The Gem City must be doing something right.
On Wednesday’s show, Ellen decided to surprise one of her biggest fans, who happens to live in Dayton.
Shantel Smith, a nurse and single mother, received a phone call from Ellen herself, inviting her to a taping of her show.
Naturally, Shantel replied with high-pitched screaming and an immense amount of gratitude.
Shantel isn't the first person from the Dayton area that Ellen has reached out to.
(Obviously, remember, she loves us.)
Here are 3 other instances of people from the Dayton area being featured on the afternoon talk show.
1. Have you ever seen Ellen's usually shirtless gardener? His name on the show is "Nick the Gardener," but the actor who plays him is a Centerville grad named Bill Reilich. Reilich first got Ellen's attention during his time with "The Cream Pies."
She has him on her show from time to time to take off his shirt which the audience never seems to mind. His physique and time on The Ellen DeGeneres Show actually helped him score a role in the movie "Magic Mike XXL."
2. At 12 years old, Dayton native Alanna Wall made her way onto Ellen's show back in 2013. Alanna began an organization called "Polished Girlz" which got the attention of the daytime host. Alanna would paint the fingernails of the ladies staying in a local hospital in an effort to lift their spirits.
This nonprofit has done well enough to have chapters in different parts of the U.S., and just to name a few locations, they can be found in Illinois, New York, California, Indiana, and Georgia.
3. Also back in 2013, Ellen decided to hide tickets for a trip to Australia in Dayton, Ohio. Ellen tweeted clues to help the people uncover the hidden treasure. Four UD students ended up finding and winning the trip.
Tune into WHIO Channel 7 at 4 p.m. Monday through Friday to watch The Ellen DeGeneres Show.
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