'The Kelly Clarkson Show' Accused of Being a Toxic Work Environment

The Kelly Clarkson Show's producers have been accused of fostering a toxic workplace, Rolling Stone reported in a new exposé on Friday. The outlet interviewed one current and 10 former employees of the NBC daytime talk show, all of whom Rolling Stone described as "veterans in the entertainment industry." As for show host Kelly Clarkson, she is described as "fantastic." 

"Kelly has no clue how unhappy her staff is," a former employee told Rolling Stone. Employees told the magazine they were overworked, underpaid and that their mental health suffered from working on the show. "Kelly is fantastic. She is a person who never treats anyone with anything but dignity and is incredibly appreciative," another former employee shared with the outlet. "I would be shocked if she knew. I'd be floored if she knew the staff wasn't getting paid for two weeks of Christmas hiatus. The Kelly that I interacted with and that everyone knows would probably be pretty aghast to learn that."

The Kelly Clarkson Show was "by far the worst experience I've ever had in my entire life," according to another staffer, who said, despite working on various sets in the entertainment industry, the job left them "traumatized" and "deterred me from wanting to work in daytime ever again."

"This job deteriorated my mental health," another employee told Rolling Stone. A number of employees claimed that they had complained to human resources, including during exit interviews, but no action had been taken. A former employee said, "There's a culture of nonaccountability for some people, and that needs to change."

The Kelly Clarkson Show's working environment is not deemed toxic by all employees. A staffer told Entertainment Tonight, "The Rolling Stone article was a surprise. Kelly is a fast-paced production and isn't without stress, but nothing about the environment rises to being labeled toxic. The show is still paying us although we had to shut down early because of the writers' strike. Also, they're finding a way for staff to stay in L.A. to work on the show even though the show will shoot in New York next season."

Yet, another source told ET of Clarkson, "She was completely shielded by the executive producers from everything."

Following the publication of the article, NBCU told ET in a statement, "We are committed to a safe and respectful work environment and take workplace complaints very seriously and to insinuate otherwise is untrue. When issues are reported they are promptly reviewed, investigated and acted upon as appropriate. The Kelly Clarkson Show strives to build a safe, respectful and equitable workplace that nurtures a culture of inclusivity and creativity."

The Rolling Stone report was written by Krystie Lee Yandoli, the same writer who broke the BuzzFeed News story about The Ellen DeGeneres Show's "toxic work culture." WarnerMedia investigated the report in 2020, and three top producers exited the show before it ended last May.

Yandoli told ET that the employees she talked to had nothing but good things to say about Clarkson. "So the employees who I spoke to, who did work closely with Kelly, said that she's lovely," Yandoli said. "She's great. They don't have anything bad to say about Kelly herself, although a lot of people also said that Kelly is pretty insulated by her inner circle and the executive producers, which isn't entirely uncommon on a talk show, to be fair."

"I think what most people had to say -- and this was the common denominator with the 11 people I spoke to -- is that they are not happy that in 2023 the culture behind the scenes of daytime television that has existed for decades, you know, according to people who are veterans of the industry, is still being perpetuated under the guise of, this is television," she continued. "This is daytime. It's a stressful environment, and they don't appreciate that they've gone to HR. They've tried to make changes internally, and no they haven't seen any change."

The Rolling Stone piece comes after news that The Kelly Clarkson Show will be moving to NBC Studios at 30 Rockefeller Center this fall, filming in Studio 6A with a live studio audience.

In advance of the show's move to New York, ET reported that contract negotiations are in progress with employees for the new season of The Kelly Clarkson Show. A source revealed that only some staff members will relocate to New York; many will still work in Los Angeles. 

"Contract negotiations always have everyone on high alert especially since the show is making its way to NYC. Currently, staff are weighing options of moving or no longer being with the show," the source told ET. "Some are willing to relocate, while others aren't, so tensions are high, and everyone feels their fate hangs in the balance, coupled with the current writers' strike, it leaves many feeling like their livelihoods are in question which can cause people to act all sorts of ways. But for now, most are lying low and looking ahead towards a new future for the show."

By the end of its current season, The Kelly Clarkson Show will have aired 720 episodes. It became an early success and took over the time slot previously held by The Ellen DeGeneres Show. So far, The Kelly Clarkson Show has won 13 Daytime Emmys and is nominated for 11 this year, including Outstanding Daytime Talk Series Host and Outstanding Talk Series.