The show goes on for "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" as it continues with remotely produced episodes, filmed at Ellen's home amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Ellen welcomed Brittany and Drew Brees via video chat from their home. Drew and Brittany shared an inspiring message of hope during this unprecedented time. The couple chatted about how they have been coping with homeschooling their kids in quarantine and whether they're able to get any alone time.
The New Orleans Saints quarterback also shared his thoughts on the possible future of the NFL, how he feels about being in the same division as Tom Brady, and gave an update on his coach, Sean Payton, who has been cleared following his battle with COVID-19. Plus, Drew and Brittany talked about their $5 million donation to support coronavirus relief efforts in Louisiana, which has been hit hard by the outbreak.
READ PORTIONS OF THE INTERVIEW:
Ellen DeGeneres:
By the way, it's so good to see both of your faces. I have been texting with both of you, and I reached out immediately when I heard what you did for New Orleans, and you're both just awesome. I love you both, and you know that. So, it's great to see your faces and talk to you like this. Who's teaching the kids? Both of you? One of you?
Drew Brees:
"Britt (Brittany Brees) is by far taking the lion's share of that responsibility at this point. We're making the boys call her Mrs. Brees and bring her shiny red apples."
Brittany Brees:
"Well, I flunked two kids already, and I may be fired for drinking on the job so, it's not going well."
Ellen DeGeneres:
I like it. It sounds like most of my teachers when I went to school. So, what's happening with alone time? I mean this is crazy for all of us in so many ways. But, let's just talk about the obvious, which is, do you get alone time?
Brittany Brees:
"We haven't really gotten any alone time. We might have come up with a plan with having a scavenger hunt inside the house that ends with us locking them in the closet, but we haven't perfected it yet. That may be our only window. They can't hear me. It's totally fine."
Drew Brees:
"Right, they're locked outside right now. So actually, this is the most alone time we've had in three weeks, right here. Right here, right now."
Ellen DeGeneres:
Then I'll check in with you daily. We can do it a few times a day and then - Who knows what they're doing out there.
Drew Brees:
"Right. Just let it go."
Ellen DeGeneres:
OK. So, let's talk about this. You donated $5 million to Louisiana, again I love you both so much. Where is this money going exactly?
Drew Brees:
"So, at this point, obviously, we spent a lot of time assessing the greatest need in Louisiana. Not just New Orleans but throughout the state. And as you know, so much of the life-blood of Louisiana is small business. It's the hospitality industry, and so many of those people have been laid off, don't have a source of income right now, and we felt like just from talking to many people that the biggest need were meals. Being able to feed kids on meal programs. Feeding seniors, getting them meals. Feeding front-line health care workers. Child care facilities where a lot of these health care workers are needing to drop their kids off so they can go and help people that have the virus. So, I think for us, we felt like let's align ourselves with a great organization like Second Harvest Food Bank, which we did in New Orleans. They are really in charge of all five food banks throughout the state of Louisiana. And, first thing was first, how can we feed as many people as possible and make sure they have some of their most basic needs, which I think the first things you think of are, roof over your head and the ability to feed your family."
Ellen DeGeneres:
Wow. Yeah, you think about all the different, as we know we're watching the ripple effect of this virus and what it's creating. Obviously, a lot of kids depend on their meals going to school, and as you said, there's a lot of elderly people that can't get out. So many people in need right now. So, that is going to help a lot of people. You all are awesome for doing that. You've been on the phone with the mayor of New Orleans, the governor of New Orleans. The governor of Louisiana trying to - what are they saying?
Drew Brees:
"Well, again, the need is great. ... So, I think the biggest message is, not only are you battling the fact that so many people are now out of work and have no ability to support their family but, you also have a lot of people now who are in danger of contracting the virus just because it is so present. So, it's that challenge of keeping people safe, keeping them away from the virus, and then still finding a way to support them. And that's why what we're finding with the meal programs is the way that you package it. It's different than just creating a soup kitchen or something where everybody can show up, and you can feed thousands, right? This is where you have to be so careful with individually packing each and every meal. Delivering them in a very safe manner and doing it to where you're not – no one is slipping through the cracks. We want to make sure that we can get to everybody. But that's the biggest challenge right now is identifying those people and getting to them."
Ellen DeGeneres:
What is your - I mean I think a lot of people look to both of you for hope. What is your message to everybody right now that's suffering in the country?
Drew Brees:
"It's exactly that. It's a message of hope. It is that we – we're going to get through this. But, we need to get through it together, right? We all need to lean on one another. It's a bit of, love your neighbor, take care of your neighbor, look out for your neighbor. Everybody has a part in these relief efforts, in this recovery. The responsibility to do the right thing in regards to protecting your family and keeping them out of harm's way and at the same time that keeps others out of harm's way as well. So, listen we would be the first ones to tell you that this is not an easy situation, right? I think so many families, so many parents have been thrust into really, really difficult circumstances, right? Their working from home and yet they have to home school their kids at the same time. So nothing about this is normal for anybody, right? But it has to become the new normal, and it's the new routine for however long it takes. I think the more disciplined, the more diligent we are with this right now, I think the better off we will become on the backside of this. But there is no doubt in my mind our country, our citizens, our people we are so resilient. We have so much resolve. We've been through so much and listen, I think the best of America, the best of Americans will show once we get out of this process and we are on with normal life."
