Garth Brooks Takes Over Daytime Television with Guest Hosting Gig on ‘Ellen’
What a sweet time, as Garth would say!
After taking most of the year off stage due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Garth Brooks is becoming a new type of entertainer on a different stage.
The country superstar traded his typical arena show setting for that of a stage set on the Warner Bros. lot to take over as the substitute host of Ellen during the Friday episode (November 13). Ellen DeGeneres passed the coveted role along to Brooks for the day to give the award-winning daytime talk show a bit of a country twist.
While Brooks stuck to the script for most of the show, he also made the appearance his own by trading in her signature dancing for an audience-participating songwriting session and adding his own merchandise to the Ellen Shop.
One of the ‘FUN’ items the “Friends in Low Places” singer showed off was his version of a COVID-19 approved face shield. But rather than donning just a generic plastic shield with an elastic band, Brooks took inspiration from his own on-stage look to create his innovative product–a cowboy hat complete with a plastic covering across the front.
Brooks also talked to ABC’s Robin Roberts about the difficulties of being a media professional in 2020 and her knowledge of the country music genre, as she used to be a country radio DJ long before her career in news. Roberts complimented the country singer’s quick grasp of the talk show host skill, lending him some kind sentiments about his ability.
“I have to say you’re a natural, you’re a natural. You’re scaring me! Is there anything you cannot do, Garth Brooks,” Robers said, as he sent the love right back to her.
As always on any Ellen show, Brooks had two lucky fans come down to play a game of “Make It Rain,” where one contestant went home $5,000 richer and another won a giant flat-screen television.
Brooks and the production crew also gave a big shoutout to the country community with a dedicated montage highlighting some of the best moments DeGeneres has shared with other country singers who made guest appearances throughout the years. A few of the moments shared with viewers included the massive scare of Taylor Swift in the backstage stage restroom, a spoof of a perfume advertisement with Keith Urban and an awkward ball game played by Luke Bryan on the CMA Awards red carpet.
This marks the first time Brooks hosted Ellen, as he has only been a guest or a musical performer himself on the hit show.
As the pandemic continues, fans can keep up with Brooks through his weekly Studio G sessions on Facebook Live.
