Thanks for being here today.
It's a very special day today.
Oh man, it's very special.
Today is the day you're going to see what
I would do for a Klondike bar.
No.
Actually this show is very special,
because today all the people in my virtual audience are heroes.
I have people from the medical industry,
from first responders, educators, a lot more.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for what you do.
All of you are helping to make this world amazing in ways.
And I just want to thank you for every single thing that you do.
When most people think of heroes,
they think of Spider-man or Iron Man.
And being a hero does not mean that you
have to shoot webs out of your arms
or get wrinkles out of clothes--
I don't know what Iron Man does, sorry.
But there are a lot of people out there being
heroic every single day.
For instance, dads can be heroes.
Look at this guy.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
Well, look at that.
Mom would have helped, but she was filming.
So she couldn't put the camera down to get there.
And also, the teachers out there, thank you so very much.
I admire your dedication, all the teachers.
What you're doing to educate our children-- when
I say our, not mine, I home school my four boys.
There's Tito, and I forget their names.
Anyway, teaching online certainly has been a challenge.
But some educators are giving it their all, like this teacher.
Hey, friends.
I didn't see you there.
I was busy taking a swim.
But guess what, this week is our last week of school.
Can we get a oh, oh.
Seems like a fun class, unless it's an actual swimming class,
then it's weird.
I know we have a lot of nurses here today.
I have great respect for all the nurses.
I have seen the types of things that you have to deal with.
For example, my producer Andy-- this
was a time that we had a nurse give him
a flu shot on the show.
I'm going to do this.
We're not going to scare you.
I'm not going to--
I know it's going to explode.
You know me better than--
it's not going to explode.
She's a nurse.
Special effect.
Just relax.
OK, it's not a real needle.
Oh!
[LAUGHTER]
Hold still.
I don't know why his face went from surprise to joy.
I don't know.
You seemed-- did you like it?
I was surprised it was a real shot.
Show people what you have in your lap.
This is what you-- this is what I deal with.
He always has to pick something up from backstage.
This is my producer, a grown man who has
to sit with a toy on his lap.
It does this.
Yes, I see it.
All right.
I'm very excited that we have real heroes join us virtually.
Thank you for taking the time all of you.
Thank you so much.
Tamika Neeley, where's Tamika Neeley?
Right here, Ellen.
I'm right here.
Hi, Tamika.
How are you?
I'm great.
How are you, Ellen?
I'm fine.
I'm happy to meet you.
What do you do?
I'm going to guess you're a nurse.
Yes, you guessed correctly.
I am a registered nurse.
Good for you.
How long have you been a nurse?
I have been a nurse since 2002.
Wow.
How many shots have you given would you think?
Um, probably a few hundred.
A few hundred shots.
And how many shots have you taken of alcohol?
Several.
OK.
A lesser number, all right.
Thank you for what you do.
And Michelle Ninza.
Where's Michelle Ninza?
Over here, over here.
Hi.
Hi, Michelle.
Hey there.
Nice to meet you.
How are you?
I'm good.
Thank you.
You too.
How are you?
Doing great.
We're both good.
Michelle, what do you do?
I am a special education teacher in Fuquay-Varina, North
Carolina.
Wow, thank you.
How have you been helping your students during the pandemic?
What are you doing?
You know, it's really interesting this year.
Our students are learning both virtually
and they are also being able to come
in person some of the time.
So it's been interesting being able to teach them
on the computer, while in school,
as well as helping out their parents
navigate this virtual environment.
Do you have any special tricks that keeps their interest?
Not right now.
Right now we just have lots of token boards
with fireflies because that's what our mascot is,
the Valentine fireflies.
So lots of virtual fireflies.
So that means you have to teach at night,
because they can't see them otherwise, right?