Ellen DeGeneres 20 Rules Her Audience Must Follow
Fans of Ellen DeGeneres have one united dream: to attend just one taping of The Ellen DeGeneres Show in Los Angeles. There are quite a lot of perks for those who attend. Not only do they get a chance to see some of their favorite celebrities up close, but they also get to see (and dance with) Ellen herself.
Plus, the show is well-known for its extreme generosity both when it comes to those in need and members of the audience. Especially if fans are lucky enough to attend one of Ellen's Twelve Days of Giveaways Christmas specials, they may just walk away with some life-changing gifts.
But being such a high-profile show, Ellen has to enforce strict rules to make sure that things run as smoothly as possible. Although the show is thought of as a happy and positive place, the audience isn't able to do whatever they want. There are schedules to abide by and orders to follow, and the punishment for neglecting to follow the rules is usually being kicked out of the show or being refused entry altogether.
That's right: Ellen means business!
Testimonies from fans who have been lucky enough to attend the show confirm our suspicions, though: it's all worth it just to be part of such a fantastic and iconic show. Check out these rules that Ellen's audience must follow!
20 Audience Members Must Be Older Than 14
Bad news for tween Ellen fans! Although the show aims to be as inclusive as it can, there are certain rules about who is allowed to be an audience member, and who is not. At this stage, minors must be at least fourteen years old to attend the show and they must be accompanied by an adult who is over the age of eighteen.
They must also bring a legal document to show that they're old enough to be there. The oddest thing about this rule is that the show constantly hosts celebrity guests who are younger than fourteen. The pros of being famous!
19 Fans Must Wait For Ellen Outside
The show is mostly filmed inside, but members of the audience still need to think about wearing clothes that will protect them from the rain (not that it rains a lot in Los Angeles). Despite being filmed inside, fans must line up to get inside, whether they have a guaranteed ticket or not.
Fans are only let in when the show is ready for them, and for people who get there super early in the hopes of securing a ticket, that can mean quite a long wait outdoors. Luckily, there are some good restaurants nearby where fans can grab a bite while they're waiting for Ellen.
18 They Can't Choose Who They Sit With
Sometimes, fans of the show get the surprise of their life when, not only do they secure tickets, but they are also allowed to bring two or more people with them. Although people attend the show in groups, it's not guaranteed that they'll be allowed to sit together, even if they secure the tickets together.
There are many factors that contribute to where everybody is placed throughout the taping. Upon arrival, they are given a ticket with a number, and those numbers matter when it's time to enter the studio because everyone is expected to go in according to their numeric order.
17 There Are No Snacks Allowed
Ellen does a lot for her fans, and audience members often get to walk away with prizes and gifts beyond what they ever expected when they first walked into the studio. But while the show does what it can to show fans how much they're appreciated, and to make them as comfortable as possible, there's a strict policy about snacking.
There is absolutely no food or drink allowed in the studio. For the line up outside, fans are encouraged to bring their own snacks or to go to a nearby eatery, but food inside is not tolerated. Sneaking anything in could result in being kicked out altogether!
16 They Are Not Allowed To Sell Or Auction Their Tickets
Obtaining tickets to Ellen is a dream come true, but it's not a dream you can buy. Fans can't pay for tickets on the website, and that's probably because Ellen doesn't want to discriminate against her fans who don't have as much money. Plus, for the people traveling from around the US and elsewhere, there's already enough expenses involved.
All you need to get tickets is luck. That also means that once you have them, you aren't allowed to sell or auction them, even if it's for a charitable cause. The name on the ticket must correspond with who arrives at the studio.
15 Dancing Is Compulsory, Not A Choice
One of the things that separates Ellen from other talk shows is that there's always a lot of dancing involved. This certainly gives off a vibe of fun, but it's interesting to know that the dancing doesn't happen because everyone in the audience is naturally chipper. In actual fact, dancing is something of a prerequisite.
Some audience members have revealed that while the show is a lot of fun, it's also hard work and you're on your feet for much longer than expected. We can assume there are far worse things to be forced to do than dance with Ellen!
14 Fans In The Dance Row Must Know The Lyrics To Current Pop Songs
Speaking of dancing, fans in the Dance Row must be even more enthusiastic than everybody else. For those who aren't overly familiar with the show, the Dance Row is the row of the audience where Ellen may end up dancing. This is something that the staff will tell you prior to sitting down, and according to Screen Rant, there is even an employee whose job it is to make sure everyone in the row is dancing like there's no tomorrow.
If you're in the Dance Row, you must also know the lyrics to the current pop song that will play when Ellen dances through.
13 Naturally, Fans Aren't Allowed To Record Any Part Of The Show
This is a rule that's pretty standard of all talk show tapings, and TV studios in general. As exciting as it is to be there, and as much as fans would love to document it all for social media, there is no kind of recording allowed in the studio.
Real cameras are not even allowed on the premises. Members of the audience are allowed to keep their cell phones with them, but those have to be turned off before entering the studio. The show even reserves the right to confiscate phones that are seen on during the taping.
12 The Details Of Each Show Are Kept From The Audience
The one thing that the audience knows for a fact before the show starts taping is that Ellen DeGeneres will be there. Everything else is a little up in the air since the specific details of who will be coming in as a guest tend to change all the time. That's Hollywood for you!
This means that fans don't know what celebrities they'll get to see until the day of the show. They might get lucky and see their idol, or they might not even know who the guests are. It's another thing that just comes down to luck!
