SHE'S A MULTIPLE EMMY-AWARD WINNING TALK SHOW HOST AND
ICONIC STAND-UP COMEDIAN.ù HER BRILLIANT NEW SHOW IS CALLED,
"ELLEN'S NEXT GREAT DESIGNER'.ù PLEASE WELCOME, THE ONE AND
ONLY, ELLEN DEGENERES!
♪♪♪ >> James: IT'S SO NICE TO SEE
YOU.
>> IT'S ALWAYS SO NICE TO SEE YOU, JAMES.
>> James: WE ARE SO HAPPY YOU'RE IN OUR STUDIO.
YOU'VE ALREADY SHOT TWO EPISODES OF YOUR SHOW TODAY.
HOW'S IT COMING HERE NOW.
>> IT'S LIKE DOING A THIRD SHOW.
IT'S LIKE DOING TWO AND ANOTHER ONE.
>> James: AND THIS.
BUT THIS ISN'T GOING TO BE LONG.
I DON'T THINK I'M -- I'M NOT HERE FOR THE HOUR.
>> James: OH...
THAT'S AN ISSUE.
WE JUST DROPPED PART TWO.
>> OH.
>> James: WE'LL FIGURE IT OUT.
NOW, WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF EACH OTHER REERNTSLY --
>> WELL, WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?
>> James: WELL -- WE'VE SEEN EACH OTHER OFTEN?
>> James: WE'VE SEEN EACH OTHER A LOT.
>> I THOUGHT YOU MEANT LIKE WE'VE SEEN A LOT OF -- OF EACH
OTHER.
>> James: NO, WE'VE ALWAYS BEEN -- WE'RE BOTH QUITE
BUTTONED UP.
>> YES, THIS IS HOW WE ARE ON OUR DAYS OFF.
>> James: THAT'S IT, YES.
YEAH.
>> James: BUT YOU VERY KINDLY INVITED JULIA AND I OVER TO YOUR
NEW HOUSE WHICH IS -- I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT TOO MUCH,
BUT IT'S THE NICEST HOUSE I'VE EVER BEEN IN, IN MY LIFE.
>> IT'S A BEAUTIFUL HOUSE.
W GOT REALLY LUCKY THAT WE FOUND IT, AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL,
BUT HERE'S THE THING -- I'VE ALWAYS WANTED A POND, AND, AS
YOU KNOW, THERE'S THAT BEAUTIFUL POND IN THE CENTER OF THE
PROPERTY, AND I JUST THOUGHT, WOW, THIS IS GOING TO BE SO
PEACEFUL TO SIT THERE AND WATCH ALL THE NATURE BECAUSE, YOU
KNOW, WE HAVE DUCKS, WE HAVE HERRIN, EGRETS -- I'VE HAD A
FEW, BUT -- ( LAUGHTER )
TOO FEW TO MENTION.
>> James: SURE.
BUT WE'VE HAD SOME EGRETS.
AND WE HAD DUCKS HAVING BABIES RECENTLY, WHICH I THOUGHT WOULD
BE SO ADORABLE TO WATCH GROW UP.
>> James: YEAH.
YOU KNOW, IF ANYONE HAS A POND AND SEES DUCKS HAVING
BABIES, JUST DON'T COUNT THEM, DON'T NAME THEM, DON'T GET
ATTACHED BECAUSE THEY DON'T LAST.
>> James: OH.
THIS IS SAD.
THIS IS A SAD STORY.
I'M GLAD I CAME.
( LAUGHTER ) >> James: MY FAVORITE TAKEAWAY
FROM THIS STORY IS WHAT I'VE REALIZED NOW IS WHAT YOU CALL A
POND, I CALL A LAKE.
>> WELL, TRUE.
IT'S A LARGE POND.
>> James: IT'S A SMALL LAKE.
IT'S A SMALL LAKE.
THERE IS A BOAT ON IT.
I MEAN, THERE IS THAT.
>> James: A LITTLE LIKE -- A LITTLE ROW BOAT.
AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL AND WE LOVE THE HOUSE, BUT THE POND HAS
TURNED INTO -- I MEAN, BECAUSE THERE'S HAWKS EVERYWHERE AND,
YOU KNOW, I TALKED TO THE WOMAN THAT I BOUGHT IT FROM AND I
SAID, I TOLD HER WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND SHE SAID, YEAH, I
DIDN'T WANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT, LIKE THAT WAS NOT A GOOD SELLING
POINT, AND BABY DUCKS DIE.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO AND I TOLD HER NOW THERE'S A SEA BIRD
THAT SHOWED UP THAT IS UNDERWATER SWIMMING, JUST
GETTING ALL THE FISH BECAUSE THERE'S A BUNCH -- THERE'S PERCH
AND CATFISH AND EVERYTHING IN THERE.
AND THE HERRIN WHICH CAN'T GO IN THE WATER IS JUST LOOKING AROUND
LIKE, YOU'RE GETTING ALL DNR AND IT'S JUST SWIMMING AROUND
GETTING ALL THE FISH.
AND SHE SAID, YOU SHOULD GET AN AIR HORN TO SCARE IT AWAY.
SHE SAID, HOW RELAXING IS THAT?
YOU'RE SITTING THERE JUST -- >> James: YEAH.
THAT'S LIKE IF YOU'RE HAVING --
( MAKING AIR HORN SOUNDS ) >> James: YES.
BUT THIS IS A SCAREY AIR HORN, NOT A PARTY AIR HORN.
>> James: I WOULD MIX IT YOU WERE.
MAKE IT A PARTY, GET A DEEJAY.
EVERY TIME ONE COMES IN, THE DEEJAY FIRES IT UP AND IT'S
SHOT, SHOT, SHOT, SHOT!
( LAUGHTER ) YOU HAD YOUR FIRST SHOT, RIGHT?
YOU AND PORTIA.
>> YES, WE DID GET OUR FIRST SHOT.
ARE YOU ALL VACCINATED?
>> James: YEAH, I'VE HAD BOTH.
YOU'VE HAD ONE, RIGHT.
>> I HAD ONE.
I JUST HAD A VERY SORE RM A, BUT THAT'S ALL THAT HAPPENED TO ME.
I HAD COVID BEFORE.
I WAS TOLD IF YOU HAVE YOUR FIRST SHOT IT'S EQUAL TO HAVING
TWO SHOTS.
SO I'VE HAD ONE SHOT AND COVID THAT'S IN ME AND I DON'T HAVE TO
GET THE SECOND ONE BUT I'M GOING TO GET ONE.
>> James: IS THAT A PLACE IN SANTA BARBARA FOR YOU, OPRAH,
MEGHAN AND HARRY, I IMAGINE THERE'S A SMALL COVID EMPORIUM?
>> YEAH, IT'S CVS, YEAH.
WENT TO CVS.
YEAH, BECAUSE WE GOT A 20% COUPON WHILE WE WERE THERE AND
WE SHOPPED.
WE GOT SOME SLIM GYMS AND SOME -- A BEACH CHAIR AND A
PREGNANCY TEST AND JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST THE USUAL WHEN WE'RE
SHOPPING.
>> James: SO WE SHOULD CONGRATULATE YOU BECAUSE LAST
WEEK YOU JUST AIRED YOUR 3,000th EPISODE OF "ELLEN."
( APPLAUSE ) I CAN'T GET MY HEAD AROUND THIS.
WE'RE ON SHOW 914.
3,000 IS INCREDIBLE.
I DIDN'T KNOW THIS, MANY YEARS AGO YOU HAD A NEIGHBOR, IS THIS
RIGHT, WHO PREDICTED YOU WOULD GET THIS SHOW?
>> WELL, SHE PREDICTED -- SHE WAS AN ASTROLOGER, AND IT WAS
DURING MY DROUGHT, MY THREE YEARS OF NOT WORKING AT ALL
AFTER I CAME OUT, AND I JUST DIDN'T THINK I WOULD WORK AGAIN
BECAUSE IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE THAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN.
