Audience Participation
Many segments of The Ellen DeGeneres Show contains an audience participation element. While all daytime talk shows have a live audience, Ellen takes it one step further with her show where there is a clear integrated role of the audience.
First, she often takes suggestions from her viewers around the world on what they want to see. She creates an approachable image for herself, where she welcomes her fans and audience members to send her links and stories of people who are worthy of being on the show. This means that more and more of her show features regular everyday people rather than celebrities.
Second, she uses online social media tools such as Youtube, Twitter and Facebook to get her viewers to participate. Here are some examples of segments that are created based on the activity of her viewers.
OH HAIR NO! - a segment where fans send in pictures of bad haircuts
KNOW OR GO - a segment where 3 live studio audience members have to answer trivia questions correctly. If they are incorrect, they fall through a trap door
ELLEN'S DANCE DARE - a segment where people send in videos of themselves dancing behind strangers
IN YOUR FACEBOOK - a segment that shares funny videos taken from profiles/accounts that like and follow the Ellen Degeneres Facebook page
INSTA-GRAMMIFICATION - a segment where Ellen shares pictures that were shared via hashtag from the Ellen Instagram account
Third, The Ellen Show is known for giving away prizes to audience members on top of giving away lavish presents to guests on the show, especially during the Holiday season. She started a part of her show called Ellen's 12 days of Giveaways. Below is a video where she gives away a complete entertainment system including televisions, speakers, blu-ray players and a full CD collection.
First, she often takes suggestions from her viewers around the world on what they want to see. She creates an approachable image for herself, where she welcomes her fans and audience members to send her links and stories of people who are worthy of being on the show. This means that more and more of her show features regular everyday people rather than celebrities.
Second, she uses online social media tools such as Youtube, Twitter and Facebook to get her viewers to participate. Here are some examples of segments that are created based on the activity of her viewers.
OH HAIR NO! - a segment where fans send in pictures of bad haircuts
KNOW OR GO - a segment where 3 live studio audience members have to answer trivia questions correctly. If they are incorrect, they fall through a trap door
ELLEN'S DANCE DARE - a segment where people send in videos of themselves dancing behind strangers
IN YOUR FACEBOOK - a segment that shares funny videos taken from profiles/accounts that like and follow the Ellen Degeneres Facebook page
INSTA-GRAMMIFICATION - a segment where Ellen shares pictures that were shared via hashtag from the Ellen Instagram account
Third, The Ellen Show is known for giving away prizes to audience members on top of giving away lavish presents to guests on the show, especially during the Holiday season. She started a part of her show called Ellen's 12 days of Giveaways. Below is a video where she gives away a complete entertainment system including televisions, speakers, blu-ray players and a full CD collection.
Below is a link to Jen's blog, where she recaps her experiences of being in the audience of a taping of The Ellen Degeneres Show. She talks about the process of getting tickets, lining up to go into the studio and the actual taping. http://www.mydreamcametrue.com/ellenaudience.html