The Advice Oprah Winfrey Gave Ellen About Ending Her Talk Show That She Didn’t Take Herself

Oprah Winfrey and Ellen chatting on The Ellen DeGeneres Show
(Image credit: Warner Bros. Television)

The road to The Ellen DeGeneres Show finale was an emotional one for fans and the host herself, but the moment has now come and gone. After officially signing off, Ellen DeGeneres now has time to do whatever she wants, whenever she wants. There are really only a few people who have been in her situation: ending a massively popular talk show after a long and storied run. Of course, one of those people is none other than entertainment icon Oprah Winfrey. And DeGeneres has now revealed that Winfrey gave her some sage advice, which she didn't heed when she wrapped up her own series.

The comedian spoke about Oprah Winfrey while being interviewed by THR. Winfrey already dished out some on-air advice during Ellen DeGeneres’ final week on air, but these new comments seem to go even deeper. DeGeneres says the showbiz legend advised her to do one thing immediately following the end of her talk show -- take it easy for a while:

Yeah, she gives that advice, but she doesn’t listen to it herself. She did say that she regrets [not taking time off when her talk show ended], but she was launching her network at the same time. So, that was bad timing on her part because she really should have taken time to sit and reflect. I am going to try to take her advice, which is, ‘Don’t do anything for a year. No matter how good the offer is, just sit for a year.’

If anybody would know about jumping from one project to another at a rapid pace, it would be Oprah Winfrey. The Color Purple alum ended her talk show in 2004 after 25 seasons. And as mentioned by the comedian, Winfrey was preparing to launch her cable network, OWN around the same time. She didn’t have much downtime between those moments and other projects. And even today, it seems like the 68-year-old TV personality always seems to be working on something. 

Thankfully, though, the former Ellen host seems to be taking the advice to heart. As a result, she'll likely be enjoying a well-deserved break after working the daytime grind for almost two decades.

Oprah Winfrey isn't the only one to weigh in on Ellen DeGeneres' next steps. DeGeneres' wife, Portia de Rossi, gave her take on what her spouse should do next. She just wants her spouse to do what will make her happy and, at this point, it sounds like a break is indeed what she wants. And DeGeneres has even revealed that she has travel plans mapped out.

Her show may have just finished, but the many lovely messages left by celebrities like Oprah Winfrey indicate that the host's on-air presence is already missed. In turn, Ellen DeGeneres has already expressed her gratitude to those who've supported her all these years. And we wish her all the best as she prepares to enter this new phase of her life and career.

Though Ellen is done, be sure to check out CinemaBlend's 2022 TV schedule for more talk show options.

Adreon Patterson
News Writer

A boy from Greenwood, South Carolina. CinemaBlend Contributor. An animation enthusiast (anime, US and international films, television). Freelance writer, designer and artist. Lover of music (US and international).