- WE LOVE READING YOUR EMAILS.
THERE'S A WOMAN IN OUR AUDIENCE TODAY.
SHE HAS ENTERED EVERY CONTEST, SET IN WEB VIDEOS,
NOMINATED DESERVING PEOPLE IN HER LIFE.
SHE'S PROBABLY WRITTEN IN 50 TIMES.
I'M GONNA READ YOU A BIT OF HER LAST LETTER.
IT SAYS, "GOOD MORNING, ELLEN AND CREW.
"I AM A 30-YEAR-OLD HOMEOWNER, KINDERGARTEN TEACHER,
"AND SINGLE MOTHER OF TWO LITTLE ONES.
"LAST YEAR, OUR HOUSE WAS DAMAGED BY A FIRE,
"AND WE LOST EVERYTHING.
"RIGHT NOW, WE'RE LIVING AT MY PARENTS' HOUSE
"IN MY OLD BEDROOM.
"MY SON SAID ALL HE WANTS FOR CHRISTMAS THIS YEAR
"IS TO BE BACK HOME,
"AND I'M GONNA DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.
"WHEN I WAS DENIED FOR A LOAN,
"I TOLD THE LADY AT THE BANK I WAS GONNA ASK ELLEN FOR HELP,
"AND SHE LAUGHED,
"BUT I'VE SEEN YOU CHANGE SO MANY LIVES,
"IT COULDN'T HURT TO TELL YOU OUR STORY.
"WE WATCH YOU EVERY DAY, AND WE LOVE YOU.
CALANDRIA ELLISON. COME ON DOWN HERE, CALANDRIA.
SHE LAUGHED AT YOU, AND LOOK AT WHERE SHE IS NOW.
SHE'S SITTING RIGHT HERE.
CALANDRIA'S RIGHT HERE NEXT TO ME, LADY.
- HELLO! [laughs]
[cheers and applause]
- TELL EVERYBODY WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR HOME.
YOU WERE NOT HOME AT THE TIME, RIGHT?
- NO, THERE WAS A STORM,
AND ANYBODY THAT KNOWS ME KNOWS WHEN THERE'S A STORM,
I GO STAY WITH MY PARENTS.
I TAKE MY KIDS, WE GO TO MY PARENTS',
AND THEY THINK THERE WAS A BREAK-IN
THAT CAUSED A FIRE,
AND WE JUST GOT A CALL,
AND THE SMOKE DAMAGE AND FIRE DAMAGE,
WE JUST PRETTY MUCH LOST EVERYTHING.
BUT WE WEREN'T HARMED, SO...
- [stammers] THAT'S LOUSY.
SO YOU LEAVE TO BE SAFE,
AND THEN SOMEONE BREAKS INTO YOUR HOME,
AND THEN YOUR HOME CATCHES FIRE,
AND SO NOW YOU'RE LIVING WITH YOUR PARENTS.
- RIGHT, MM-HMM.
- AND YOUR TWO KIDS ARE LANDON AND LONDYN?
- LANDON AND LONDYN. - I WOULD LIKE TO MEET THEM.
- YOU SURE CAN.
- ALL RIGHT, COME ON OUT, KIDS.
[upbeat music playing]
[cheers and applause]
- HI. - HI.
YOU WANT TO SIT OVER HERE WITH ME?
SIT OVER HERE WITH ME, LANDON.
ALL RIGHT, HI. - HI.
- HI.
SO I HEARD YOU'RE A HUGE BASKETBALL FAN.
- MM-HMM. - YEP.
WELL, I HAVE SOMETHING TO SHOW YOU, OKAY?
LOOK AT THAT TV RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF YOU.
- HEY, LANDON, WHAT'S GOING ON? THIS IS KOBE.
I UNDERSTAND YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN THROUGH A LOT THIS YEAR,
AND I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I REACHED OUT
AND TOLD YOU THAT WE'RE HERE FOR SUPPORT.
AND ALSO I UNDERSTAND
YOU HAVE A BIG BASKETBALL DREAM AND VISION.
AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT YOU CONTINUE TO CHASE AFTER THAT GOAL,
CHASE AFTER THAT DREAM,
AND COME TO THE LEAGUE, COME PLAY FOR THE LAKERS,
AND SET A BUNCH OF NEW RECORDS.
AND I HAVE A GIFT FOR YOU.
AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I SENT YOU THIS SIGNED BASKETBALL.
MAY ALL YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE, AND MY BEST TO THE FAMILY.
ALL RIGHT. PEACE.
- I HAVE THIS.
[cheers and applause]
HE SIGNED A BASKETBALL FOR YOU.
- WOW!
- THAT'S YOURS.
PRETTY COOL, RIGHT?
I'M GONNA--
- LOOKIT!
- ALL RIGHT.
SO I DON'T KNOW HOW GOOD YOU ARE AT BASKETBALL,
BUT I'M GONNA PUT YOU TO THE TEST.
I'LL PUT YOU TO THE TEST TOO,
'CAUSE I'M GONNA GIVE YOU A CHANCE TO WIN SOME MONEY
FROM J.C. PENNEY.
- ALL RIGHT.
- WE'RE GONNA GO OVER THERE,
AND WE'RE GONNA SHOOT SOME HOOPS.
- WHOA. - COOL, RIGHT?
- I AIN'T READY. - YOU AIN'T READY?
- I AM. - OH, YOU ARE READY.
- YEAH. - OH.
OH, I THOUGHT YOU WERE--OKAY. GOOD, OKAY.
SAVE THIS ONE. THIS IS A GOOD ONE.
I'LL GIVE YOU BALLS OVER THERE.
- ALL RIGHT. - LET'S GO OVER HERE.
IT'LL BE FUN. ALL RIGHT.
[cheers and applause]
ALL RIGHT, HOLD ON. DON'T SHOOT IT YET.
'CAUSE I'M GONNA PUT 30 SECONDS ON THE CLOCK,
AND FOR EACH ONE THAT YOU GET IN THE BASKET--
AND YOU CAN PLAY TOO, SO-- IF YOU WANT.
YOU WANT ME TO HOLD HER?
CAN I HOLD YOU? THANK YOU.
SO YOU'RE GONNA GET--FOR EACH ONE, YOU GET $1,000 PER BALL.
OKAY?
30 SECONDS ON THE CLOCK.
GOOD LUCK. GO.
["Flight of the Bumblebees" playing]
[cheers and applause]
LOOK HOW GOOD THEY'RE DOING.
ALL RIGHT.
THAT'S--
LANDON!
- GOOD JOB!
- THAT'S AMAZING.
HE CAN SHOOT. THAT WAS AMAZING.
LANDON, YOU'RE OUT OF BREATH, AREN'T YOU?
IT WAS SO GOOD.
THAT WAS $14,000,
BUT WE'RE GONNA ROUND IT UP TO $20,000, ALL RIGHT?
[cheers and applause]
- OH, MY GOD! [squeals]
- HE WANTS THAT. - I GOT IT.
- ALL RIGHT. - I GOT IT.
- HE DOESN'T HAVE IT.
ALL RIGHT, WE'LL BE BACK
WITH SOPHIA GRACE AND ROSIE AFTER THIS.
WHOO!