05-23-2023
Rolling Stone published a report on eleven The Kelly Clarkson Show employees who claim they are "overworked, underpaid, and that the show was traumatizing to their mental health." The one current and ten former employees do not reveal their identities and say Clarkson is unaware of how unhappy employees are with the working environment.
Showrunner Alex Duda is purportedly the source of the problems. One former employee describes Duda as a "monster" with a reputation in the industry for being difficult to work under. The workers describe a divide in the staff between those individuals favored by the executive and senior producers and those workers who are not. One employee says they left the show after a producer yelled and cursed at them multiple times onstage. Another employee spoke about crying at work, questioning why they put themselves through it. This employee said they were so anxious at work that they regularly vomited and exhibited physical signs of sickness. Another employee said senior staff bullied and intimidated them, requiring them to seek mental health counseling for the first time. This employee describes the show as "by far the worst experience I've ever had in my entire life," after working in the industry for years. These employees say they have shared their complaints with human resources but did not see any shifts in the work culture.
Kelly Clarkson responded to Rolling Stone's piece on her Instagram page. She said, "I love my team at the Kelly Clarkson Show. And to find out that anyone is feeling unheard or disrespected on the show is unacceptable." She said she is "committed to creating and maintaining a safe and healthy environment." Clarkson also avows senior staff, including Clarkson, will attend leadership training.