Ellen DeGeneres Tears Up After David Letterman Gives Her Advice On Ending Her Show

Ellen DeGeneres could not help but get emotional on Monday as she was given advice about the upcoming ending of her talk show from David Letterman, her comedy idol.

Backstory: Ellen DeGeneres Announces The End Of Her Show After Scandals Tank Her Ratings

Letterman’s Advice For DeGeneres

“I’m thrilled to be here, because anything I can do to help you in this moment, because it’s a bit emotional, I’m here for you, as I’ve always been,” Letterman told DeGeneres while appearing on her talk show, which is coming to an end six weeks from now. 

Letterman knows a thing or two about ending a long-running show. Back in 2015, he ended his 30-year run as host of his eponymous late night talk show. 

“I learned this, when the show’s over, I’m not kidding, take some time off. Take a week, 10 days,” he told DeGeneres, according to Entertainment Tonight. “Travel, visit family, visit friends and then immediately get another show, because it doesn’t work.”  

“Two weeks would be dangerous,” he continued. “A week, 10 days, you’re back at it.”  

‘You’ll Thank Me For This’

When DeGeneres asked if she should really get another job, he told her, “You’ll thank me for this.”  

Letterman returned to work in 2018, when he began hosting the Netflix show “My Next Guest Needs No Introduction With David Letterman.”

As for what it was like to actually end his show, Letterman recalled that “everything felt fine until the last show.”

“I was sort of overwhelmed with adrenaline,” he explained. “Because when you do the show, you get excited. It can’t help but excite you because hopefully you’re entertaining and making people happy.” 

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DeGeneres Becomes Emotional 

When it came time to sign off, DeGeneres couldn’t help but tear up as she talked about the impact Letterman has had on her life. 

“I want to say thank you so much for being here,” DeGeneres said to him. “You are a brilliant man, you are my hero and being on your show really helped me as a comedian, as a person. You influenced me in so many ways. You just were my idol. You were so brilliant, and I just wanted to do anything that would impress you.” 

“Please Ellen, that’s very kind of you,” Letterman humbly responded. “And what you have done with your life and your television show is remarkable and unequaled. So, congratulations and if I played even a tiny role in that I’m so proud.” 

Check out Letterman’s full comments to DeGeneres in the video below. 

DeGeneres’ daytime talk show is set to end on May 26 after 19 seasons. While the show has been marred in controversy at times, many people still tuned in to watch.

It will certainly be interesting to see if DeGeneres’ takes her old friend’s advice, and ends up finding another job in the entertainment world in the future. 

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