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The Kelly Clarkson Show quickly became a beloved hit in the daytime talk show lineup after premiering on NBC in 2019 and has gone on to win 13 Daytime Emmys.
And while audiences were drawn to the positivity portrayed on the program, largely due to Clarkson's affable charm and charisma, things were allegedly different behind the scenes.
It's worth mentioning the accusations were not leveled at Clarkson but mainly at an individual in charge of running the show.
The disheartening news came to light on May 12 when Rolling Stone published an exposé in which 11 past and present employees of Clarkson's show–many of whom were veterans in the entertainment industry–shared their negative experiences behind the scenes.
Many alleged working conditions on the set were toxic and Clarkson was completely oblivious.
Some of them claimed they were overworked, underpaid and found the work environment to be “traumatizing to their mental health.”
One former staffer who wished to remain anonymous recalled:
“I remember going up on the roof of the stage to cry being like, ‘Oh my gosh, what am I doing? Why am I putting myself through this?’”
Another mentioned Clarkson's lack of awareness of the work environment, saying:
"NBC is protecting the show because it’s their new money maker, but Kelly has no clue how unhappy her staff is.”
Another said Clarkson was "fantastic" to be around.
\u201c11 current and former employees from \u2018The Kelly Clarkson Show\u2019 tell Rolling Stone that they are overworked, underpaid, and verbally abused by the producers behind the scenes. \n\nKelly is not aware of the toxic environment, according to the employees, and is said to be \u2018fantastic.\u2019\u201d— Pop Base (@Pop Base) 1683912130
Fans hoped Clarkson would address the situation and take care of her team.
\u201c@PopBase Now that it\u2019s out, I\u2019m sure Kelly will get ALL the girls together cause one thing about Kelly is she don\u2019t play\u201d— Pop Base (@Pop Base) 1683912130
\u201c@PopBase I was going to say I\u2019ve only ever heard stellar things about Kelly. I hope she finds out this is going on because she\u2019d never stand for it\u201d— Pop Base (@Pop Base) 1683912130
\u201c@PopBase I know they said Kelly wasn\u2019t aware of it but imo that\u2019s kind of an issue in itself. If your face is on the show, it\u2019s your show. And then it\u2019s your responsibility to check with the staff and see if they are happy at work. I hope from now on she will keep an eye on it\u201d— Pop Base (@Pop Base) 1683912130
Many of the staff complaints were aimed at the show’s executive producer, Alex Duda, who is known for being hostile to work with.
One interviewee told Rolling Stone:
“I think Alex Duda’s a monster."
Another recalled being warned about working with Duda due to her temperamental behavior–which included cursing out the workers on stage.
The staffer 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.”
Twitter continued weighing in with their observations.
\u201c@PopBase Sounds like the work environment behind the scenes with every \u201cgood person\u201d.\n\nThe \u201cstar of the show\u201d is Lovely and caring while the people in charge of managing the employees are horrendous at their job.\u201d— Pop Base (@Pop Base) 1683912130
\u201c@PopBase Kelly definitely wouldn\u2019t allow that if she knew, she\u2019s a sweetheart literally\u201d— Pop Base (@Pop Base) 1683912130
\u201c@PopBase well, Kelly knows now lol\u201d— Pop Base (@Pop Base) 1683912130
\u201c@PopBase "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger"\u201d— Pop Base (@Pop Base) 1683912130
\u201c@PopBase Well at least she ain\u2019t Ellen\u201d— Pop Base (@Pop Base) 1683912130
\u201c@PopBase Kelly, don\u2019t be like predecessor, Ellen. Take care of your staff.\u201d— Pop Base (@Pop Base) 1683912130
\u201c@PopBase Kelly gunna throw hands lmao\u201d— Pop Base (@Pop Base) 1683912130
In response to the report, a spokesperson for NBCU issued Us Weekly a statement maintaining the show's producers were “committed to a safe and respectful work environment” and take such complaints “very seriously.”
The statement continued:
“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.”
Next season, the production is set to move from its Los Angeles location to New York City inside Rockefeller Center–where other NBC shows like The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Saturday Night Live are filmed.