Recording artists Mary J. Blige, Sheryl Crow, Barry Manilow, Lyle Lovett & His Large Band, and Wayne Newton are among the stars on tap for ELLEN’S REALLY BIG SHOW, Emmy®-winning talk show host and comedian Ellen DeGeneres’ throwback to the beloved variety shows of years past.  ELLEN’S REALLY BIG SHOW will premiere on TBS Monday, Nov. 19, at 9 p.m. (ET/PT), with an encore airing immediately following at 10:30 p.m. The 90-minute variety special will also feature comedians Rhys Darby and Sean Cullen, singer Ryan Shaw and the African Children’s Choir and a host of unique variety acts, including magician Lance Burton, quick-change artists David & Dania (America’s Got Talent), the Fab Four Beatles tribute band, Peking Acrobats, the Footworkingz dancers, the U.S.A. All-Star Jump Rope Team and many more.    In addition to performing a song, Lovett will serve as musical director and his Large Band will be the house band for the special.   Crow’s performance will be the live, world premiere of her song “Shine Over Babylon” from her upcoming album, Detours.  Las Vegas legend Wayne Newton will appear live, as well as in taped segments as a special, Las Vegas correspondent.

The show, which is sold out, will be taped Thursday, Nov. 15, during HBO and AEG Live’s The Comedy Festival (TCF) at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, for which TBS serves as sponsor.

DeGeneres will bring her trademark wit and winning personality, the same qualities that made her such a standout when she hosted the 57th Annual Emmy Awards and the 79th Annual Academy Awards.   Award-winning musicians, Las Vegas legends and a host of surprise performances will make this all-star extravaganza a night to remember.  The show is produced by TBS Productions in association with Embassy Row.  Michael Davies (Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, Power of 10, World Series of Pop Culture) executive produces for Embassy Row.
DeGeneres said:  “When I said I wanted to do a really big show, I never intended for it to be this big.  This has gotten out of control.”
The third-annual edition of The Comedy Festival will take place Nov. 14-17 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.  Continuing its tradition of presenting comedy’s biggest stars and cutting-edge talent, the four-day event will feature multi-artist performances, tributes, stand-up comedy, sketch comedy and televised special events.  The Comedy Festival will take place in several venues throughout Caesars Palace, including the Palace Ballroom, which is being converted into the TBS Very Funny Theater.  ELLEN’S REALLY BIG SHOW will be shot in the renowned The Colosseum.

About TBS
TBS, a division of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., is television’s top-rated comedy network.  It serves as home to such original comedy series as My Boys, The Bill Engvall Show, Tyler Perry’s House of Payne, 10 Items or Less and Frank TV; hot contemporary comedies like The Office, Sex and the City, Everybody Loves Raymond, Family Guy, King of Queens, Seinfeld and Friends, with My Name Is Earl joining the line-up in 2008; specials and special events, such as Funniest Commercials of the Year and The Comedy Festival in Las Vegas; blockbuster movies; and hosted movie showcases.

About The Comedy Festival
In its first two years, more than 100,000 people have attended The Comedy Festival.  Highlights include stand-up performances by Jon Stewart, Dave Chappelle, Dane Cook, Bill Maher, Carlos Mencia and Sarah Silverman, as well as special event presentations of The Comedian Award to Jerry Seinfeld and Chris Rock, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog’s Poopapalooza and Don Rickles’ receipt of the first Caesars Palace Laurel Award.  Past television highlights include a 2006 airing of the 20th anniversary of Comic Relief (HBO and TBS), starring Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg and Robin Williams, with special appearances by Ray Romano, George Lopez and Susie Essman and the cast of Entourage; A Salute to the Troops and USO (TBS) with special guests Kid Rock and Carmen Electra; and 2005’s Earth to America (TBS), with Will Ferrell, Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Larry David, Steve Martin and Julia Louis-Dreyfus.  The Comedy Festival evolved from the foundation HBO laid out at the annual U.S. Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen.  Joining forces with live event producer AEG Live and sponsor TBS, HBO presented the inaugural TCF in 2005.

About HBO
Home Box Office, Inc. is the premium television-programming subsidiary of Time Warner Inc., providing two 24-hour premium television services, HBO and Cinemax. Together, both networks reach approximately 39 million subscribers in the United States via cable and satellite delivery.  Home Box Office’s international joint ventures bring HBO branded services to more than 50 countries around the globe.

About AEG Live
AEG Live, the live-entertainment division of Los Angeles-based AEG, is dedicated to all aspects of live contemporary music performance, touring for a variety of programming and multi-media production.  One of the largest concert promotion and touring companies in the world, AEG Live is comprised of special event, broadcast and exhibition divisions and operates and owns numerous state of the art venues nationwide.  Current AEG Live tours and productions include Celine Dion A New Day at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace and Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs, an international tour of the artifacts of King Tut.  Recent and current promoted concert tours include Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, Prince, Bon Jovi, Usher, Nickelback, Kenny Chesney and Rod Stewart.  AEG Live also co-produces the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival.  Goldenvoice, the company’s southern California-based regional promotion division, created and operates the award winning annual Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival.

About Caesars Palace
Reigning at the heart of the Las Vegas Strip, Caesars Palace ranks among the world’s top luxury resorts known for their originality and beauty and features 3,340 hotel guest rooms and suites, 26 unique restaurants and cafes, 4.5-acre Garden of the Gods pool and garden complex, the 50,000 square foot Qua Baths & Spa and 240,000 square feet of premium meeting and convention space.  The 4,100-seat Colosseum sits just steps from celebrity chef restaurants and the acclaimed Forum Shops at Caesars and spotlights such world class entertainers as Celine Dion, Elton John and Jerry Seinfeld, as well as, starting in February 2008, Bette Midler.  Journalists can access media materials and request high-resolution image downloads at media.harrahs.com.