How Ellen DeGeneres Inspired ‘The Masked Dancer’ and Why Paula Abdul is Its Secret Weapon

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeElizabeth Smart wasn’t interested at first in appearing on Fox’s “The Masked Dancer.” But after her grandmother passed away, Smart said she had an epiphany.“She certainly lived life to the fullest,” Smart said. “As I was sitting at her funeral, thinking about life and death, I just thought, it’s okay to have fun.

William Earl Ellen DeGeneres returned to television on Jan. 13 and used the opening monologue of “Ellen” to explain how she learned about her positive COVID-19 diagnosis on set, which caused production on the daytime show to halt.“I was getting ready to tape the show, and I was in hair and makeup, getting my face powdered and my extensions put in, and then my assistant, Craig, walks in and said, ‘You’ve tested positive for COVID,'” DeGeneres said.

Ellen DeGeneres is grateful to be back on her talk show after a dramatic exit back in December. The 62-year-old host returns for Wednesday's episode of where she opens up about her experience with COVID-19 and the dramatic way she found out she'd contracted the virus. «Obviously there's a lot of negative things going on, so I want to talk about something positive, my COVID test,» she quips at the start of the episode, reassuring viewers, «I'm fine now, I'm all good.

Ellen DeGeneres made her big return to daytime television after one month away on Jan. 13. The talk show host took a break from The Ellen DeGeneres Show after testing positive for coronavirus in December. She opened her return show by discussing the diagnosis in her opening monologue, during which she also shared the one symptom that she suffered from while battling the virus.

Ellen DeGeneres is grateful to be back on her talk show after a dramatic exit back in December. The 62-year-old host returns for Wednesday's episode of where she opens up about her experience with COVID-19 and the dramatic way she found out she'd contracted the virus. «Obviously there's a lot of negative things going on, so I want to talk about something positive, my COVID test,» she quips at the start of the episode, reassuring viewers, «I'm fine now, I'm all good.

Ellen DeGeneres is back!

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeVariety's Awards Circuit is home to the official predictions for upcoming awards. Variety's Awards Circuit Prediction schedule consists of four phases, running all year long: Draft, Pre-Season, Regular Season and Post Season.

“The Ellen DeGeneres Show” was to have returned from its holiday hiatus this week, but postponed that plan as cases of COVID-19 continue to rise in Los Angeles, pushing the city’s hospitals to the breaking point.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeBill Nye the Science Guy has been a recreational dancer for years, a hobby he took to “Dancing with the Stars” in 2013. On Wednesday, he was back hoofin’ it on TV — this time, on Fox’s “The Masked Dancer,” where he was revealed as the celebrity under the Ice Cube costume.“If I have a chance to dance, Bring it on!” Nye told Variety.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeDespite their immediate on-screen chemistry as comic foils on the new NBC comedy “Mr. Mayor,” Ted Danson and Holly Hunter didn’t know each other prior to working on the show.“I run in shallower circles then Holly,” Danson jokes.

Ellen DeGeneres and LL Cool J are just a few of the notable stars who’ve hosted the Grammy Awards since they began in 1959.Before the awards were telecast for the first time in 1971, the Recording Academy held dinners in multiple locations across the U.S. and aired a TV special called “The Best on Record” giving glimpses of the celebrations.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeThe pandemic didn’t slow down the NFL, which once again dominated Variety’s ranker of the most-watched television telecasts of the year. No surprise, of course, Super Bowl LIV was easily the top program of 2020, with 102 million viewers on February 2.Actually, seven of the ten telecasts of the year came from the NFL, and 28 out of the top 100 of the year.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeIt’s been 36 years since Ice-T’s film debut in the film “Breakin'” — but he briefly relived those poppin’ and lockin’ moments Sunday night on the premiere episode of Fox’s “The Masked Dancer.”The “Law & Order” SVU” star and O.G.

The Kelly Clarkson Show made its premiere a little over a year ago and is proving it could be one of the most successful talk shows in history. Not only was Kelly Clarkson’s show just renewed for two more years but according to TVNewsCheck, it tied in ratings with Ellen Degeneres’ long-running The Ellen Degeneres show.

Shy of two weeks after revealing a positive COVID-19 test, Ellen DeGeneres was pictured with her face mask off while standing in an outdoor parking lot. The talk show host was instead wearing her face mask around her neck as she spoke on her cellphone over the weekend, holding it close to her mouth.

Leslie Odom Jr. is opening up about how he’s doing after being exposed to COVID-19 by Ellen DeGeneres.

Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeNow that she’s been revealed as “The Masked Singer” Season 4 champion, LeAnn Rimes is hoping that people will see her in a new way.“I’m excited to for people to continue connecting with me in this way,” said Rimes, who had been disguised as the Sun.