I like your jacket.
Thank you very much.
John Varvatos.
It's wonderful.
[INTERPOSING VOICES]
I've got to say, that's what we did pre-show.
Now, you get to keep it.
Exactly right.
Yes.
It's good to see you.
I saw you at the telethon for Puerto Rico not too long ago.
You were very busy that night.
Yeah, there was a lot going.
And was it Bethany Frankel?
That first opening, she ran up and said,
I got a guy with a million dollars on the phone
and made you talk to [INAUDIBLE]..
Bethany Frankel was really busy that night.
She was all over the place.
So you're busy.
You've got two shows going on.
You've got Travelers.
Tell everybody about Travelers.
So when we got the call from NBC to come back, unlikely enough,
I was already doing a show for Netflix,
a sci-fi drama called Travelers.
[APPLAUSE]
I was waiting for that one sci-fi fan going whoo.
Anyway, we've been on for a year.
And we were about to start a second season.
And luckily, NBC and Netflix worked it out.
So I get to live this double life.
Literally, in the summer, I was shooting Travelers
and I'm from the future and I'm kind
of macho and strong, silent type and a gun and a wife
and I jump out of helicopters.
And then, literally, the next day I fly to LA and I'm gay.
That's what happens here.
Yeah.
It can happen.
It happens to a lot of people.
It literally does.
Very pleasant journey.
So how hard is that?
Like was that character kind of just--
was it easy to get back into that character?
Well, I mean, in general, Will is very me and I, Will.
But like I said, I've been this guy
and doing the tight close ups and talking quietly.
And so it really came down to a lot of coffee
and a lot of Red Bull.
That's the secret the to playing Will.
I don't know what Sean Hayes does.
I think it must be a whole case Sean.
Sean is that guy.
He is that guy.
It was less of a long journey, I think.
Yeah, I know.
But when we're on that stage--
and the whole thing's shot on a stage in front of an audience,
like here.
And it's just the energy makes us--
Yeah.
It's as good as it ever has been.
It's funny.
It's clever.
Congratulations.
Thank you.
It really is.
[APPLAUSE]
I mean, like Portia said the other day,
it's like comfort TV.
It's like we need just good old-fashioned sitcoms now.
The world needs this feeling right now.
Yeah.
It's fortuitous timing, I think.
I mean, if Hillary was in office,
I think we'd still be having fun--
Yes.
But since that didn't happen, wow, it's
like we're delivering goods to the needy
is how it feels a little bit.
And it's amazing, because you're only
the third show that every cast member has won an Emmy.
[INTERPOSING VOICES]
It's a little bananas, yeah.
[APPLAUSE]
All in the Family and Golden Girls.
I like to think of us as the new Golden Girls.
You kind of are.
But the crazy thing is, the flip side of it
is, we also hold the record at the Golden Globes
for most nominations, no wins.
Oh, well.
28 nominations, we've never won anything.
Congratulations. for that.
Yeah.
Congratulations.
We're kind of hoping to ruin that reputation.
So I heard somebody came with you today.
Who's here with you today?
Well, so my best pal from high school, Chris,
came to visit him.
He was going to see the show.
We're shooting a show this afternoon.
We're shooting a Will and Grace in about an hour.
And luckily, he could bring his wife
Alex, whose birthday is tomorrow.
Oh, wow.
And the last time she was in town,
she tried so hard to come and see Ellen.
And so this time, I didn't tell her that I was doing your show,
until we were at the gate today.
Yes.
And she's in the dressing room.
She's in the dressing room.
Let me say hi to her, because we have
cameras in the dressing room watching people.
Hi.
Happy birthday, Alex.
Happy birthday.
Hi.
Happy birthday.
Hi.
Alex, you're not even watching the show.
What are you doing in there?
Hi.
They went in, they sat down, they
sat on the side of the couch.
We're like how do we get them into the middle of the couch.
They don't know they're going to be on.
That's what you were doing.
That's what they were doing.
That's what we were doing, yes.
I didn't know.
Happy birthday to you.
That's all.
Thank you.
All right.
Bye.
We have a show to get back to.
All right.
Bye.
So you have, I think-- your son, how old is your son now?
My son is 15.
No.
Yes.
Last time I was on the show--
Really?
He was in kindergarten.
So thanks, Ellen.
Thanks.
Nice to be back.
That's what I was going to say.
He was starting kindergarten.
So he must be in first grade now,
but I don't keep track of time like that.
And I always used to, particularly at your show,
I would always tell a funny-- because he was 2 and 4 and 6.
And I would tell an embarrassing story,
because what does he know?
And then, as time went on, you can't tell those stories
anymore.
No.
Like was really dying to make a joke about the daddy saddle,
but I better not.
I think I better not.
Don't do it.
But if you want to take it home.
I didn't say I wasn't taking it home.
Daddy saddle.
It's real.
Thanks for being here.
And I can't believe you have a show in an hour.
Will and Grace airs Thursday nights.
Very, very funny.
On NBC.
Travelers is streaming on Netflix.