Ellen DeGeneres Should Be Replaced by Latina Host, Marcela Iglesias Says

There is still no word on what Ellen DeGeneres’ future on television will look like, but if she is replaced, Marcela Iglesias, owner of the lifestyle brand The Plastics of Hollywood and known as the Queen of Hollywood, has a big idea. During a recent chat with fans on Instagram, Iglesias said it was time for a Latina host to take over DeGeneres’ time slot. DeGeneres has been at the center of a toxic workplace scandal, which is now under investigation by WarnerMedia.

Iglesias said she agreed with Single Parents star Brad Garrett and Back to the Future actor Lea Thompson, who remain two of the few celebrities to openly criticize The Ellen DeGeneres Show’s workplace. “If what is being said about her show is true then that’s terrible and Warner Media should absolutely move on,” Iglesias said on Instagram this week, reports The Blast. “I’d also love for them to look at some powerful, beautiful, and talented Latina hosts to take over like J-Lo, Sofia Vergara, or Salma Hayek.”

According to Iglesias, all three of her suggestions have “such fun amazing personalities and I think they send a message of how sexy it is to be strong and independent,” she said. Iglesias even said she would be willing to host a show herself. She has lived in Los Angeles for 20 years and moved to the U.S. as an undocumented immigrant. Today though, she is best known as a talent manager and entrepreneur.

Late last month, WarnerMedia, the parent company of Ellen producer Telepictures, launched an investigation into the toxic workplace at the show, following reports published in BuzzFeed News, citing complaints from former employees. DeGeneres has apologized to staff and vowed to make changes. There has been speculation the show would end, but executive producer Andy Lassner said, “nobody is going off the air,” as of July 30.

Earlier this week, one source suggested to The Daily Mail that DeGeneres became “America’s most famous Karen,” adding that “there’s no way anyone on staff wants Karen and her band of toxic executives to return.” On Monday, Variety confirmed that remaining producers are “addressing” the issue as staffers return from the show’s summer hiatus to start the new season. Executive producer Ed Glavin, who is at the center of many of the most egregious claims, is expected to be pushed out of the show.

Meanwhile, actor Tony Okungbowa, who served as Ellen’s DJ for several years, sided with the former employees who have complained. “I was on-air talent from 2003-2006 and from 2007-2013,” he wrote on Instagram. “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.”