Ellen DeGeneres and Aussie wife Portia de Rossi take to Sydney stage for Down Under filming

SYDNEY – Ellen DeGeneres has been applauded by a rapturous Australian audience like a cherished part of the family as she introduced her Australian-born wife, Portia de Rossi, on a Sydney Harbour-side stage to begin recording Down Under segments for her popular U.S. TV show.

The Emmy Award-winning talk-show host arrived in Sydney on Friday with her mom, Betty DeGeneres, and de Rossi for a six-day filming trip to Australia.

Her 3,000 admirers were clearly delighted to be in the sun-bathed Royal Botanic Gardens near the Sydney Opera House for the two-hour recording on Saturday.

Guests included Oscar-winning actor and Sydney local Russell Crowe, who presented the 55-year-old host with two kangaroo-hide cattle whips.

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