Ellen DeGeneres has donated $5,000 to the GoFundMe established for the family of Matthew Wright, a former executive producer on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show." Wright died at the age of 52.
The fundraiser aims to help cover the costs of bringing Wright's body back to New York from Los Angeles and to support funeral and memorial expenses.
DeGeneres shared the news of Wright's passing in a tearful video on Instagram Monday, calling him a "good guy" and reminiscing about his humor and kindness. She also expressed hope that he and the show's former DJ, Stephen "tWitch" Boss, who died in December 2022, are now "dancing and laughing" together.
Wright's widow, Allison Holker, contributed $500 to the GoFundMe, and Andy Lassner, another longtime executive producer on the show, donated $1,000.
Social media users have had varied reactions to DeGeneres' donation. Some commenters on Reddit suggested that her $5,000 contribution was relatively small compared to the $50,000 goal, which has since been met and surpassed by nearly 400 donations. Others defended the comedian, speculating that she might be providing additional private support to Wright's family and noting the sincerity of her tribute.
Wright worked on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" for 16 years, from its inception in 2006 until its conclusion in 2022. He appeared on camera multiple times during the show's run.