Brittany Brees:
"Just through adversity. I think it makes you so much stronger. It challenges you in a way, it stretches you in a way, and it shows you the things that you took for granted before. The things you took advantage of and to really look at the positive in this situation. If you look around, so many people are doing amazing things. These health care workers, these doctors, these nurses, all of these people are really stepping up and rising to the occasion. Look at the best in people, and that's what we're continuing to do. Hopefully, other people lead by example and more people - just kind of trickles down. It's going to be OK. If we can just all do this together, it's going to be OK."
Ellen DeGeneres:
Absolutely and I think that we are all going to come out of this, and it does shape us. It's a whole new way that we're all going to learn how to live and we're going to get the good from everything you're saying. And what I love about it is everybody's finding new ways to be creative because we're stuck inside and having to do things with our family and our partners, or whoever. And, Brittany, I think you – the ideas that you have come up with already. Beer Pong with your kids with water. What a great idea. Also, I think one of my favorite things that you came up with is shaving Drew's chest for charity. I look forward to seeing that. And I'm sure there's many - we have lots of time to think of more things to do to Drew.
Drew Brees:
"They're all skill sets that will really benefit the kids, I think, down the line."
Brittany Brees:
"Listen, if they miss a couple of grades and they go straight to college they're ready."
Ellen DeGeneres:
See you're always thinking.
Ellen DeGeneres:
Drew, let's talk about football. So first of all, how is Sean Payton? The coach of the Saints tested positive for coronavirus. How's he doing?
Drew Brees:
"He was good. I talked to him right when I got the news that he had contracted the virus, and he was in good spirits. I think he was kind of not sure what to expect at that point other than he knew he had a 14-day quarantine in his house ahead of him. He made it through that just fine, and then I actually talked to him the day he was cleared from that. And, he certainly seemed like his normal self. He was talking football. He was talking free agency. He was talking about the draft, already beginning to strategize for next season."
Ellen DeGeneres:
Good. I'm glad to hear that. OK, so we're thrilled; obviously, you signed for two more years. Yay! I mean I was, I think we all were hoping that was the case and now what's going to happen? I mean you're supposed to be training soon at some point and then how do you – will you play games without fans? How's that going to work?
Drew Brees:
"Yeah. When that was first said, you know, and obviously they were talking about basketball when they first started saying that, hey we might still play the games, but we can't have the crowds. So, no fans in the stands. That was the first time I've ever thought about playing a really meaningful game in a situation where you don't have any fans. From Texas high school football through college in the Big Ten, to games now in the (Mercedes-Benz) Superdome. You're used to those loud, electric atmospheres and so I think it would be really weird. Maybe you just click in, and you're in a zone. But, I'll tell you where the fans really help is whenever you get hit and knocked down, and you're wondering what happened, you just listen to the sound of the fans, and they usually tell you if the ball was complete or not. So, that was one big benefit obviously we'd miss out on that. It would be really weird. I hope we're obviously beyond that, and we can get back to that level of normalcy because I know that - I think the American people need sports right now. That's typically something that's brought us through a lot of tough situations throughout our country, and people have been able to lean on their local sports teams or national teams to just unite them and get their mind off the challenges of daily life and daily struggle. We don't even have that right now, and I think that's another reason on why this is so tough. Obviously, we hope that football can be back to normal when – or this can be back to normal so that we can play real football."
Ellen DeGeneres:
Are you working out at home? Are you training as if you're going to go back soon?
Drew Brees:
"I'm trying to do what I would normally do, just the same routine. It's a little different. Normally I would be going to a gym training with other NFL guys, with some of my mentors. Haven't been able to do that, and so there's been some FaceTime and Zoom workouts, but a lot of it has been on our own. This is my new workout partner, right here (Brittany Brees), for the time being."
Brittany Brees:
"I eat while he works out." (Laughter)
Drew Brees:
"We have fun."
Ellen DeGeneres:
Now, one more question about football. You and Tom Brady are now in the same division. How does – what does that mean to you?
Drew Brees:
"Yeah. Well, the division just got a little bit better, didn't it? In addition to that, Teddy Bridgewater, who played so well for us, with the Saints last year when I got hurt, he's now the starting quarterback for the Carolina Panthers. Our division has Teddy Bridgewater, Tom Brady, Matt Ryan and myself with the Saints. It's always been a very challenging division, and it just kicked up a notch."
