Ellen DeGeneres Spotted out With Wife Portia de Rossi Amid Recent Behind-the-Scenes Show Drama

Rumors of Ellen DeGeneres’ alleged true nature when the cameras aren’t rolling did not seem to faze the comedian during recent outings with wife Portia de Rossi. Over the weekend, the couple was spotted shopping in California, both wearing face masks amid the coronavirus pandemic. DeGeneres has been filming new episodes of The Ellen DeGeneres Show from home, even as staff members were reportedly not happy with how the top producers treated them.

On Sunday, DeGeneres and de Rossi were seen shopping and picking up a take-out order in Montecito, California. DeGeneres could be seen wearing a blue floral-print mask in photos published by The Daily Mail, while de Rossi wore a light blue mask. On Sunday evening, photographers spotted DeGeneres and de Rossi picking up dinner in Santa Barbara. DeGeneres was seen briefly with her mask around her neck while she spoke with de Rossi, who took some pictures of her.

Back in April, sources told Variety that members of the Ellen DeGeneres Show staff were “distressed and outraged” by how their bosses were treating them during the coronavirus pandemic. Multiple sources said the employees received little to no communication about how they would be paid while DeGeneres worked from home. Some were also not happy that a non-union tech company was hired to help DeGeneres film her show without them. They were also reportedly told about a pay cut, but after Variety asked producers for comment, they were told they would be paid for a full four-day workweek.

Following this report, Tom Majercak, a former security guard who escorted DeGeneres, de Rossi and DeGeneres’ mother at the 2014 Oscars, described DeGeneres as “cold” and said she did not even thank him. “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,” Majercak told Fox News earlier this month. YouTuber Nikki de Jager, who often appeared on Ellen, said DeGeneres did not interact with her before the show and described it as “Teletubbies after dark.”

All of these rumors are in stark contrast with the sunny disposition and kind demeanor DeGeneres puts on-screen every day. One source told Us Weekly that these rumors have DeGeneres “at the end of her rope” and she thought they were just “sour grapes” from a few critics. “But it’s not a passing thing… the hits just keep coming,” the source said. Another source said DeGeneres has leaned on de Rossi and her close friends. “Their home life is strained right now,” the source said. “Her real friends never ask her to be funny or tell jokes. They accept her as is.”