Ellen DeGeneres kicked off her two-hour 60th birthday celebration on The Ellen DeGeneres Show with its highest rated episode in nearly 3 years (3.4 household rating).

The birthday bash also ranked No. 1 in its time period among adults and women 25-54 in the Top 3 markets — New York (1.6/13 adults 25-54 rating / share), Los Angeles (1.4/12) and Chicago (1.2/10).

The first day of Ellen’s 60th birthday celebration on Thursday featured former First Lady Michelle Obama, making her first TV interview since leaving the White House. Other guests included Modern Family’s Sofia Vergara, upcoming Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel, Jamie Foxx, and Chance the Rapper.

Ellen’s wife Portia de Rossi announced The Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, describing it was the first initiative of the newly launched The Ellen DeGeneres Wildlife Fund protecting and advocating for the world’s most vulnerable animals and wildlife.

DeGeneres’ daytime program’s birthday special continues Friday with Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Hart and Channing Tatum, and audience comprised of participants in Ellen’s #OneMillionActsOfGood campaign.