ABOUT A YEAR INTO NOT BEING ABLE TO GET A JOB, SHE WANTED TO READ
MY CARDS, THE ASTROLOGY, AND SHE TOLD ME WHEN I WAS 45 YEARS OLD
I WAS GOING TO START A BRAND-NEW CAREER AND IT COULD GO -- IT WAS
GOING TO BE MORE SUCCESSFUL THAN ANYTHING I'VE EVER DONE AND IT
COULD GO 20 YEARS IF I WANTED TO GO.
AD I WAS, LIKE, WHAT SITCOM GOES 20 YEARS?
I WASN'T EVEN THINKING TALK SHOW.
AND AT 45, I STARTED THIS TALK SHOW, AND IT'S NOW BEEN 19
YEARS.
IT WAS LIKE SHE WAS, LIKE, DEAD ON.
IT'S CRAZY.
( APPLAUSE ) YEAH.
JUST THE FACT SHE SAID YOU WILL START A NEW CAREER AT 45.
THAT DOESN'T JUST HAPPEN IN THIS TOWN, YOU JUST DON'T START A NEW
CAREER AT 45 OR GO 20 YEARS.
I TALK TO HER FROM TIME TO TIME AND SHE'S STILL AMAZING.
IF ANYBODY WANTS HER NUMBER, I'LL TELL YOU.
>> Reggie: I'LL TAKE IT.
>> James: YEAH, I GENUINELY -- WHEN YOU STARRED YOUR SHOW, THIS
IS TRUE, YOU HAD TO -- IS IT TRUE YOU HAD TO PROVE TO PEOPLE
THAT YOU COULD INTERVIEW PEOPLE.
>> YEAH.
>> James: IS THIS RIGHT.
YEAH, I HAD TO GO TO MY HOUSE.
WE FILMED ME INTERVIEWING TOM HANKS AND ATLANTIS MORISET AND
HELEN HUNT, AND I THINK THERE'S ONE MORE PERSON.
THEY JUST DID IT AS A FAVOR BECAUSE I HAD BECOME FRIENDLY
WITH THEM.
THEY DIDN'T THINK I WOULD INTERVIEW OR TALK TO PEOPLE
BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE GAY, IT INTERFERES --
( LAUGHTER ) BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE SO DISTRACTED
AND THEY JUST SIT THERE AND, YEAH, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY
( LAUGHTER ) SO I HAD TO PROVE I COULD TALK
TO PEOPLE.
WHEN I STARTED THE SHOW THEY SAID YOU CAN'T MAKE REFERENCE
THAT YOU'RE GAY, DON'T GO IN THAT AREA.
I HAD TO, YOU KNOW, DRESS DIFFERENTLY.
I HAD TO, YOU KNOW, WEAR NECKLACES BECAUSE SHINY THING
DISTRACT PEOPLE FROM THE LESBIANISM.
( LAUGHTER ) THEY WERE REALLY STRICT ABOUT
HOW I APPEARED.
>> James: WELL, WE'VE GOT A PHOTO HERE.
THIS IS YOU ON YOUR FIRST SHOW.
>> THAT WAS THE FIRST SHOW.
YEAH, THE NECKLACES HADN'T -- THAT WAS THE VERY FIRST SHOW, SO
THEY HADN'T MADE ME WEAR A NECKLACE YET.
AND I GREW INTO THAT SHIRT EVENTUALLY.
( LAUGHTER ) >> James: HOW DIFFERENT.
I LIKE THE SLEEVE TO BE LONG ENOUGH THAT IF MY ARMS GROW.
>> James: YES.
HOW DIFFERENT IS THIS PERSON TO THE PERSON THAT WE'RE TALKING TO
NOW?
>> UM, YOU KNOW, WELL, SHE WAS PRETTY HAPPY BECAUSE, YOU KNOW,
THAT WAS A BIG DEAL THAT, YOU KNOW, I'M STARTING A SHOW AND
GETTING A CHANCE, SO I WAS VERY, VERY HAPPY AND VERY HOPEFUL FOR
EVERYTHING.
AND, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, JUST I THINK MORE NAIVE THAN I AM NOW,
BUT, YOU KNOW, I'M THE SAME PERSON.
>> James: DID YOU EVER THINK THOUGH, ON THAT DAY, I'LL DO
3,000 OF THESE?
>> NO, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS.
I AM WITH YOU ON 3,000 SHOWS.
