Ellens Bigger

The variety show format seems like a no-brainer for success - get someone with star power and surround them with a bunch of ringers and some weird people spinning plates or bending themselves into curious shapes, and voila! Instant hit, right? But there have been some spectacular failures in recent TV history. Maybe it's the fact that there are so many talent/reality shows now that a show with no "winner" or competition doesn't seem as interesting.

Somehow, despite all of that, Ellen DeGeneres has managed some success with the format, and is now on her third - Ellen's Bigger, Longer & Wider Show, on TBS Saturday at 9PM.

Perhaps it's the fact that it's on TBS, which means the stakes are slightly lower than on the main networks. Or the fact that DeGeneres brings a loyal fanbase from her Ellen DeGeneres Show and her stand-up. Those would be the reasons you would look for if you were an industry executive or a media critic.

It's called 'Ellen's Bigger, Longer and Wider Show' -- and Ellen DeGeneres' variety show, in its third year, promises to be just that.

As part of TBS' annual Very Funny Festival, Ellen heads to Chicago for an over-the-top night of live music, dancers, comedians and oddball acts that airs on Sat., June 27. Kanye West is set to perform; David Blaine will hit the streets to show off his unique brand of magic; and Nick Cannon will man the DJ booth.

The jokester chatted it up with AOL TV via conference call about leaving standup behind (for now), why she's such a fan of Adam Lambert and whether she and partner Portia de Rossi are planning to start a family anytime soon. -- By Katy Kroll