Ellen Degeneres likes to surprise people. After "Selfie Kid" went viral during the Super Bowl Halftime Show, she invited him on as a guest, and a phone call from Justin Timberlake brought him to tears. A candid, unscripted moment is often better than a canned interview. Pretty soon her talk show will just be guests crying, cat videos and dancing, and the ratings will never be higher.
Jimmy Kimmel appeared on Ellen to promote his upcoming gig hosting the Oscars. His talk show is also known for emotional moments. He got choked up during a monologue responding to the deadly school shooting in Parkland, Florida. Before that, he advocated for affordable health care, sharing a harrowing story from personal experience: After his son, Billy, was born, doctors discovered a congenital heart defect. This required two risky, expensive surgeries. Many middle-class and lower-class families would not be able to afford such complicated procedures without generous health insurance.
Some people have poked fun at Jimmy for how often he cries, while others have praised him, saying it takes a real man to wear his heart on his sleeve. The comedian's aware of the teasing, and says his tears are sincere; he's always been sensitive. "I’m a crier, I do cry, I’ve been known to cry," Jimmy confessed to Ellen. She replied, "You get very emotional and I love that about you... Everything you’re doing on the show; you’re using your voice for good, and you’re saying a lot of important things." (He's certainly come a long way from The Man Show.)
Then Ellen surprised Jimmy with a special gift: At The Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, she arranged for one room on the Heart Institute floor to be named after his son, Billy, as a special tribute. In a live streaming video, hospital staff members - including one of Billy's heart surgeons - waved to Jimmy and showed off the brand new nameplate for The Billy Kimmel Room. "Thank you very much," responded Jimmy. "It means a lot to me." Once again, the talk show host was choked up, but hey, how can you blame him?
However, the surprises weren't over yet. Ellen revealed that some of Billy's nurses were sitting in the studio audience, to which Jimmy jokingly scolded, "You should be at work!" Then Ellen pledged to raise another million dollars for the Children's Hospital. That's right, another. When Jimmy first went public with his son's heart problems, Ellen helped raise the first million. You can tell why one of her favorite phrases is "Be kind to one another."
In a world where so many awful things happen, you can see why people appreciate the heartwarming surprises on Ellen. And if you feel cynical, you should go on the show as a guest. She'll make you cry, and you'll get a sweet present.
In a related story, Ellen Degeneres was brought to tears by this birthday gift from her wife Portia de Rossi...
