The Ellen DeGeneres Show has won many awards, but more importantly, it’s won over the hearts of many fans. It’s easy to understand why. Ellen DeGeneres herself has gone through some hard times in the public eye. She bravely defied all the odds and made a well-deserved career comeback. Not only does Ellen deliver the laughs on a daily basis, but she’s also befriended world leaders and many celebrities. DeGeneres has also delivered amazing monologues that make an impact. The show also looks like great fun for its guests! There’s always dancing, giveaways, and Ellen occasionally steps up to help charitable causes and well-deserving unsung heroes.
This means Ellen has also provided us with moments we’ll remember for a long time. She’s instigated some particularly legendary dance-offs, taken part in many genius pranks, and has even cooked delicious foods with world-famous chefs. Nothing wrong there, right? We’re glad to point out that Ellen is human just like us. That means if we feel strange about our awkward moments, we should relish in the fact that Ellen has also had her awkward moments. At least when one of us has these awkward moments, it doesn’t go viral or wind up lists such as this one. Not to worry, Ellen always does her best to steer the ship back to its course, and she reminds us every day is a new chance to start all over again. Below are some of the most iconic moments on the show, along with a few awkward moments to boot!
Awkward: Kanye West’s 6,5 Minute Diatribe
Celebrities sometimes take advantage of public appearances to make a statement. We can’t blame them for using their platform to try to discuss things they care about.
Everything began innocently, with Ellen asking Kanye about his tweeting habits in her friendly way. West even answered some of her questions with great comedic timing.
Kanye West wanted to spread a meaningful message on Ellen’s show, but it was only meaningful to him. Ellen became visibly confused as he ranted and raved on about history, art, and himself. We learned he wants to help people, and that he has ideas to help the human race. Okay…
Iconic: She Paid Of A Refugee Teacher’s Debt
Ellen always makes us laugh and dance, but her compassion and generosity remind us why we love her so much. Eklas Ahmed appeared on the show in February 2017.
A refugee from Sudan, she was invited as a guest on the show after writing a letter to Ellen about how watching her show helped her learn to speak English. During the show, DeGeneres briefly mentioned that Ahmed had a debt of $20,000.
Before her segment was over, Ellen announced that Shutterfly would pay off this debt. The company also helped Ahmed create a calendar and ensured she’d get the profits.
Awkward: Ellen Forgot About Katy Perry’s Former Marriage!
If you’re Ellen DeGeneres, you probably have so many celebrity friends it’s hard to keep up with their lives. Plus, with all the celebrity gossip in the media, it can be hard to tell fact apart from fiction.
Katy Perry appeared on the show in May 2017 and declared her single status. Ellen also decided to play a game with Katy Perry to raise money for the Boys and Girls Club.
One thing led to another and Katy Perry had to remind Ellen that she was married to Russell Brand when she was 25. And yes, Ellen had given her a wedding gift!
Iconic: Cardi B Was On The Show For The First Time
Ellen has met up with many great guests over the years, but fans celebrate whenever she has a guest whose empire is as great as Cardi B’s.
First off, Cardi B looked awesome and seemed to channel Beyoncé with her hair and suit. She and Ellen also seemed to get along during the interview, and the audience was excited to see her in person.
Ellen asked her the normal questions but got Cardi B to talk about her pregnancy during the show. Never one to be squeamish, Cardi B opened up with her well-publicized candor and Ellen was totally there for it.
Awkward: Ellen Laughed At Jim Carrey Instead Of Helping Him Up
What do you do when you’re a celebrated comedian with a talk show? You invite your other comedian friends to the party!
Jim Carrey was a guest on the show and was trying to perform a stunt while riding his bike. Instead of completing it, he fell in front of the audience and Ellen laughed instead of helping him up.
Carrey played everything off as if he was okay, and the audience definitely showed concern. Though Ellen laughed from the comfort of her seat, Carrey playfully told everyone that falling was “part of the trick.” He took his fall like a champ!
Iconic: Kate McKinnon Dressed As Ellen
Kate McKinnon famously impersonates DeGeneres on SNL. Fans of both comedians were treated to a meta moment when McKinnon impersonated Ellen on Ellen.
