Ryan Seacrest
Ryan John Seacrest (born
December 24,
1974) is an
American radio and
television personality, most famous as the host of the reality-television talent-search series
American Idol.
Born in
Dunwoody,
Georgia, Seacrest began his broadcasting career at age 16 while still in high school as an evening radio host for
WSTR FM. He also hosted "teen night" at Green's nightclub on Peachtree Industrial Road in the Atlanta suburb of
Chamblee. While at Dunwoody High School, he led the morning announcements with
Mother Vinegar drummer
Kevin Cassels, a fellow 1993 graduate. Seacrest went on to attend the
University of Georgia, where he majored in journalism. An internship at a radio station led him to host his own local show.
At age 19, he dropped out of the University of Georgia and headed west to pursue a career in radio and television. There he hosted an afternoon radio program on the
Los Angeles radio station
KYSR, Star 98.7, from 1995 to 2003. One of his earliest jobs in the television business was as a host of
Click, a children's show.
Seacrest's first major television job was as the host of
The New Edge, a weekend morning show created by
CNET showcasing new technology. Later he was a co-host, with Yahoo's
Maria Sansone, of the syndicated
Gladiators 2000. During college, Seacrest hosted
ESPN's
Radical Outdoor Challenge program; this led him to a series of television hosting jobs which culminated in the position as co-host of the hit reality TV series
American Idol in 2002 with
Brian Dunkleman. The following year, Seacrest became the sole host. In 2003, he also hosted the
spin-off show,
American Juniors.
In January 2004, Seacrest launched a daily entertainment/variety/talk syndicated television program,
On Air With Ryan Seacrest. However, due to low
ratings, the show was cancelled and aired its last episode on
September 17,
2004. Also in 2004, Seacrest created a new sign-off phrase for himself, "Seacrest . . .
Out", with hopes that it would become a
catch phrase. Unfortunately, it was so poorly received that both the catch phrase and Seacrest became the targets of derision and lampooning; in 2006 he stopped using it.
On
January 10, 2004, Seacrest became the new host of the radio program
American Top 40, created and formerly hosted by
Casey Kasem, syndicated by
Premiere Radio Networks. Prior to taking over as host, Ryan was a substitute host four times in 2003 (during the final months of Kasem's tenure). Seacrest was often mistaken for being a comedian due to his deadpan one-liners.
In February 2004, Seacrest became host of popular
Los Angeles radio station
KIIS-FM's morning show, replacing long-time host
Rick Dees. This show, also named
On Air With Ryan Seacrest, remains on the air.
In January 2005, Seacrest hosted the "Celebration of Freedom" concert in
Washington, DC for
President George W. Bush, the Bush family and the
United States Military. [
1]
In late April 2005, Seacrest received a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame at the age of 30. The honor is typically bestowed upon successful performers in their peak or late in their career (40's to 70's). Thus, in contrast to the numerous legendary Hollywood stars that populate the walk, giving this honor to Seacrest (a man of limited entertainment credits) was not viewed by all as just. One response, in May 2005, generated a substantial amount of media attention. An anonymous
blogger using the pseudonym of "Assistant Atlas" [
2] offered a prize of $50 to anyone who could successfully defecate on Seacrest's Hollywood Walk of Fame star [
3].
In August 2005, it was announced that Seacrest would become executive producer and co-host of
Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve, and that he would be the legendary producer-host's eventual successor. [
4] On
December 31,
2005, Seacrest performed much of the show's hosting duties;
Dick Clark's role was limited due to speech and mobility challenges in his recovery from a
stroke.
Seacrest also occasionally serves as a substitute host on the cable television program
Larry King Live.
In January 2006, U.S. cable channel
E! announced a three-year/$21-millon deal for Seacrest to host and produce various programs, including
E! News and its
red carpet awards show coverages (
E!'s signature piece of original programming)[
5].
An
Associated Press profile portrayed Seacrest as using both this and the
Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve involvement as a springboard towards a long-lasting career in television production and ownership. He continues to live in
Los Angeles.[
6]
Seacrest has his own line of designer clothes, called the R Line.
In March 2006, he was photographed kissing actress
Teri Hatcher, but she later told
Access Hollywood that she was "not attached". [
7] Seacrest also stated on
The Ellen Degeneres Show on
May 2,
2006 that he "went out with Teri Hatcher a couple times, but that was it."
In April 2006, he won a
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Class Special for co-hosting the
2005 Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade with
Regis Philbin and
Kelly Ripa.
In a 2003 interview, Seacrest answered
gay rumors in an interview with the weekly entertainment magazine
Steppin' Out [
8]:
In May 2006,
Teri Hatcher insinuated Seacrest was gay on
Late Show with David Letterman. Earlier in the evening a gag with mother's gifts included a diamond studded heart which read "I'm gay." When Letterman asked "Whose type do you think he is?", she responded "I think there was a Mother's Day gift that he should buy," referencing the earlier joke.
On an episode of
On Air with Ryan Seacrest, where
Gene Simmons of
KISS was a guest, Simmons said that he was going to become a
rabbi but then he saw a girl jumprope and he changed his mind. Simmons then asked Seacrest if he went that way; Seacrest replied that he went
"both ways". There was then an awkward moment of silence, implying that Seacrest may be
bisexual.
American Top 40 - Host
Click - Host
E! News Live - Co-Host with
Giuliana DePandiGladiators 2000 - Co-Host with
Maria SansoneWild Animal Games - Host
The New Edge - Host
Ultimate Revenge - Host
Reality Check - Jack Craft, who was stuck in a computer.
The NBC Saturday Night Movie - Host
American Idol - Co-host, then Host
American Juniors - Host
On Air with Ryan Seacrest - Host, executive producer
Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve - Co-host, executive producer
Hey Arnold! - Fighting Families Host
Riverworld - Sam
Beverly Hills 90210E! News - Executive producer
Larry King Live - Guest host, substitute
Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade (2005) - Host
America's Party: Live from Las Vegas - Host
2003 Radio Music Awards - Co-host
Good Day Live - Guest host
NBC Saturday Night Movie - Host
Disneyland 2000: 45 Years of Magic - Host
*Seacrest's height is 5 ft 7.75 in (1.72 m) and is often made fun of his height on
The Soup.
*He is a fan of the
Atlanta Braves professional baseball team.
*
Official website*
Larry King Live interview
