Ellen DeGeneres is known for changing people’s lives and surprising them on her popular television show, but the tables have turned on the talk show host ever since her 60th birthday in January, and now, she is on the receiving end of life-changing surprises.
Just a few months ago, Ellen’s wife Portia de Rossi set up a wildlife foundation in her name as her 60th birthday present.
Ellen DeGeneres received a wildlife foundation set up in her name by Portia de Rossi as a 60th birthday present in January
Saving Wildlife
The foundation which supports one of Ellen’s favorite wildlife causes – giving Gorillas a home in Rwanda – now has the support of A-list superstar Ashton Kutcher who surprised her on television by donating $4 million to her newly-established Gorilla Fund. Grab some tissues, because you may need them after you see her reaction to the generous donation.
Ever since she was a teenager, Ellen DeGeneres was inspired by the legendary book ‘Gorillas in the Mist’ written by American primatologist Dian Fossey in 1983, which was later turned into a film.
Even before she became famous, DeGeneres was determined to do something to save Earth’s wildlife, and her wish finally came true in January 2018, when her loving wife, Portia de Rossi, gave her the best present for her 60th birthday: a wildlife foundation set up in her name which could eventually bring her closer to her idol Dian Fossey.
The foundation called ‘Ellen DeGeneres Wildlife Fund’ is aimed at setting up a permanent habitat for gorillas in Rwanda as well as conserving other endangered species around the world – something that Ellen has wanted to do ever since she read Fossey’s book.
As if the wildlife fund wasn’t enough, the television host got another huge surprise last week on The Ellen DeGeneres Show when one of her good friends and A-list celebrity showed up on stage unannounced, leaving DeGeneres and the audience shocked.
It takes a lot to make a comedian like Ellen to cry and on May 23, Kutcher’s generous gift brought her to tears – great, now we’re all crying too.
A Surprise Visit
On May 23, actor Ashton Kutcher made a surprise appearance on Ellen DeGeneres Show to surprise the television host with a generous donation of $4 million for her foundation
Judging from the viral clip from her show last week, Ellen had no idea that Ashton Kutcher was backstage while she was filming in front of a live audience. Suddenly, the director announced in her earpiece that someone important had dropped by the set and wanted to talk to her on stage. No further details were given to her about the ‘mystery guest’ so she asked him to come on stage and talk to her.
The television host seemed nervous about the surprise as if she was about to be confronted by an angry fan – but it turned out that the mystery guest was none other than Ashton Kutcher!
As Kutcher came out smiling at cameras, fans in the crowd went wild, screaming and hugging each other out of sheer disbelief. Ellen herself was astonished to see him come to the show unannounced – but the real surprise was yet to be revealed.
As Kutcher sat down on the couch next to Ellen, the two began by making awkward small talk but the conversation soon turned towards Ellen’s Wildlife Foundation after she told Kutcher that she is planning to go on a holiday to Africa soon to help build a new home for the Gorillas. But before Kutcher could respond, Ellen requested to cut the show for a small break while she tried to interrogate her friend for his motive behind the visit.
Ellen got emotional after receiving the generous donation and thanked Kutcher by telling him, ‘I love you’
Kutcher Makes a Generous Donation
After the break, Kutcher’s business partner, Guy Oseary, for his technology investment company also came on stage to join the duo and as he sat down, Kutcher started telling Ellen about a new fund-sharing app he had invested in.
Nothing seemed to make sense in the beginning until the Hollywood-star-turned-businessman said that the app called Ripple had decided to make a generous donation of $4 million to Ellen’s new foundation. For a moment, the television show host was rendered speechless, thinking that she was on an episode of Punk’d.
But things started to become more believable after Kutcher pulled out his phone and said that he can transfer the $4 million into the trust fund immediately through the innovative fund-sharing app. The transaction was processed in front of a live television audience and a teary Ellen DeGeneres leapt to her feet to give her friend a hug.
