Huh? What?
[chuckles] Gotcha!
[coughs]
Got you back.
[squeaks]
Hey!
-Huh? -[laughing]
Well played.
Put her there.
-[electricity buzzing] -[squeals]
[laughs]
You always get me so good.
That's why I'm the best prankster.
[electricity buzzing]
[both laughing]
♪ Tu tu tu du du du du ♪
Ow! Thanks.
Sweet, Becky.
Yeah, Freckle.
[all] Little!
Ellen!
Gramsy!
♪ Tu tu tu du du du ♪
[children reading]
[Ellen] That's me!
[Ellen reading]
Got that potting soil you asked for.
-Thanks! -Anyhoodles,
let me know if you need help with anything else.
[children] See you later, Billy.
Hiya, sprouts. Here to help me garden?
Actually... Gramsy, we're here to ask you something.
I didn't eat all the snacks.
I didn't say you did.
Right.
What's your question?
You know that story about the beast that lives in the swamp?
We're wondering...
Is the New Orleans Nightmare real?
The New Orleans Nightmare? 'Course it's real.
And I'll tell you all about the time I met the beast.
-[all gasp] -You sure you met it?
Sure as I got two green thumbs.
Plant yourself right here.
Once upon a time, on a morning exactly like this,
but completely different,
I was walking near the bayou, enjoying my cup of joe and bite of beignet,
when I heard some rustling in the grass.
But then I heard the slippery sound of slimy footsteps
and the clickety-clacking of claws.
Two telltale signs of the New Orleans Nightmare.
I turned around and there it was, trying to claw away my beignet.
[children scream]
Lost a good beignet that day.
But I'm sure you all have nothing to worry about.
I'm not worried at all.
You can't trick me.
I think you made that whole story up just to prank us.
Made it up to prank ya? Well, I need to get back to my gardening.
But remember, it's not the clacking or beignet snatching
or ferocious growling you gotta worry about.
It's the super sticky slime that'll get ya.
I don't buy it.
There's no way the New Orleans Nightmare is real.
I've walked by the bayou tons of times and I've never seen it.
You really think Gramsy's trying to prank us?
Like that time she put a sock in my saxophone?
Ah, the good old socksophone prank.
[laughs] She sure knows how to play a joke.
A joke?
Oh, no, A prank is so much more than a joke.
A prank is--
-[gasps] -What?
[sputters]
[growls]
The New Orleans Nightmare!
[Gramsy laughing]
Wait a second.
I know that laugh.
And this isn't slime. [sniffs]
-It's maple syrup. -[laughter continues]
-Gramsy. -Gotcha!
You're right.
The New Orleans Nightmare isn't real.
It's just a silly story that a lot of folks in New Orleans tell.
I knew it! Great prank, Gramsy.
You always pull off the best ones,
and the syrup was a delicious touch.
I wish all pranks involved syrup.
And top-notch stitching on this costume.
Thank you very much.
And that exceptional attention to detail
is exactly why I'm the DeGeneres family prank master.
DeGeneres family prank master?
That title comes with a trophy.
It's been in our family for generations.
It gets passed down to the best prankster.
The best prankster? Hmm...
I really got to get back to gardening.
No more New Orleans Nightmare for me.
I think it's time to out-prank the prank master.
You're going to out-prank Gramsy?
Are you sure you're not biting off more than you can chew?
I did that once.
Turns out there is such a thing as too much pizza.
Oh, I'm sure Gramsy is the best.
And if I want to make her proud,
I got to be the best of the best.
After all, she taught me every prank she knows.
To be the prank master,
I'm going to have to convince Gramsy
the New Orleans Nightmare is real.
And I need your help. Take these.
The New Orleans Nightmare is gonna help Gramsy garden?
And make some soup?
No, we're going to use this stuff to sound like the beast.
Once Gramsy hears the clacks and growls,
she'll definitely be convinced it's real.
[both giggling]
-[gurgling] -Huh?
-[gurgling] -What in the...
-[gurgling continues] -Ah!
You can't fool me that easily.
Aw, how'd you know it was us?
The true prankster always knows when she's being pranked.
Challenge accepted.
So, what are we gonna do now?
The scary sounds were a nice try.
But if I'm going to become prank master, I got to step it up.
It's slime time.
Gramsy! Hurry!
The New Orleans Nightmare broke into the kitchen and stole all of our beignets.
Whoa, Nelly, Elly-Belly!
[Ellen] See?
-What a mess! -Exactly.
The real New Orleans Nightmare is so messy and it must have gone this way.
Come on.
The trail leads to the bayou.
This must mean the New Orleans Nightmare is real, right?
Could be, or maybe...
you and Becky and Freckle made a slimy trail to prank me.
Um...
Gramsy, help! The New Orleans Nightmare, it slimed me!
I'm so sticky.
[sniffs] Do I smell Coconut Cougar
by Shampoo Paris?
The beast uses the same shampoo as me.
So we didn't prank you?
Nope. On the bright side, Becky's hair never looked shinier.
But I know you can do better.
Well, we tried.
Don't worry, El.
Your jokes are super funny to us.
This is no joke.
A joke makes you laugh.
This is a prank. A "gotcha"!
A prank is something people will talk about for generations.
Okay, so maybe you can become a prank master another time.
No way! I gotta become prank master today.
I'm so close.
I can feel that trophy in my hands.
Gramsy's right. I can do better
[growls]
[chuckles nervously]
Ugh! How am I gonna be the prank master if I can't out-prank Gramsy?
If it's a trophy you want,
a trophy you shall have.
Oh, it's about so much more than the trophy.
It's about being the best prankster in the family.
I think I finally figured out how to prank Gramsy,
and she's gonna be so proud of me, and I think I know how to make it work.
Very funny, Elly-Belly.
But a shadow isn't gonna fool me.
Ooh!
Slime too?
And the growl?
Aah!
-The New Orleans Nightmare! -[all yell]
Gotcha.
I'm not really scared.
I know It's my sweet second-place prankster Ellen in a costume.
Costume? What costume?
But if all three of you are here, then the New Orleans Nightmare...
-[growls] -[Gramsy] It's real?
Gramsy, save us!
-I'm too cute to be slimed! -Oh, no! What will we do?
-Get behind me. -It's okay, Gramsy, I'll save you.
-Ellen! -[growls]
Get back here!
[gasps]
[both giggling]
-[Gramsy] Dewey? -Gotcha!
I knew having Dewey dress up as the New Orleans Nightmare would convince you it was real.
You're right.
It did. [chuckles]
That was a blast.
Maybe I should start a new biz,
dressing up in beast costumes and scaring people.
Think there's a market for that?
[crickets chirping]
Okay, maybe not.
See y'all later.
Ellen, you pranked me better than anyone's ever pranked me before.
I've never been more proud.
-Really? -Yep.
And I once made it through movie trailers without finishing my popcorn.
[both gasp] Mm-mm.
It is my great honor to announce you, Ellen DeGeneres,
are the new DeGeneres family prank master.
I want to thank my best friends Becky and Freckle.
Without them, this prank wouldn't have been possible.
-Aw, shucks. -It was nothing.
And I especially want to thank you, Gramsy.
Prank you for teaching me your pranking ways.
I will be forever prankful.
[all laughing]
-You're a prank star, Ellen! -Right on!
-Aah! -[all laughing]
Whoa, you really are the best prankster of all time, Gramsy.
So, should I keep this?
No, prank you.
[all laughing]
[growls]
[theme music playing]