"The Kelly Clarkson Show" moving to New York, faces allegations of toxic environment

A week of controversy for Kelly Clarkson, but as usual, she handled it well.

May 14, 2023

Hey fellow Clarkstan! 👋 Welcome to NOTHING BUT CLARKSON — a newsletter all about Kelly Clarkson. This week is heavy with news about The Kelly Clarkson Show, which has, unfortunately, been facing some controversy. Let’s dive in…

(DON’T) SKIP THIS PART

Some random thoughts from me.

Lots of news about “The Kelly Clarkson Show” (TKCS) this week.

First of all, Variety reported confirmation that the show will move to New York for its fifth season. Music director Jason Halbert and, of course, Kelly herself will be moving as well. The article reported that show-runner Alex Duda will move as well, but I’m not sure how the controversy around the show (more on that below) will change things.

Moving to New York is a big deal, not just for the show but also for Kelly. It opens up the possibility of hosting or guesting on Saturday Night Live and doing Broadway—both of which fans have been asking for. She may also attract east coast-based celebrities that were previously difficult to book.

This move will likely impact her decision to do more seasons of The Voice. Personally, I’m not opposed to her leaving the show… She always has great things to say about it and its staff (she mentioned before that it’s like coming back to family), but I don’t think it’s helping her career in any way. (The show’s inability to produce a real superstar doesn’t help its reputation.)

And then of course, there’s Blake’s impending departure. Kelly has great chemistry with all judges she’s worked with so far, but her vibe with Blake is next level. Personally, I’d like her to take this moment of going to New York to pursue other opportunities (NBC-related or otherwise) other than The Voice.

A toxic working environment at The Kelly Clarkson Show?

Just before the week ended, a RollingStone article came out alleging that TKCS has a toxic environment. Former and current employees claim that they are overworked, underpaid, and face constant verbal abuse.

Notably, the article itself and quotes from the employees had nothing but great things to say about Kelly herself.

The staff quoted in the article point the finger to Alex Duda and producers working under her. Apparently they are demanding, condescending and just not great people.

NBC was quick to refute the claims, saying in a statement, “When issues are reported they are promptly reviewed, investigated and acted upon as appropriate. ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show’ strives to build a safe, respectful and equitable workplace that nurtures a culture of inclusivity and creativity.”

Kelly herself posted within 24 hours of the allegations coming out, saying that senior leaders on the show will be going to leadership training—something that Kelly herself will undergo. Her response, I thought, was very good. Rather than making excuses, she acknowledged people’s concerns and talked about how they are moving forward. This is why she’s a queen and we love her! 👑

For what it’s worth, some TKCS employees have gone out and refuted the allegations themselves. But it’s nice to see Kelly listening and being proactive. This is queen shit.

The TKCS controversy impact on Kelly’s career

Kelly Clarkson is not a controversial figure. She’s outspoken, but in her 20-year career, she’s only had a handful of real controversies. That’s why this TKCS controversy was so surprising.

It will be interesting to see the impact on the show and Kelly’s music career. When it comes to the show, the biggest question for me is whether Duda will stay. If she goes, it will change the vibe of the show completely. My hope is that if that happens, the show will be able to retain the things that made it successful and improve on other things.

The controversy will also likely hurt the show’s success at upcoming Emmys, where it’s nominated for 11 categories. Drew Barrymore’s show is getting a lot of buzz lately, so I wouldn’t be surprised if this controversy tilts the favour towards her for the hosting and talk show categories. I do hope TKCS can still win many of the technical awards though—and I’m especially hoping that Jason Halbert wins his category.

In terms of her music career, this controversy might, counterintuivitely, help a bit. As much as I like “mine,” no one outside of the Kelly Clarkson fandom is really talking about it. What’s interesting about this controversy is that many casual fans were very quick to defend Kelly. Her quick response also got a lot of praise on social media. In the long-term, this might be a case of “any PR is good PR.” Or at least that’s what I’m hoping for!

WHAT’S NEW, CLARKSON?

Notable mentions and news about our queen.

Stereogum featured “My Life Would Suck Without You” in The Number Ones—a series featuring songs that topped the Billboard Hot 100. It’s an in-depth read on Kelly’s spat with Clive Davis and how this history-making song put her pop career back on track.
It’s official! “Favorite Kind of High” is coming out Friday, May 19, with Kelly announcing it herself. PRE-SAVE HERE.
Jeremy and Pam, hosts of Miss Indepodcast, share their predictions on the Vegas set. LISTEN HERE.