Sofia Vergara speaks out after controversial 'Ellen DeGeneres Show' clips resurface
After some fans questioned Ellen DeGeneres’ behavior in interviews with actor Sofia Vergara, the “Modern Family” star took to Twitter to set the record straight.
A video clip surfaced on Twitter earlier this week that showed DeGeneres commenting about Vergara’s accent on several occasions.
Vergara on Friday tweeted a link to the full clip of one of the segments mentioned and defended DeGeneres’ jokes.
“Two comedians having fun with each other to entertain,” she wrote. “I was never a victim guys, I was always in on the joke.”
In the video Vergara posted, the two chatted about shooting CoverGirl commercials together.
"They give her the hardest lines too because we have to describe what's in the CoverGirl makeup and she has such a hard time pronouncing any of the ingredients," DeGeneres joked.
"I think because you are much more famous than me and older than me so they give you priority and you read the script first and then you're the one that makes me say those words because there's no way,” Vergara quipped back, laughing.
TODAY reached out to DeGeneres for comment on this article but she declined.
“The Ellen DeGeneres Show” returned to production for its 18th season earlier this week amid allegations of a toxic workplace culture that has been covered extensively by the media during the summer hiatus.
DeGeneres addressed the staff via conference call on Monday and apologized for allowing the show to run like a machine instead of seeing them as people, sources told TODAY. She announced executive producers Ed Glavin, Kevin Leman and Jonathan Norman had “parted ways” with the daytime talk show and added she will learn from her mistakes.
Her comments on Monday echoed a memo she sent to staff on July 30 amid a Warner Bros. internal probe into the show.
"On day one of our show, I told everyone in our first meeting that 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' would be a place of happiness — no one would ever raise their voice, and everyone would be treated with respect. Obviously, something changed, and I am disappointed to learn that this has not been the case," she wrote. "And for that, I am sorry. Anyone who knows me knows it’s the opposite of what I believe and what I hoped for our show."
Former "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" DJ Tony Okungbowa spoke out, saying he felt the "toxicity of the environment" when he worked there.
"I was on air talent from 2003-2006 and from 2007-2013," Okungbowa wrote alongside a photo of himself in the show's DJ booth. "While I am grateful for the opportunity it afforded me, I did experience and feel the toxicity of the environment and I stand with my former colleagues in their quest to create a healthier and more inclusive workplace as the show moves forward."
Other celebrities, including Ashton Kutcher, Katy Perry, Kevin Hart, Diane Keaton, Jerry O'Connell and Scooter Braun, came to the Emmy Award-winning host's defense, recalling their positive experiences as guests on the show.
DeGeneres' wife of 12 years, Portia de Rossi, thanked fans on Instagram for their support.
"To all our fans....we see you. Thank you for your support," the "Arrested Development" star wrote on Instagram next to a baby blue image that said: "I stand by Ellen" and "Be kind to one another."