those that worked with/for her.
“Kelly is fantastic. She is a person who never treats anyone with anything but dignity and is incredibly appreciative,” said one former employee – adding that they would be ‘shocked’ if Kelly knew just how bad things were behind the scenes. Many believe producers shield her from the many complaints they get.
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With that being said, let’s talk about some of the accusations being made against the The Kelly Clarkson Show – most of which are aimed at Alex Duda, the executive producer of the show. Duda has been with the show since it debuted in 2019 and was previously with Steve Harvey and The Tyra Banks Show.
Current & former employees at 'The Kelly Clarkson Show' tell Rolling Stone they were overworked, underpaid, and that working at the show was traumatizing.
— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) May 12, 2023
"Kelly has no clue how unhappy her staff is."https://t.co/BFR5I4UAK6
The employees that came forward were complaining of a toxic environment that left staffers overworked, underpaid, and struggling with their mental and emotional health. They complained of being bullied and intimidated by producers, and were even more mistreated if they tried to speak out or complain to HR.
And speaking of HR, some of the employees accused the show’s HR team of doing absolutely nothing to stop any of it – despite receiving a flurry of complaints from former employees. The employees felt the need to speak out because they feel the problem will only continue to grow worse if things continue.
EXCLUSIVE: Current and former staffers tell Rolling Stone 'The Kelly Clarkson Show' is toxic behind the scenes.
— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) May 12, 2023
They say Clarkson "is fantastic," but allege they are underpaid, verbally abused, "traumatized," and put in uncomfortable positions.
STORY: https://t.co/nSRtDPTIR9 pic.twitter.com/KQtdcpoMpW
Employees recalled running to the roof so they can cry while working, seeking the help of psychiatrists to help them cope with it, working a second job because they were underpaid, taking leave of absences to focus on mental health, seeking the help of HR to no avail, and even quitting as a result of the toxicity.
Kelly Clarkson Responds to Accusations of a Toxic Work Environment
Shortly after the Rolling Stone article was published, a representative for NBCUniversal (which produces and distributes The Kelly Clarkson Show) released a statement that claimed any HR complaints made against them were taken seriously and that anyone insinuating otherwise simply aren’t telling the truth.
More recently, Kelly Clarkson took to her Instagram to share a statement. “I’ve always led with my heart and what I believed to be right. I love my team at the Kelly Clarkson Show. And to find out that anyone is feeling unheard or disrespected on the show is unacceptable,” she wrote on Saturday (May 13).
She vowed to ensure her show is ‘comprised of the best and kindest in the business’ as her team prepares for a move to the East Coast – they currently film in Los Angeles, but are moving to New York City soon. She also vowed to partake in leadership training with the rest of the senior staff at her show.
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“I have always been and will continue to be committed to creating and maintaining a safe and healthy environment,” she wrote. “There is always room to grow and ensure we are all being/becoming the best version of ourselves in any business, especially when it comes to leadership, to ensure that any notion of toxicity is eradicated.”