Ellen DeGeneres took over NBC Chicago during a live evening newscast as part of the TBS Presents a "Very Funny" Festival: Just for Laughs.

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"Ellen surprised local newscasters with a visit to the station and a live appearance on the evening news (Monday)," TBS said in a release Tuesday. "She spent time behind the news desk and gave her own unique weather report."

DeGeneres is in town to tape her fourth variety show for TBS, "Ellen's Somewhat Special Special," on Wednesday.

In a phone interview last week to promote the program, which will air on TBS June 27, DeGeneres hinted she planned to break into a major building in Chicago and shoot a taped piece to air on the special.

Asked if it would be the Tribune Tower, DeGeneres replied, "I'm not going to tell you because then they'll be ready for me and they won't let me in."

TBS Presents a "Very Funny" Festival: Just for Laughs is to take place at 17 Chicago venues with more than 100 comedians participating.

Running from Tuesday through Saturday, the festival will feature Cedric The Entertainer as host of Cedric The Entertainer's Urban Circus, while Andy Richter and Reggie Watts are to be among the talents as Team Coco presents "Conan's Writers Live Hosted by Andy Richter."

Also slated to perform at the festival are Russell Peters, Denis Leary, Greg Giraldo, Jim Norton, Aziz Ansari, Patton Oswalt, Tim Meadows, Adam Carolla, JB Smoove as his character Leon Black, Rob Corrdry, and George Wendt, Tim Kazurinsky and other comedy greats from the Second City class of '79.