Ellen, you gave me something to believe in. Not anymore.

Over the past few years, we've come to know and trust talk show host Ellen DeGeneres as the do-gooder. She could, in our eyes, do no wrong. Every week, we would watch as she donated thousands of dollars - in cash or as gifts - to people who really deserved it and we would fawn over her coming out story. As the pandemic continues, however, we've begun to see another side of her. Perhaps, after all, wealth simply makes you immune to the struggle of the working class. Watching her make small talk with former President and warmonger George W. Bush was one thing, knowing that she cut her TV crew's pay and replaced them with a non-unionized set of staff was the last straw.

In an interview with Variety Magazine, several members of DeGeneres' talk show crew anonymously criticized her for her lack of communication regarding pay. Reportedly, the show's core stage crew, consisting of 30 employees, "received no written communication about the status of their working hours, pay, or inquiries about their mental and physical health from producers for over a month" amidst the ongoing pandemic. They were kept completely in the dark until production higher-ups finally weighed in at the last minute. They told crew members to expect a 60 percent reduction in pay - even as the show continued to air.

Furthermore, while everyone self-isolates, DeGeneres has been recording a remote version of the show. Only four members from the original crew were hired to work on this version. Who did she replace her crew with? An external, non-union tech company. If you see some discrepancies between her actions and her motto ("be kind"), then you wouldn't be in the wrong. The ongoing public health crisis is a scary time for many. Without a job, this period of time could be even scarier. There's nothing more frightening than being laid off when you know that absolutely no other companies are going to be hiring.

And that's why I simply can't trust Ellen or her motto anymore. How will I watch as she hands out those big checks for thousands of dollars and still feel overjoyed knowing that she basically f*cked over employees who have been dedicated to her show for years? At the end of the day, DeGeneres acted exactly like those big corporations who only care about how much profit they make. One of my favorite parts of her show was watching her interact with her crew members. From laughing with executive producer Andy to learning about her crew functions (heck, she even uploaded a video on YouTube about what goes on behind the scenes!), it really felt like she imbibed her motto and treated her employees like family.

After some snooping, I realized that wasn't the case. Just take a look at this Twitter thread, where people who have worked for and served DeGeneres reveal the challenging situations they had to endure because of her behavior. One autistic janitor was fired for simply saying hi to her and a waitress came close to being laid off because of a chipped nail. This is not the Ellen I have come to know and love. Sure, the stories haven't been vetted and there's no way to know what's real, but what do folks have to gain from coming forward about their experiences? Her recent video where she compared self-isolating in her several-million dollar mansion to jail only made matters worse. Of course, Ellen hasn't had it easy. However, her difficult climb to success doesn't mean she gets a free pass when it comes to treating her employees unfairly. Ellen, do better - and remember, be kind.