Not only was she styled perfectly, but she copied Ellen’s quirks and mannerisms with perfection and some lovable exaggeration. The audience also had a great laugh at pseudo-Ellen’s monologue. Like the real Ellen, McKinnon’s monologue mentioned Portia and poked fun at their love pets.
We’re not sure how Ellen managed to keep a completely straight face during that episode, but that must have taken some fortitude. Both comedians looked totally happy, and the world got two Ellens for a day.
Awkward: Caitlyn Jenner Opened Up Too Much About Marriage—But Said Nothing
Ellen DeGeneres is notorious for making her guests so comfortable on the show that they may open up about things they’d never tell anyone else. Aforementioned guests might even forget they’re on a TV show and the world will see and hear what they’ve said.
Caitlyn Jenner took this to another level. Ellen began the conversation with small talk about Caitlyn’s well-documented politics. On the prospect of a marriage, Caitlyn first explained her past position.
After this, Caitlyn discussed her possible dating prospects and what that means to her. Her message was a bit diluted, but she did make a lighthearted joke about the number of her children.
Iconic: When She Made Bill Gates Guess How Much Things Cost
One of the most important inventors alive right now, and a known philanthropist, Bill Gates appeared on the Ellen show and had a great time.
He confessed that he hadn’t been to a supermarket in a “long time.” But then again, Bill Gates probably has assistants for these types of things. Ellen created a game called “Bill’s Grocery Bills.”
DeGeneres had him guess the price of everyday items. He was a great sport about the whole ordeal and the audience helped him a bit with his answers.
Turns out the inventor of Windows doesn’t know a lot about the cost of everyday items.
Awkward: Giada De Laurentiis And Nicole Kidman Couldn’t Stop Shading Each Other
Some people probably assume most famous people can’t cook because they have an entire entourage to take care of their needs. But celebrities get hungry too! And they know how to do domestic tasks.
Giada de Laurentiis, a celebrity chef specializing in Italian cuisine, was a guest at the same time as Nicole Kidman. We’re not sure why, but she and Kidman couldn’t stop throwing shade at each other during their cooking segment on Ellen.
Maybe the chef was trying to be funny, but she was surprised that Nicole Kidman was able to make a meatball and kept pointing out Ellen’s mistakes. Things got tense.
Iconic: Introducing Adam Levine To Mila
Mila was a three-year-old fan of Adam Levine who was visibly upset when he got married. Her mom filmed Mila’s reaction to his lack of single status, and Ellen invited them to be guests on the show.
Of course, Ellen invited Adam to the show so he could meet his “new girlfriend.” Though Mila must have been grateful, meeting him proved to be a bit much and the world relished in her adorable reaction to meeting the love of her life.
Levine brought her a flower and was totally a good sport about the fact that his “girlfriend” had moved on.
Awkward: Ellen’s Wardrobe Malfunction While Wearing Sofia Vergara’s Dress
Several years ago, Ellen dressed up as Sofia Vergara while she was a guest on the show. Though she did a great impersonation and her fans totally loved the routine, she incorporated one of Sofía’s wardrobe malfunction into her costume.
Vergara also did a small impersonation of Ellen as well. Despite their brief argument on the show’s episode, you could tell Vergara and Ellen were having a great time.
The segment ended with a brief Spanish class, that Ellen clearly didn’t study for. There were a few awkward seconds during this segment, but it did end with some dancing. Not all was lost!
Iconic: The Time When Emily Blunt Sang With The Backstreet Boys
Emily Blunt is a talented actress and singer. However, she confessed to Ellen that she still fears singing in front of audiences.
Of course, Ellen gently pushed Blunt to get to the nearest microphone but she was still nervous. To help her deal with her stage fright, Ellen asked the Backstreet Boys to be her backing singers.
Together, they sang a rendition of “I Want It That Way. BSB even left her alone at one point so she could show the audience her voice.
Let’s just say the audience totally loved it, and who wouldn’t? Blunt was meant to remake Mary Poppins!
Awkward: Britney And Ellen Couldn’t Get The Christmas Song Right
Ellen has many talents, and she’s very good at finding friends that can help her express them. She and Britney Spears went Christmas Caroling once and they simply couldn’t get the songs right.
Knowing Ellen, this was probably a deliberate attempt to sing badly. Of course, the people who listened to these carols were probably wondering what they were thinking.
