Ray Fisher lauds Warner Media probe into Ellen DeGeneres show's alleged workplace abuse: 'This gives me hope'
Ray Fisher continues to call for accountability in the entertainment industry, supporting Warner Media's decision to investigate the workplace of 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' following complaints about workplace racism, intimidation and general oppressive work conditions. It is just the latest in his cause to see the entertainment industry being held responsible for the treatment of its workers, starting most publically with his calling out of Joss Whedon for abusive working conditions on the sets of 'Justice League'.
Fisher took to social media on hearing the news of the Warner Media investigation, writing, "Good on @WarnerMedia for taking these matters seriously. This gives me hope." He signs off with what has become a personal slogan for him as he calls out the entertainment industry: "Accountability>Entertainment." This is the first major instance that Fisher has used the slogan outside of calling out those he has personally worked with under oppressive work conditions.
'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' has been under fire for the way it treats its workers, especially during the Covid-19 lockdown. While the show has always drawn criticism, it wasn't until the mid-July report by Buzzfeed, which alleged racism in the workplace, that Warner Media took these criticisms seriously and began an investigation on their own. Warner Media is, of course, just one of the many studios that the public has been asking more accountability from, and fans have thrown their support behind Ray Fisher's tweet.
"Man, Ray, you’re really not holding back when it comes to issues like this. Good on you, man," wrote a fan, on Twitter. "WB just tossing out the bad eggs," said another. A few attempted to get the #IStandWithRayFisher hashtag going again, tagging Warner Media. "Keep fighting the good fight, rid Hollywood of the pedophiles, sex traffickers, racists and power trippers." Another wrote, "I'm so happy you're advocating for this more than any actor I've seen. It takes a lot of courage to do so, and it's awesome you fight for what matters."
This appears to be just the start for Ray Fisher as he continues his campaign to see Hollywood studios own up to their mistakes, begin the work of fixing them and adjust their priorities accordingly. He has doubled down on his accusations against Joss Whedon, saying at the recent Justice Con, "There is a certain amount of abuse, a certain amount of behavior that one is willing to tolerate, and once it gets beyond that point, you've got to go ahead and deal with it. So when you take those grievances to people who are in charge and they do nothing about it, or they try to placate you and not deal with the issues, eventually you're going to have to say something."