LOS ANGELES

Ellen DeGeneres relishes what her daytime show has given viewers in its nearly two-decade run, a blend of the silly, sometimes earnest and, particularly in the last few years, a respite from hard times.

She’s also acknowledges that who she is counts for a lot — a TV host with wide appeal who is lesbian and married — but would like to see the distinction rendered moot.

“It shouldn’t be any different than someone who has a talk show who’s a heterosexual person. But it does mean something, and I am proud of that. I’m really thankful,” DeGeneres said.

She decided it was time to end “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” after 19 years and, before she dances off the daytime stage, is celebrating with high-profile guests. Among them: Jennifer Lawrence, Mila Kunis and Bruno Mars, with Jennifer Aniston, Billie Eilish and Pink on the Thursday, May 26, finale.

With taping recently concluded, DeGeneres could heed the advice offered by another famous ex-talk show host and her friend, Oprah Winfrey, who’s on the episode airing Tuesday. Winfrey suggested to DeGeneres that she take time off.

Will she?

“Define ‘time off’,” DeGeneres said, wryly. She’s busy with one of her passions, remodeling houses, and will travel to Rwanda to visit an impressive birthday present from her actor-wife, Portia de Rossi: The recently completed Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, a sprawling headquarters for the gorilla conservation project named for the late scientist.