Jennifer Aniston really loves Ellen DeGeneres. The Morning Show star is helping to kick off the final season of The Ellen DeGeneres Show next week, and according to a new sneak peek, she barely makes it to her seat before the tissues come out. “What the hell?” she says as she sits down. “This isn’t supposed to be emotional. God dang it!”
Jennifer, as she explains, hasn’t “been out” in two years, and thinks the last time she was on a talk show in person was when she guest hosted in early 2020. And not only that, but Jen was the talk show’s first guest ever back in 2003, so clearly the show holds a special place in her heart. However, she’s got a little bone to pick with her friend. When Jen appeared on the first show in 2003, she gifted Ellen with a welcome mat that said “Welcome.” Ellen put it on the side of the stage, and promised she’d keep it there forever.
Ellen, unfortunately, did not keep the welcome mat there forever, but she tried to pretend she did.
“I’ve done this show 19 times,” Jennifer says, noting the distressed, hole-filled mat that someone had placed on stage. “That has only been here one time…What department distressed it to look like this?”
“I don’t think it’s the actual one,” Ellen admits. “I think we made a new one. I think the other one’s gone.”
“Oh, well thank you for your honesty,” says Jennifer, still wiping tears out of her eyes.
Ellen’s farewell season kicks off on Monday, Sept. 13 with Jimmy Kimmel and NICU nurses from Ochsner Baptist Hospital in New Orleans to talk about Hurricane Ida. Jennifer’s interview will air Tuesday, Sept. 14, and the first week will also feature interviews with Kim Kardashian, Tiffany Haddish, Imagine Dragons and Charli and Dixie D’Amelio.