A 2009 tweet in which Ellen DeGeneres says she made an employee 'cry like a baby' resurfaces online amid allegations that the show has a 'toxic' culture

• An old tweet from Ellen DeGeneres resurfaced online following allegations that her show promoted a "toxic" workplace culture.
• "I made one of my employees cry like a baby on today's show. Honestly, it felt good," the 2009 tweet said.
• It wasn't immediately clear what incident DeGeneres was referring to, but a source with knowledge of the situation told Insider that it was about DeGeneres surprising an employee with a free cruise.
• The tweet resurfaced after news broke that several top "Ellen Show" producers had left.

A 2009 tweet from Ellen DeGeneres in which she said she made an employee "cry like a baby" resurfaced amid allegations that her show fostered a "toxic" workplace culture.

"I made one of my employees cry like a baby on today's show. Honestly, it felt good," the tweet said.

It wasn't immediately clear from DeGeneres' tweet which incident she was referring to, but a source with knowledge of the situation told Insider the tweet was about an employee of DeGeneres' named Jeannie Klisiewicz.

The source said Klisiewicz had worked as an on-air correspondent and receptionist for the show since being hired in 2008 after calling in and contacting producers numerous times.

In 2009, DeGeneres surprised her with a free Caribbean cruise, causing Klisiewicz to burst into tears on air.

Though it appears DeGeneres' tweet was referring to Klisiewicz's tears of joy, Twitter users still made connections to the recent spate of allegations about DeGeneres and her show.

Other users retweeted DeGeneres' tweet and shared similar opinions of the situation.

Earlier this week, news broke that three top "Ellen Show" producers had left as WarnerMedia continues its investigation into allegations of a toxic workplace.

DeGeneres announced the changes on Monday in a Zoom call with the show's staff, saying she felt as if she had "kind of let the ball drop a bit," according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The host has had a turbulent few months, facing accusations from former staffers, including a producer and a DJ, that she acted rudely and created a toxic environment on the set of "The Ellen Show."

The Australian radio host Neil Breen recently said he was told not to talk to, look at, or approach DeGeneres when he worked with her in 2013.

DeGeneres' executive producer Andy Lassner recently pushed back on speculation about the show's cancellation, but a report on August 1 said the "Late Late Show" host James Corden could replace DeGeneres.

Despite the growing number of allegations, plenty of stars — such as Ashton Kutcher, Diane Keaton, and DeGeneres' wife, Portia de Rossi — have come to DeGeneres' defense.

• Read more:
• 3 producers have left 'The Ellen Show' amid an internal investigation into allegations of a toxic workplace
• Ellen DeGeneres' ex-producer said there was a 'culture of fear' as soon as she joined the show
• 'The Ellen Show' ratings fall to an all-time low as new allegations surface
• If Ellen DeGeneres leaves her show, Hollywood shouldn't replace her with a white man