Kevin Hart and Ellen DeGeneres got together this weekend amid the mounting “toxic workplace” allegations surrounding The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Hart has defended DeGeneres as former employees come forward to say that she is not as nice off-screen as she is on TV. At the very least, their private rendezvous on Saturday indicates the friendship between them is genuine.
Hart and DeGeneres were spotted on the patio of the Rosewood Miramar Beach in Montecito, California, according to a report by Us Weekly. Photos show the two locked in conversation as they enjoyed wine together, both dressed casually in breezy summer outfits. They looked serious, which makes sense considering the current wave of backlash against DeGeneres in the media. Hart defended DeGeneres earlier this month in a post on Instagram.
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“It’s crazy to see my friend go thru (sic) what she’s going thru (sic) publicly,” Hart wrote on Aug. 4. “I have known Ellen for years and I can honestly say that she’s one of the dopest people on the f–ing planet. She has treated my family and my team with love and respect from day 1.”
Hart, who has faced his own public scandals recently, continued: “The internet has become a crazy world of negativity… We are falling in love with peoples’ downfall. It’s honestly sad… When did we get here? I stand by the ones that I know and that I love. Looking forward to the future where we get back to loving one another… This hate shit has to stop. Hopefully, it goes out of style soon.”
“This post is not meant to disregard the feelings of others and their experiences,” Hart added. It’s simply to show what my experiences have been with my friend. Love you for life Ellen.”
The support follows closely after DeGeneres standing by Hart’s side in a similar situation. Last year, Hart lost his chance at hosting the Academy Awards when his past homophobic tweets resurfaced online. DeGeneres vouched for Hart, saying that he had changed. In some ways, that could have contributed to the changing winds around DeGeneres, as commenters began to note that she was more protective of wealthy friends like Hart or George W. Bush than the rest of the LGBTQ+ community.
Staffers on DeGeneres show have come forward over the last few weeks, beginning with a BuzzFeed News investigative piece about their treatment on The Ellen DeGeneres Show. They say that DeGeneres facilitated a workplace full of sexual harassment, racism and simply mean-spirited behavior. DeGeneres has publicly apologized to those staffers without addressing the nitty-gritty details of the allegations.
