Starting in 2003, The Ellen DeGeneres Show has become one of the most popular talk shows in America and has won an astounding 61 Daytime Emmy Awards. To ensure the show runs smoothly, Ellen herself has made up some rules the audience members have to follow when they visit the show’s Warner Bros. set, and here are 15 incredible ones.
The show’s audience members are constantly whipped into a frenzy, and barely a minute goes by without them being asked to dance or whoop like no one’s watching. However, there is actually a limit to that crowd participation. To make sure DeGeneres and her celebrity guests’ voices are heard, the crowd are forbidden to scream things, no matter how complementary.
Given the array of dazzling lights, you may think the show’s studio is akin to an oven. However, that’s far from the truth. In fact, audience members are advised to wear as many layers as possible because the air conditioning remains high throughout the show. The audience are far more likely to catch a chill than to work up a sweat.
For those who want an autograph from Ellen DeGeneres, you would have tough luck, because DeGeneres never signs her name for anyone. Besides, she doesn’t engage in any physical contact due to the number of people and lack of time. Yes, while the show itself presents a touchy-feely vibe, hugs with DeGeneres are not allowed.
The Ellen DeGeneres Show is a show all about positive vibes, so its producers encourage audience members to wear their most colorful outfits. All-black and all-white attire are not allowed. Beachwear, shorts and tees emblazoned with your favorite brands are a no-no, too.
The Ellen DeGeneres Show is known for encouraging its audience members to throw some shapes, even during the 30-second pauses for the commercial breaks. In fact, besides the fans, even the celebrity guests are asked to show off their best dance moves during the breaks.
Not every fan of the multiple Emmy-winning show is welcome. Those who are under the age of 14, in fact, can only enjoy the show by watching it at home. However, kids in their early teens can actually still attend the filming, as long as they are accompanied by someone aged 18 or over.
Fans who travel thousands of miles to attend the show as audience members have to take care of their accommodation themselves. The Ellen DeGeneres Show’s behind-the-scenes team won’t give any advice on finding overnight accommodation. The audience members are instead advised to find their own hotels on the internet.
The Ellen DeGeneres Show has strict seating arrangements. You, your friends and family members have little chance to enjoy the daytime phenomenon seated beside one another. Most of the time, audience members will find themselves sitting beside complete strangers.
According to past audience members of the Ellen Show, dancing is a big part of the experience, and each row of fans are asked to devise their own dance to perform in unison. Amusingly, some fans who aren’t keen on the idea waste their allotted time just staring uncomfortably at one another.
Not only does Ellen DeGeneres love playing games, she also likes to have the crowd members participate. While the audience members are seemingly chosen randomly to take part in a particular game, they are actually selected before filming starts. Only those with high levels of enthusiasm get the chance to show them off to the nation.
Dancing is not the only part that is highly choreographed on the Ellen DeGeneres Show. While most viewers may think that the clapping, whooping, and hollering occurring throughout the show is totally spontaneous. In fact, the audience members are given some instructions as to when and how to respond by a designated staff member before the show begins.
With a net worth of at least $330 million, Ellen DeGeneres is short of nothing. Even so, some fans would still like to deliver a gift to the host by hand, but they’re usually out of luck. That’s because the presents will only be given to the comedienne once they’ve been officially checked by security.
You may argue that just having the chance to attend The Ellen DeGeneres Show is reward enough. However, the comedienne reportedly makes the audience members return home even happier. The host delivers to each of the audience members a piece of merchandise that they can treasure forever.
There is, of course, a chance that an episode of The Ellen DeGeneres Show has to be canceled for whatever reason. As a result, fans that travel thousands of miles to be the Warner Bros. set may find themselves out of pocket, as well as experiencing the disappointment of missing out on the show’s filming. That’s because the show doesn’t reimburse fans for their expenses.
The Ellen DeGeneres Show is professionally filmed for a 40-minute episode that screens in front of the whole nation. Audience members are forbidden to record their experiences in the studio. Though cellphones are allowed to be brought into the studio, they have to be switched off, and any cells or standalone cameras are confiscated if they are found in use during the show’s filming.
