Comedian Adam Carolla is pulling no punches in a new podcast interview, claiming the atmosphere behind the scenes of The Ellen DeGeneres Show was pure fear and tension. Speaking to commentator Emily Jashinsky, Carolla recounted his experiences as a guest on the show, describing the staff as “scared to death” of host Ellen DeGeneres. Carolla said he was repeatedly warned by a visibly nervous segment producer not to mention meat or beef during his appearances — due to Ellen’s then-vegan lifestyle. “This guy was terrified,” Carolla said. “He came back twice to remind me not to bring it up — and I wasn’t planning to.” He also recalled a conversation with a writer for the show (who was under NDA) who told him Ellen wasn’t just a bad boss — she was the "worst person" he had ever met. The same writer had previously worked for Rosie O’Donnell, yet still ranked Ellen as the meaner of the two. Carolla, who co-hosted The Man Show with Jimmy Kimmel, didn't claim Ellen was ever rude to him directly but said the staff’s “cowering” was all he needed to see. “Now everyone knows what I knew 15 years ago,” he said, referencing the 2020 toxic workplace allegations that ultimately led to The Ellen DeGeneres Show ending in 2022 after nearly two decades.