I feel like the luckiest person in the world
because I get to work on my very first job at The Ellen
Degeneres Show.
Here she is now Ellen Degeneres.
Let's check in with Jeannie.
Jeannie is outside West Virginia.
Jeannie?
And now I'm paying it forward by helping some very special Ellen
fans experience their very own firsts.
But first let me tell you how I got there.
(MUSIC PLAYING) Keep my hands to myself.
Good morning Warner Brothers.
(MUSIC PLAYING) Oh, oh I'm a rebel just for kicks.
Hi Amy.
Hi Sarah.
Hi Brian.
This is what I do every morning when I come in.
I just yell at all my coworkers.
Here I am at The Ellen Show.
(MUSIC PLAYING) Oh, oh.
I'm a rebel just for kicks, now.
What a lot of people don't know is
that I actually am the receptionist at the show.
The Ellen Degeneres Show.
Sure, no problem.
I'll take care of it.
OK, thank you.
And then I'm a producer.
So I'm producing live shots and visit
the most incredible people.
Jeannie.
Hello. (SCREAMING/LAUGHING)
Production meeting.
The Ellen Degeneres Show.
Hi sir.
You're with The Ellen Show.
Hang on one second for me, OK?
Production meeting.
I love sitting up here but one of the reasons why
I don't like sitting up here is because it's
very easy to scare me and it's very easy to prank me.
There's one time where there was this huge box up here
and it was right around Ellen's birthday.
And at Ellen's birthday, we get tons of huge boxes
that come in for her.
Hey.
Oh my gosh, Mary.
I can sense you.
It's not even 9 AM.
You know you're a part of the team when somebody scares you
around here.
10 years ago the market had crashed.
I had just graduated college and I was desperate to find a job.
I had gotten this phone call.
Hello?
Hey Jeannie.
It's Ellen Degeneres calling.
How are you doing?
Are you kidding me?
I was stunned.
So you'd entered every contest and you've never
won one contest?
No I haven't.
All right.
Do you know why I'm calling you?
To tell you, you still have not won anything.
What do you need?
I need a job.
A job?
Yes, ma'am.
A couple weeks later, they flew me out here.
I can remember sitting here and her
starting to tell the story of when she called me.
And I knew that's my story.
Jeannie come on down.
I was like, this is me.
She's talking about me.
We want to offer you a job here.
(CHEERING)
Are you serious?
Yes.
Oh my gosh.
Since then I've gotten to do so many amazing things
for the first time ever because of Ellen,
because of this place.
Everyone has lists of things that they want to do,
that they dream of doing.
And for me Broadway was at the top.
I got you a small part in Wicked.
Oh my gosh.
I never really this would be real.
Standing at the stairs and hearing the orchestra
start the prelude the feeling just took over me.
I won my first Emmy I feel lucky that I
got to be a part of the show.
And the fact that I get to win an award for it is crazy.
I actually met my husband on the show.
That was the phone call that changed my life.
It's weird to be sitting in this seat
that I sat in for the first time,
about to host my own show for the first time.
That's the craziest thing ever.
Ellen has given me the most incredible first ever
experiences here on the show.
And now I am so excited to pay it forward and give some really
deserving Ellen fans their very own first ever experiences.
I can't wait for you to meet all these people
because their stories are awesome.
Call first guest.
Calling first guest.
Hello?
Hi this is Jeannie from The Ellen Show.
Oh my gosh.
(LAUGHING/CRYING) I can't believe it.
I am so glad you're excited because I am on my way
(LAUGHING/SCREAMING)