AceShowbiz -

"Trust" is the key to Ellen DeGeneres' relationship with her fans. The comedian gave one of her audience members a lesson on honesty by calling her out on her show, for stealing "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" merchandise.

DeGeneres played footage from a hidden camera set on a table of free merchandise. Before the taping of the show, fans were allowed to take one of the items, which included shot glasses, mugs, T-shirts and hats.

DeGeneres applauded a woman who chose to take one item for free and said she would go back and buy a hat since she couldn't decide between two items. DeGeneres eventually gave her the hat she wanted for free.

But another woman, who was later identified as Nancy, took several items. "No one will see it," she's heard telling her friend. "My sister couldn't come, so that was her souvenir," she tried to explain, but the host didn't accept her excuse. "A lot of people's sisters couldn't come," DeGeneres said.

Nancy was called onto the stage to sit in the "Ellen chair" for the rest of the taping as her punishment.