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Flys Solo On And Off The Air
Interview by Chaunc� Hayden

Ryan Seacrest has proven that two heads are not always better than one. The Atlanta, Georgia native has easily handled the hosting duties of this season's "American Idol" minus his former co-host Brian Dunkelman. Not surprisingly, Seacreast along with Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson have recaptured the magic that propelled "American Idol" to the top of the television ratings heap last season. Of course a few dozen very talented (and not so talented) singers deserve some of the credit as well. Besides hosting "American Idol" Seacreast is currently the host of the No. 1 rated weekday afternoon talk show, "Ryan Seacrest for the Ride Home," on Los Angeles radio station Star 98.7 FM. He also has a live, nationally syndicated, 90-minute performance show, "Live From the Lounge," which launched in July 2001 and features music's biggest artists. Seacrest's additional television hosting credits include "EXTRA Weekends," "Ultimate Revenge," "Talk Soup," "Radio Music Awards" and "The New Edge." He has also served as a special correspondent for "The Tonight Show." By the way, Seacrest was recently named one of the 20 "Young Guns Under 30 Who Hold Hollywood's Future in Their Hands" by E! Online, and was called one of "LA's Sexiest People" by Los Angeles Magazine. I recently had the opportunity to talk to Ryan about his steady climb up the showbiz ladder and the growing rumors over his overzealous grooming habits.

Chaunce Hayden: Describe what these past two "American Idol" seasons have been like for you.

Ryan Seacreast: These past two years have essentially been my dream come true. It's surreal, because as a kid I always wanted to be both a big radio personality and also host a television show that people actually watch. Now I'm getting to do both!
That explains your early start.

I hear that you were only 16 years old when you got your first paid gig on the radio...

To me, I felt I had to wait too long! By 16 I was more than ready to get started. Even in high school I would read the morning announcements every day and I would treat it like it was my own radio show! (Laughs)

Describing you as ambitious would be an understatement...

Yeah! I've always been very ambitious, and I still am. Even as I speak to you now we just closed a deal on some other business which will be part of my company.

Other business?...

Well, it's an additional series that I created and will executive produce. I can't tell you when or where yet. But it will be the first show that I will executive produce for television in addition to hosting.

With so much success, I'm sort of surprised you're still showing up to do your radio show...

I love it! That's the bottom line.

Doesn't it hold you back?..

I don't think that it does. It's my addiction. I look forward to Mondays because I had to suffer through two days without doing my radio show. I absolutely love doing it! Sure, there was a time during "American Idol" where my radio contract actually came up and I didn't have to re-sign to pay my bills. But it would be dumb of me to leave radio when it's been part of my life for so long. I mean, who knows how long a television gig will last? You really have to take things with a grain of salt. "American Idol" is fantastic and I couldn't have wished for anything more, but it's not going to be this way forever. I want to be in this business for a long time. I don't want to do it for just 3 or 4 years. I want to be here for a long time. So I'm juggling all these balls to see which one sticks.

The show has made you a household name. How do you feel about that?...

It's a great thing for all of us. You would see right through me if I said to you, "Oh, I don't care if I do the show or not." Are you kidding? I want the show to do well and I want to keep my job and I want people to like me! Being a household name isn't such a bad thing. (Laughs)

Last season you co-hosted "American Idol" with Brian Dunkelman. This year you're flying solo. Is it better hosting the show alone?...

You tell me. Do you think it's better this way?

As far as making you a bigger star, I would say flying solo is the way to go, as long as you can handle the pressure...

The pressure doesn't bother me. I like pressure. I thrive on it. When we do these live shows, the adrenaline rush is a fun part of it for me. I think that comes from doing live radio shows all these years. I'm not a comedian or an actor; I'm a host. I'm a broadcaster. So it's easy for me to pilot the mechanics of "American Idol" alone. It's a little bit more difficult when you have to share responsibilities for one person to take a step and do the dance. I think that was clear when Brian and I worked together and I think we both recognized that. We both knew it was a bit awkward to have us both standing up there. He's a sarcastic comedian with a dry sense of humor and I'm not. I can't even tell a joke. So for "American Idol" I think I'm more comfortable having the control of all the moving parts that go into doing the show and not having to ask who's going to do what. It has nothing to do with the person. It's just simply the dynamic of the show.

You say you're not an actor. But I'm sure you've been offered acting roles. Am I right?...

Nothing huge. There was one movie role that was offered to me. It was just two days of shooting, but I couldn't work it into my schedule. So I've gotten a couple of calls to do cameos, but none of them have worked out yet.

I see you as a guest star on "Friends." What's your agent's phone number? (Laughs)...

That would be fun for me! It's certainly not what I wanted to do as a kid, but if it were offered I'd be dumb to say no.

How does this year's "American Idol" compare to last year's?...

Well last season we were all doing this for the first time, except for Simon Cowell and the executive producers from the UK. But for the rest of us it was all new. We knew the show was successful in the UK and we felt we'd be really lucky if we got close to that success here in America. Turned out we got that same success here in America. I think we were all a bit shocked by how the show took off. As we did it week in and week out we realized the show was working and that people loved the drama. America got very attached to the contestants on the show, and even me as the host got every attached to them.

There weren't any rules that the host can't befriend the contestants?...

Nope. I have nothing to do with the voting, so it's not a problem. In fact, I had the top 5 over my house for dinner last year. We all hung out and ordered food and talked like anybody else would talk with no bosses around. However, the judges aren't allowed any interaction with the contestants.

Speaking of the contestants, I don't know why anyone would put themselves through that kind of scrutiny. Especially from Simon...