After all, there was a song whose lyrics they couldn’t remember. At one point, Ellen asked Britney is she’d had a meal. Regardless of the context, the awkwardness is hilarious to watch, and Britney Spears was a great sport with this.
Iconic: Getting Meryl Streep And Tom Hanks To Trade Places
Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks aren’t just actors, they’re basically legends. Ellen asked Streep about her favorite Tom Hanks performance, and she mentioned Forrest Gump.
She then asked Hanks to mention his favorite part Streep has acted in, and he mentioned The Devil Wears Prada. Ellen then asked the actors to impersonate each other in these roles, and consistently gave them new parts.
The actors did masterful imitations of roles they’ve each played and even got to wear wigs and use props. Not only that, Ellen gave Streep her own seat and lightheartedly ticked off Hanks because his seat was behind hers.
Awkward: Ellen Criticized Céline Dion’s Son’s Long Hair
No one is immune to making offhanded comments about someone else’s kid. Not even Ellen.
Céline Dion was a guest on the show when her son was quite young, and several people had pointed out her son’s long hair. Everything began sweetly. Ellen is known for being good at small talk, but she segued into criticizing Dion’s son RC’s hair.
Some people in the audience groaned when Ellen criticized his hair. Dion was graceful in her answer and acknowledged that her parenting choices will never please everyone. Thankfully Ellen was able to get back to talking about music and they both moved on.
Iconic: Hosting The Show From Her Bed
Ellen DeGeneres is known for her healthy habits, but even she’s not immune from injury. When she threw out her back, she decided to host her show from the comfort of her bed. What a professional!
She’s been open about many of her struggles, and she had even done a monologue about having a bad back shortly before her injury.
Her fans totally understood her and listened as Ellen discussed the back injury that landed her on physician-mandated bed-rest. She discussed her trip to the doctor and how she had a difficult time taking part in physical activity at the moment.
Awkward: That Time Jessica Simpson Couldn’t Stop Jabbering
Ellen is used to people with personalities and characters of all types. She’s open-minded and can usually make others comfortable, but there’s only so much a talk show host can do sometimes.
Jessica Simpson’s appearance in May 2017 went viral thanks to Simpson’s strange behavior. She began discussing some rather personal matters, and also mermaids who aren’t allowed to pee on her kids.
Things became more and more awkward from there, and Ellen had a hard time concealing her discomfort. She sometimes stared straight into the camera but had the grace to cut to a commercial and just end the interview then and there.
Iconic: The Many Pranks On Taylor Swift
Ellen’s pranks on celebrities are the stuff of legend. She puts special efforts into pranking Taylor Swift.
Since they’re probably celebrity buddies who hang out, we’re sure this is done because they both care about and trust each other. Ellen has snuck behind Swift (a classic!) and she’s had someone else sneak up behind Swift during an interview.
In fact, most of Ellen’s pranks on Taylor Swift have been relatively harmless— and including coming up behind her in many ways. However, no one will forget the time Ellen popped out of a surprise cabinet in Swift’s bathroom or the time she called her gross.
Awkward: The Giveaway That Didn’t Go As Planned
Ellen is known for her many charitable contributions to people and organizations she cares about. Jamie was a college student whose mom wrote Ellen a letter talking about how proud she is of her daughter.
She discussed her circumstances with Ellen, and everything was going great. Ellen meant to give Jamie a scholarship but one of her staff members stopped her just as she was about to mention this. It turns out that Shutterfly, the company Ellen usually works with when she gives contributions, wasn’t paying for Jamie’s gift.
Instead, Ellen wound up giving Jamie a computer— but she already had one. Ouch!
Iconic: The Dance-Off With Michelle Obama
Ellen DeGeneres famously fostered a very affectionate and public friendship with the Obama family, especially FLOTUS. Every single one of their segments over the years showed how comfortable they were around each other.
They each helped each other with a variety of efforts. When First Lady Michelle Obama created a new challenge for one of the White House Easter Egg hunts, she challenged Ellen to a dance-off.
Ellen and FLOTUS had some playful banter before the dance-off, but they spoke to the audience about the importance of dancing. Ellen and Michelle Obama successfully danced to a routine choreographed to Bruno Mars’ Uptown Funk.
