"Hacks" acknowledges Ellen DeGeneres' broad influence by having its star comic Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) open her show on a lesbian cruise by dancing awkwardly to Pharrell's "Happy." This is uncharacteristic of Deborah, and her writing partner and protégé Ava (Hannah Einbinder) knows it. Seeing the first shimmy makes Ava blurt, "Ohhh no . . ." as she recognizes the mimicry.
"She's doing Ellen."
