Dana Dimatteo appeared on the show in 2018. Photo / EllenTube
Dana Dimatteo appeared on the show in 2018. Photo / EllenTube
An audience member who appeared on The Ellen Show has opened about what the host is really like behind the scenes.
Dana Dimatteo spoke to The Sun about her appearance on the show in 2018. She was selected to take part in a game called Make It Rain - and got a close look at what Ellen DeGeneres is really like when the cameras are off.
"During commercial breaks, Ellen would break out of her 'kind' character and sit moodily in silence on her couch, not acknowledging anyone," she told the publication.
And she claims herself and other guests were given a stern warning by producers not to do anything to offend DeGeneres, as well as being put through a "humiliating" test.
"We were told to act in a very specific way and to only speak if she asked us a question," Dimatteo said. "They made us scream and jump around backstage as a test," she added.
Dana Dimatteo says she was left soaking wet and were given specific instructions about interacting with Ellen. Photo / Ellentube
Make It Rain was a segment on the show that gave fans the chance to win up to US$10,000 ($15,000). Players had to correctly answer questions to select an umbrella, some of which would leave contestants soaking wet.
When her name was called, DeGeneres snuck in a comment that made fun of Dimatteo's excited reaction to being picked for the game.
"We didn't hear your name because she [Dimatteo] was screaming so loudly," DeGeneres says.
Diametto lost the game and says she was left soaking wet backstage.
"Then they just left us there," she recalled. "We waited pretty much the whole show in our soaking wet clothes for someone to bring us dry clothes to change into. It was really uncomfortable and cold."
WarnerMedia is currently conducting an internal investigation into the show, amid claims of a toxic working environment. Buzzfeed News has published two investigations with multiple claims.
Some celebrities have publically supported DeGeneres. Kevin Hart, Katy Perry, and Diane Keaton are among stars who posted on social media defending the talk show host.
