Netflix & Ellen DeGeneres Team Up For Her First Stand Up Comedy In 15 Years

Fans of Ellen DeGeneres will want to hold on to their hats as the talk show host has agreed to team up with Netflix in order to produce a Netflix Original stand-up comedy. According to Variety, what’s most noteworthy about this news is the fact that DeGeneres hasn’t done a stand-up comedy special in 15 years.

“Earlier this week, I got a Tweet from the people at Netflix and I have good news and bad news. The bad news is they wouldn’t tell me what happened to Barb on Stranger Things, but the good news is they asked if I was interested in doing a stand-up special. I said I’m going to have to think about it and then 30 seconds later I said yes.”

According to the Verge, the announcement was originally just a tease via two mysterious tweets on Twitter. The first came from Netflix asking Ellen if she’d be up for doing a stand-up comedy special. The second was DeGeneres responding to the request by Netflix letting them know she was “in.”

“It has been 15 years since I did a stand-up special. 15 years. And I’m writing it now, I can’t wait. I’ll keep you posted when and where I’m gonna shoot my Netflix special. I’m excited to do it; I’m excited for you to see it. And now, each one of you, you get to Netflix & chill with me. How about that?”

Looks like it's been 15 years since you did a stand-up special, @TheEllenShow. How about one for Netflix?

— Netflix (@netflix) May 24, 2017

As the Hollywood Reporter reminds us, Ellen is just the latest in the fairly long lone of A-list comedians to team up with Netflix for a Netflix Original comedy special. Other comedians who have previously had the opportunity to team up with the streaming giant includes Chris Rock, Jerry Seinfeld, Dave Chappelle, Amy Schumer, Sarah Silverman, Louis C.K., Tracy Morgan and Kevin James. This also wouldn’t be the first time Netflix has revived a comedian who hasn’t done stand-up comedy in a while as Kevin James – like Ellen – also hadn’t done a routine for a while prior to working with the streaming giant.

Stand-up comedy was what originally put Ellen DeGeneres on the map. She eventually shifted from comedy to acting and then added hosting a syndicated daytime show to her resume. Ellen’s talk show is now entering its 15th Season and it has received 59 Daytime Emmy Awards over the years. DeGeneres has been honored with hosting the Grammy Awards, the Primetime Emmys, and even the Academy Awards. In November of 2016, President Obama even awarded Ellen with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Her decision to team up with Netflix for an Original comedy special will be her very first appearance since the year 2000. For those who have followed the talk show host for a while, she appeared in Ellen DeGeneres: The Beginning on the HBO network just shy of two decades ago.

It’s been three years since Netflix started to ramp up the decision to team up with A-list comedians such as Ellen in order to increase the number of comedy specials in their library. Chris Rock was reported to have received $40 million from Netflix to appear in two comedy specials that have yet to be released on the streaming giant.

Netflix is also currently working on a special with Jim Gaffigan. Netflix even purchased both future and past rights to Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee by Jerry Seinfeld. The deal Netflix struck with Jerry Seinfeld does include him producing two new stand-up specials as well.

For those who enjoy watching the Netflix Original comedy specials, you can rest easy knowing it does not appear as if the streaming giant is going to stop producing them any time soon. In fact, Netflix seems to be more than willing to drop several million dollars to produce comedy specials that feature A-list comedians.

Are you a fan of Ellen DeGeneres? Have you ever seen any of her stand-up comedy routines before? What are your thoughts on her decision to team up with Netflix after nearly two decades of now doing comedy acts? Share your answers to these questions with us in the comments down below!

[Featured Image by Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP Images]