Ashton Kutcher praises Ellen DeGeneres, and fans are not having it

Ashton Kutcher has waded into the great celebrity debate of the moment: Whether Ellen DeGeneres is a monster boss with Miranda Priestly-like iciness, or a relatively kind and misunderstood trailblazer who's being unfairly blamed for the alleged actions of her producers.

In a series of tweets, the former Two and a Half Men star, who has appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show several times, lent his support to the embattled daytime talk show host.

"I haven’t spoken with @TheEllenShow and can only speak from my own experience," Kutcher wrote. "She & her team have only treated me & my team w/ respect & kindness. She never pandered to celebrity which I always saw as a refreshing honesty. When things aren’t right she handles it and fixes."

Naturally, that comment promoted fans to point out the same thing they've noted to other famous DeGeneres supporters such as Kevin Hart and Katy Perry: That how DeGeneres treated other famous people is beside the point. "I get celebrity friends coming out in defense of Ellen to an extent," wrote @AmeriNaija. "And I like Ellen. But... employees are complaining about their work experience there. Can that be understood? No one knows what it's like but them. It's invalidating what *they* experienced on a regular basis."

Kutcher replied, "I understand."

Then, when another fan pointed out that the complaints are largely about the team working under DeGeneres, Kutcher countered, "I get it. I also feel people should be held accountable for THEIR actions." Meaning: It's important to focus on what DeGeneres did, not what her producers allegedly did, possibly without her permission or knowledge.

Another user wrote, "Yes, because you are a celebrity."

To which Kutcher responded, "But it extends to my team and people she didn't even know I work with."

DeGeneres came under scrutiny last month after BuzzFeed News reports detailing a "toxic work environment" at her talk show, and citing allegations of racism, intimidation, and sexual misconduct. Last week, DeGeneres sent a letter to her staff promising "things will now change," but did not address specific complaints.

In other recent updates:

– Hedda Muskat, a producer who used to work on the show, described a "culture of fear" at the talk show, saying DeGeneres was present for toxic behavior committed by her team.

– Tony Okungbowa, the actor and DJ known to many viewers as DJ Tony of The Ellen DeGeneres Show, wrote that he "did experience and feel the toxicity of the environment" when working on the show.

– Actor-comedian Kevin Hart and singer Katy Perry both sounded off in support of DeGeneres.

– Everybody Loves Raymond star Brad Garrett and Back to the Future actress Lea Thompson both backed up claims that DeGeneres was personally responsible.

WarnerMedia is investigating the workplace environment of the daytime talk show and has signaled that behind-the-scenes changes will be made.

Related content:

• Former Ellen DeGeneres Show DJ Tony Okungbowa says he felt 'toxicity' on set
• Kevin Hart blasts Ellen DeGeneres critics: 'This hate s--- has got to stop'
• Katy Perry defends Ellen DeGeneres in late-night tweets