11 They're Only Allowed To Take Home One Freebie
Yes, Ellen's audience is among the luckiest in the world for all the goodies they are given throughout the show. In addition to what Ellen gives out on camera, they are also usually allowed to take away a freebie as a souvenir. They get to choose something like an Ellen mug or another similar piece of merchandise.
There's a strict rule that comes to this perk, however, and it's that each member is only allowed to take home one freebie. Once Ellen caught a fan trying to take home more than one, and she showed the footage to the rest of the audience (and the world).
10 They Have To Communicate Any Needs Prior To Attending The Show
The show aims to be very inclusive and accommodating to all kinds of people who want to participate and become audience members. To make sure that they can be well prepared for an audience member who has special needs, they ask to be notified at least two weeks prior to the taping of the show.
To get in touch with the show, ticket-holders simply have to reply to the email that is sent out confirming their tickets and communicate any special needs or requirements then. This rule is in place so the show can be as prepared as possible, and make the studio friendly for all kinds of people in advance.
9 Being Late Will Result In A Trip To The Riff Raff Room
At Ellen, there's a place called the Riff Raff room. It's basically a big room for the audience to hang out in before going up into the studio and has all of the Ellen merchandise for sale. Ellen herself drops by when she can, which is pretty exciting! Now, people who only have a standby ticket and not a secure ticket are taken to the Riff Raff room, but you might also end up there rather than the studio even if you have a confirmed, secured ticket.
Those who show up late aren't able to interrupt filming or the order of the day, so they are taken to the Riff Raff room rather than the studio.
8 Audience Members Have To Dress Happy
You could probably tell from Ellen's signature piece of advice-be kind to one another-that her show is all about spreading happiness and good vibes. So naturally, she wants her audience to reflect her good vibes. This means that people attending the show are expected to wear bright colors rather than dreary blacks or whites.
They can wear black or white, but there also has to be another pop of color in their outfit. In addition to dressing happy, audience members have to make sure that they're dressed well, and can only wear jeans if they're dressy jeans.
7 But They Can't Come In Coordinating Outfits
There's yet another rule when it comes to how Ellen's audience are allowed to dress. Along with getting dressed up and wearing bright, happy clothes, they also aren't allowed to come in coordinating outfits if they're part of a group. We're not sure the exact reason for this, but it could be because Ellen doesn't want attention drawn to anything else besides the guests and the other parts of her show.
While audience members may love Ellen, they also aren't allowed to wear any Ellen clothes to the show. They can buy souvenirs in the Riff Raff room, but they will be denied entry if they wear them into the studio.
6 The Fight For A Seat Starts Early
For those who don't have confirmed tickets, there's a lot of competition between potential audience members with standby tickets about who's going to get into the studio. To give themselves the best chances possible of getting in, some people get to the studio extremely early and hope that if they're at the front of the line they'll have a better chance of getting into the show.
The website says that doors open at 9:00 am, but also to show up as early as possible since that's what many fans do. We guess Ellen is definitely worth getting up early and lining up for!
5 They Have To Follow The Directions Of The Choreographer
It may seem like a lot of Ellen's show is spontaneous, but like most TV, that's not really the case. Much of it is scripted, including the way the audience claps and dances in sync. One fan who was lucky enough to attend the show wrote about her experience online and revealed that not only is the audience told to dance beforehand, but there's also a designated choreographer there who gives directions to them.
What information the choreographer leaks may also give people hints as to which guests will be on the show, so it's always a good idea to listen to them with both ears open!
4 Fans Who Participate In Games Must Be Extra Chipper
Every now and then, Ellen will invite members of her audience up to play games with her. According to one blogger who had the privilege of joining the audience for a day, those people aren't picked at random but are instead organized before taping starts.
People who might participate in the games are chosen according to how excited and enthusiastic they are while the producers wander through the ticket-holders before they are allowed in the studio. Those chosen are also given the opportunity to practice being called on stage and must act as happy and excited as possible in order to impress Ellen's people.
3 Fans Are Allowed To Bring Ellen Gifts, But They Have To Go Through Security
Many people attend the show not just for the chance to be on television or score some fantastic giveaways, but because they genuinely love Ellen. So of course, many try to bring her gifts. While this is okay and Ellen loves to accept tokens from her fans, they're not allowed to be given directly to the host herself.
Instead, they are passed through a security checkpoint. Under no circumstances are audience members allowed to approach Ellen themselves while in the studio or pass her a gift if they get the opportunity to do so. Ellen loves her fans, but her safety is paramount!
2 Travel Expenses Are Not Reimbursed If The Show Is Cancelled
In typical show business fashion, sometimes things don't go according to plan at Ellen's show. From time to time, shows are canceled, guests are changed around, and even more than one episode of the show is taped on the same day. Sadly, if you're unlucky enough to have the show canceled on the day you're set to attend, there is no reimbursement for any travel (or other) expenses you may have made around getting yourself to the show.
This isn't such a big deal to the LA locals who head down to the studio but is probably extremely annoying to those who travel across the country (and the globe) to come to Ellen.
1 There Is No Gum Allowed
Who knew that going to Ellen could be a little like going to school? One of the strict rules that Ellen has in place is that her audience is completely forbidden from chewing gum. Obviously chewing gum doesn't look nice on camera, stops you from singing along to the lyrics properly, and can also end up on the floor or the furniture.
This is one of those strict rules that doesn't seem like a big deal, but could actually get you kicked out or denied entry in the first place. Going to Ellen is also a little like going through an airport, as your bags are up for inspection and certain goods are prohibited.