THEY COULD JUST BE SAYING THAT TO CELEBRATE ON THE AIR.
NO ONE'S COUNTING.
>> James: YEAH, YOU'RE RIGHT.
IT REALLY COULD BE, YOU KNOW, 1900 AND WE JUST SAY IT SO THAT
PEOPLE ARE IMPRESSED.
>> James: I THINK YOU MIGHT BE ON SOMETHING BECAUSE I ONLY KNOW
THAT BY LOOKING AT THIS CARD AND I DON'T KNOW WHO PRINTS THIS
CARD.
>> RIGHT.
SO YOU SEE EVERY SINGLE DAY THE NUMBER --
>> James: EVERY SINGLE DAY IT SITS UP HERE AND THIS IS 914.
>> NO, I DON'T EVEN SEE THE NUMBERS ON ANYTHING.
SO I COULD REALLY -- THIS COULD -- I'M GLAD I'M HERE.
( LAUGHTER ) >> James: WELL, YOU'VE DONE
3,000 OF THIS SHOW AND NOW YOU HAVE A BRAND-NEW SHOW WE SHOULD
TALK ABOUT.
I'M EXCITED ABOUT THIS SHOW.
"ELLEN'S NEXT GREAT DESIGNER."
IT'S A FURNITURE DESIGN COMPETITION.
EXPLAIN THE PREMISE OF THE SHOW.
>> WELL, I LOVE FURNITURE, I LOVE DESIGN.
EVERY TIME YOU LOOK AT A PIECE OF FURNITURE, SOMEBODY IS MAKING
THAT AND THERE ARE A BUNCH OF REALLY TALENTED AMAZING PEOPLE
OUT THERE THAT REALLY AREN'T REPRESENTED YET, SO WE STARTED
SEARCHING FOR ALL THESE PEOPLE JUST OUT OF SCHOOL OR IN SCHOOL
AND GOT REALLY TALENTED PEOPLE AND NARROWED IT DOWN TO A GROUP
WE LOVE AND THEY HAVE A CHALLENGE EVERY WEEK TO MAKE
SOMETHING, AND YOU GET TO SEE THE PROCESS, YOU GET TO SEE THE
STRESS, AND, PLUS, THEY HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF TIME TO DO IT.
THE WINNER GETS $100,000.
IT'S FUN TO WATCH, IF YOU LIKE DESIGN, AND IT'S ALSO JUST THE
WHOLE PROCESS OF ALL OF IT.
I LOVE THE SHOW AND I'M -- I'M REALLY HAPPY SOMEBODY BOUGHT IT.
>> James: IT'S REALLY INCREDIBLE SEEING WHAT THESE
DESIGNERS CAN BUILD FROM NOTHING, WHERE THEIR
IMAGINATIONS GO.
>> YEAH.
>> James: WERE YOU USEFUL BUILDING ANYTHING WHEN YOU WERE
IN SCHOOL, LIKE CAN YOU BUILD OR MAKE THINGS?
>> WELL, FIRST YOU SAID AM I USEFUL.
I THINK I'M USEFUL.
( LAUGHTER ) >> James: I MEAN IN THAT
REALM.
>> I DON'T THINK THAT MAKES YOU NOT USEFUL IF YOU CAN'T, LIKE --
>> James: WELL, THANK GOD.
WELL, SHE'S USELESS.
>> James: RIGHT, I AM ABSOLUTELY USELESS.
>> I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO ANY OF THAT.
I'D SAVE A FORTUNE IF I COULD MAKE MY OWN FURNITURE.
BUT -- CAN YOU MAKE ANYTHING?
>> James: NO, I AM APPALLING.
I AM SO BAD.
>> HAVE YOU TRIED?
>> James: I ONCE TRIED TO DO POTTERY AND I MADE WHAT I WOULD
CALL A VASE AND MANY AMERICANS CALL A VASE
( PRONOUNCING ) AND IN ABOUT 45 SECONDS I'M,
LIKE, NO, I'M BUILDING AN ASHTRAY.
( LAUGHTER ) I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU.
THE SHOW IS BRILLIANT AS ARE YOU ALWAYS.