What Ellen's Former Bodyguard Has To Say About Her
A former bodyguard for beloved TV host Ellen DeGeneres is spilling the tea about what she's really like behind closed doors. Adding to a growing list of complaints about the chat show host and LGBTQ icon's allegedly diva-ish behavior, this latest report suggests stories about DeGeneres' harsh treatment of her employees and peers alike have not been exaggerated.
Tom Majercak, who was assigned to protect DeGeneres, her mother, and her wife, Portia de Rossi, when she hosted the 2014 Oscars, described his experience on the night as "demeaning." He had some choice words for DeGeneres in particular, too, which stand in stark contrast to the sweet, wholesome image she's projected over decades in the public eye.
Working for Ellen was no picnic
Majercak, senior manager of operations for Security Industry Specialists, a company which has provided security for the Oscars previously, told Fox News in a revealing interview that he'd accompanied the trio to the ceremony itself as well as to several events surrounding it. He admitted, "Ellen is the one person that I've been assigned to — and I've been assigned to quite a few celebrities — that has never taken the time to say hi to me."
Majercak had nothing but good things to say about de Rossi, reserving his ire for the talk-show host, whom he said "just gave me a side glance out of her eye," neglecting to acknowledge him further or even thank him for his services. "It was very cold and it was very sly and it was actually kind of demeaning in the way that she treats people other than those who are in her circle," he described the experience of dealing with DeGeneres, noting only pre-approved stars were allowed to even approach her at an Oscars after-party.
Ellen stands accused of rampant bad behavior
The bodyguard was compelled to speak out in the wake of several high-profile negative reports about Ellen's behavior in recent months. "It's bugged me for years. I see this person come across as being very enlightened and positive and awesome and everybody loves her and is in awe and that's really not the case when you meet her in person," he explained.
Dutch YouTuber Nikkie de Jager, AKA NikkieTutorials, described Ellen as "cold and distant" following an appearance on her talk show, according to a translation by fellow YouTuber Sebastian Williams. Echoing Majercak's claims, de Jager also noted Ellen didn't greet her backstage prior to the appearance.
Likewise, back in March, a damning Twitter thread from comedian Kevin T. Porter requesting stories about the talk show host being "one of the meanest people alive" gained serious traction, with responses numbering in the thousands.
Ellen's crew is reportedly furious, too
Also last month, Variety reported crew members from The Ellen DeGeneres Show claimed they had yet to receive any guidance about wages, healthcare, or working hours during the coronavirus pandemic in spite of the show still being broadcast. To add insult to injury, DeGeneres reportedly hired an "outside, non-union tech company" to help her continue to broadcast the show from her home, rather than tapping the show's current crew for the job.
Sources report that when production did finally surface, it was to pass along news that the crew should "brace for a 60 percent reduction in pay," even as the show was still airing. Understandably, this didn't sit well with crew who constantly hear DeGeneres' message as she wraps each episode: "Be kind to one another."