Watch Alec Baldwin Encourage Ellen DeGeneres to "Keep Going" After "Toxic" Workplace Allegations

Before Alec Baldwin got to talking about his newborn son, he had some encouraging words for Ellen DeGeneres in the wake of scandal involving her show's work environment.

By Samantha Schnurr Sep 23, 2020 3:11 PMTags

Alec Baldwin is Ellen DeGeneres' cheerleader—and he's not afraid to show it. 

The actor and new father of six appeared remotely on the daytime host's The Ellen DeGeneres Show on Wednesday, Sept. 23. The week marked the first of the show's 18th season, as well as DeGeneres' first week back after allegations of a toxic work environment at the show arose in July.  

While Baldwin and DeGeneres would go on to chat about the birth of his fifth child, son Eduardo with wife Hilaria Baldwin earlier this month, the actor first took a moment to uplift DeGeneres during their interview. 

"Before we talk about my kid, Ellen," he added, "I just want to say that you are someone—I have followed your career from when you were doing stand-up and you were a solo performer. I've watched the films you've done and I've watched your success on this TV show and you are one of the funniest and most talented women—one of the most funny and talented people in all of show business."

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Referencing the controversy she has faced in recent months, Baldwin continued, "We all have some patches of white water here, but you keep going. Don't you stop doing what you're doing."
 
DeGeneres was appreciative. "Thank you so much, Alec," she told him. "That means so much to me. I appreciate it."
 
"Yeah, there have been some rapids," she quipped, "and I am maneuvering the raft."

The longtime host addressed those "rapids" in an opening monologue during the season premiere on Monday, Sept. 21. "As you may have heard, this summer there were allegations of a toxic work environment at our show and then there was an investigation," she said, addressing the claims with viewers for the first time. "I learned that things happened here that never should have happened. I take that very seriously and I want to say I am so sorry to the people who were affected."

She took responsibility for what happens at her namesake show and assured fans that "we have made the necessary changes and today we are starting a new chapter."

"I'm a boss of 270 people—270 people who help make the show what it is," she continued. "Two hundred and seventy people who I am so grateful for. All I want is for every single one of them to be happy and to be proud to work here."

To see Baldwin's encouraging remarks, watch the clip above. 

(E! and NBC are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)