Losing someone who has been part of one’s professional journey for years is never easy, and Ellen DeGeneres was visibly heartbroken after learning that Matthew Wright, the executive producer who worked on 16 seasons of her talk show, had passed away.
However, the grief surrounding his loss soon gave way to public outrage after fans came across a fundraiser seeking $50,000 to cover his funeral expenses.
Highlights
- Ellen DeGeneres paid tribute to longtime producer Matthew Wright after his sudden demise, recalling their 16 years working together.
- Fans questioned her $5,000 GoFundMe contribution for his funeral despite her reported $500 million net worth.
- Some defended the talk show host, arguing that she was not responsible for his financial difficulties.
Netizens questioned why DeGeneres could not step in to pay for the arrangements, particularly after sharing an emotional tribute to Wright in which she appeared to be in tears.
"She's worth hundreds of millions," one commenter pointed out.
Fans called out Ellen DeGeneres over GoFundMe for longtime colleague's funeral
DeGeneres announced Wright's passing in an Instagram video on Monday, November 2, describing him as "a good guy" and the glue that held the Ellen DeGeneres Show family together.
"God, he was an amazing guy," she added, recalling, "He made me laugh, he would surprise me with things he did all the time."
The former talk show host also remembered Wright as "smart" and "kind," adding that he was someone who was "loved" by everyone.
"It's just shocking, it's shocking," she said, reflecting on his demise and revealing that the pair had been planning to work on another project together.
No cause of passing has been disclosed, but Wright's GoFundMe page states that he departed on Friday while working remotely in Los Angeles, describing the circumstances as an “unfathomable tragedy.”
The fundraiser explains that the money will help Wright's husband bring his body home, arrange a funeral, and organize a memorial service, expenses that are "impossible" for him to manage after being laid off from his job this summer.
Given their longstanding professional relationship, many believed DeGeneres should have stepped in to cover the costs herself.
Ellen DeGeneres was branded “slimy” after fans uncovered a GoFundMe for her late producer
According to Wright's GoFundMe, his funeral will take place in New York, where his husband, father, sister, and niece currently live.
His memorial, meanwhile, will be held in Los Angeles, allowing members of the entertainment industry to pay their respects.
Any contributions exceeding the $50,000 target will go toward establishing a trust for Wright's "pride and joy" — his niece Sami, the page adds.
As of this writing, the fundraiser has collected $74,140, with DeGeneres among its top contributors after donating $5,000.
Her contribution, however, was not enough to satisfy social media users.
"Totally agree. Disingenuous and nauseating," another said.
"She was crying her eyes out so much. Why didn't she just pay the entire 50k?" a third asked, while another branded her "heartless" for keeping her money to herself.
One user, on the other hand, looked up DeGeneres' estimated wealth before weighing in, noting that nearly every website they checked placed her net worth at “around $500 million.”
"Not so DeGenerous," another remarked after learning the figure.
Wright reflected on working with DeGeneres in a 2022 Instagram post
Wright joined The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2006 and remained with the production until its cancellation in 2022, amid allegations of racism and workplace harassment raised by several employees.
"How do I begin to sum up 16 years of my life?" he wrote at the time.
"I've made so many best friends, had so many amazing experiences, met so many heroes of mine, and even fell in love thanks to this show."
All the photographs Wright shared alongside the caption featured DeGeneres, offering a glimpse into their years of working together and making the criticism surrounding her donation all the more pointed.
She, however, was not without supporters.
Fans defended Ellen DeGeneres, arguing a Hollywood executive producer should not need a GoFundMe for funeral expenses
"Why does an executive producer of hit TV shows need a GoFundMe? That should be the question you should be asking. Not how much Ellen donated," one X user argued.
A second suggested that DeGeneres was presumably "more familiar with their financial situation than total strangers" and might have had her reasons for contributing that particular amount.
"People with much less money d*e every single second of the day and get no GoFundMe money," a third remarked.
Another pointed out that the fundraiser had already surpassed its target without any additional contribution from DeGeneres, suggesting that the remaining costs should no longer be a concern.
One user, meanwhile, brought up the workplace scandal surrounding The Ellen DeGeneres Show and questioned whether Wright deserved any donations at all.
"Wasn't he one of the a**holes people whistleblew about?" they asked.
"She spends more than that on one date night," a critic said about DeGeneres's donation
