Ellen DeGeneres pays tribute to producer Matthew Wright

Ellen DeGeneres paid tribute to longtime producer Matthew Wright in an Instagram video posted November 2, days after his death at age 52. DeGeneres remembered him as funny, smart and kind, and said he had been a beloved part of The Ellen DeGeneres Show team. She also said the two had planned to begin a project together. Wright died October 30 while working remotely in Los Angeles, according to a GoFundMe page created by his family. The fundraiser does not disclose a cause of death. The family described his death as an unfathomable tragedy and asked for donations to help pay to bring him to New York, cover funeral costs and hold a memorial in Los Angeles. The fundraiser says Wright’s husband, Justin, and other family members were in New York. It also says Wright and his husband had both been laid off that summer, leaving the unexpected expenses difficult for the family to manage. Donations beyond the fundraiser’s target are intended for a trust for Wright’s niece, Sami, according to the page. DeGeneres addressed Wright’s husband and family in the video, expressing her condolences. She also recalled Wright’s close friendship with Stephen “tWitch” Boss, the show’s longtime DJ,...