Ellen Degeneres' Story About Her First Time on Stage Is The Funniest Thing Ever

Photo credit: Netflix
Photo credit: Netflix

From Delish

It's hard to imagine a time when Ellen Degeneres wasn't a household name, but long before her self-titled talk show, hilarious book, and Oscar-hosting duties, she was just a kid obsessed with other comedians. "I never thought I was gonna be a comedian," Ellen told Jerry Seinfeld on her just-released episode of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. In a random but hilarious turn of events, all that changed with the help of a bag of Burger King.

At a charity event way back when, one of Ellen's friends asked her to "go on stage and be funny." Ellen hadn't written material before, but she made do with a Whopper, fries, and a milkshake. You know, the best kind of comedic tools. In the bit, Ellen told the audience, "I'm so sorry, this is the first time I've ever been on stage and I'm so nervous. I didn't eat all day and I realized that on the way over, so I stopped to get this. I hope you don't mind."

She then spent the whole set started the same sentence over again, pausing for bites in between and holding up the "one minute" finger. "You know how people do that," she joked to Jerry. "Like why start a sentence and then [one minute gesture]?"

Throughout the set, she finished the ENTIRE burger and fries, like a champ, and wrapped with: "I'm so sorry, that's my time." It clearly got laughs, since that's when she realized she could actually be a comedian, as she told Jerry.

Props to Burger King for their best contribution to the world, following chicken fries and that Wendy's proposal. Now that this story is out in the universe, maybe during her next Oscar gig, Ellen will order Whoppers for the audience? It's only appropriate.

Photo credit: Allie Folino
Photo credit: Allie Folino

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