The final group of contestants either step up and perform and meet the challenge or they drop out. We saw that with Kelly Clarkson. The Kelly Clarkson we saw during those final weeks of the series last season wasn't the same person we saw in the beginning. She really wasn't. Some of them get better and some of them get worse. Some of them actually respond to the pressure and others don't.

Do you think it's fair that the show booted Frenchie for appearing on a adult Web site when last season Nikki McKibbin was found out to have worked as a stripper yet she wasn't booted?...

(Long pause) If I knew all the information, I could probably answer that question better.

Am I putting you on the spot?...

No, it's fine. It's just that I don't know the entire background with Frenchie. If you asked Simon Cowell the same question I don't think he would have all the information to answer it either. We know that something out there instigated the background into this adult Web site. I think that the reason that the producers made a change was because they felt the information they had would hurt the rest of the competition. I think Frenchie was one of the most talented people in this group. Trust me, the producers would have done everything they could to have kept her in the competition because it's only good for the show. There must have been some sort of risk factor for her to be attached to a family show. There could be things out there that you and I just don't know about.

Such as?...

Pictures that could recirculate, et cetera. It could be anything, really. That said, she's fantastic! She should get a job and record a song. I think she'll be signed as a singer very quickly. Not Frenchie Davis from "American Idol" but Frenchie Davis the very talented singer who did something maybe she shouldn't have done in her past. The music business is extremely forgiving, so I think they'll be fine when all is said and done. The show was just trying to protect its "family show" reputation, and also Frenchie from having to answer some very tough questions every single week.

I understand what you're saying, but do you think she would have been booted off the show if she were an attractive white girl such as Nikki McKibbin?...

I don't think she would have been treated any differently regardless of her color or size. This woman was a star and one of the most talked-about contestants.

Being the host of the show and not a judge, do you get frustrated by some of the choices the judges make?...

It's difficult because I'm very opinionated. My daily life involves me talking about what's going on in the world and conveying my thoughts and opinions whether they're right or wrong. So sure, I judge people all the time just like the rest of us. So yes, it's a little difficult because it's not my place to give my opinion over the judges. But look, I'm hired for a specific role and I understand what that role is.

We hear so much about Simon, Paula, and Randy not getting along both on and off the air. What can you tell me about Paula and Simon's off-air relationship? Are they really at each others' throats?...

Yes! On and off camera. It's not a put on. They tease each other all the time but they also frustrate each other very much. I'm not around the two of them much more than the show. But I can tell when Paula is frustrated by something Simon says, and rightfully so sometimes. You can tell Simon is trying to press her buttons just to tick her off.

Paula might be overly sensitive for the gig...

I know Paula honest to God cares for the kids on the show. She'll actually spend time with them. Simon and Randy will leave the set when someone is eliminated but Paula will stay behind and talk to them and give them advice and really try to help. However, for Simon it's all business. He's just looking for a star and that's all he cares about. He wants to spend time with the winner and that's it. I think Paula nurtures them a bit more.

And Randy?...

Randy is pretty cool. But Paula really cares about the kids more than anyone.

Okay, let's talk about all the rumors. What's going on with your grooming habits?...

Even before I had this television show I always wanted to keep my shirt tucked in and look my best. That's just how I am. I always try to come across as together and as good as I can. Also, I've dated some women who have turned me on to some funny things that are strange for men to actually do. But these things have become part of my process. I think the things I do for my appearance help make me look better. I even color my hair because I like how it makes me look. But I invite criticism by confessing to the things I do for myself. But if you want to try to present yourself in the best way, then you're going to need a little help. And I don't deny that I need a little help.

The "Enquirer" reported that you got in trouble for injecting Botox into your forehead. Care to comment?...

I've never done Botox in my life. But I've probably tried everything else under the sun.

Since we're on a roll, let me just get this over with. You know there are rumors out there claiming that you're gay. Not that there's anything wrong with that ...but are you?...

I'm trying to think of the best way to describe the feeling I get when I hear about that particular rumor. I am a certain way. I am relatively clean cut and I do like to shop for clothes. If I had to break it down stereotypically, that would be a gay male habit. Well for me it's not. It's a straight male habit. I know a lot of gay males who I work with that are fantastic people and I love hanging out with them. But because I hang out and bring gay men into my life, does that mean that I'm gay? I promise you that I very much love women.

I know Playboy Playmate Brande Roderick will back your claim, if that helps...

(Laughs) Tell Howard Stern that! I've had a great time with Brande and many other women in my life. I'm pretty comfortable about talking about the things I enjoy in life, and I guess many of those things are categorized as things a gay man likes. But I just laugh at it all because it's so dumb! In Hollywood it seems that you're considered gay until proven otherwise! I mean, you can even be married and have kids in Hollywood and still not be considered straight.

So what you're trying to tell me is that you're very comfortable with your manhood...

Look, if I see Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise walking down the street, in my head as a man I can look at them and say, "F-k, that guy's good looking!" Many guys won't say it. But I'll just say it! "Look at him, that guy's absolutely beautiful and I have nothing on him." By saying those things people think I'm gay. But I'm not.

Okay, here's the test. You're in the L.A. Lakers locker room and standing a few feet from you is a naked Shaquille O'Neal. Do you look and check out what he's packing?...

Of course I'd look! I'd want to see if it's as big as he is! Trust me, if I were gay I'd be getting more action than I'm getting now.

Now you're lying...

I don't have the time to do as well as I would like to do. In that department I just don't have the time. I'm probably talking too much, but here's a sad story ... I don't think I've ever been in love. Ever! I think I thought I was while dating certain people. But looking back, I don't think I've ever been in love.

That is sad. Why do you think that is?...

I think it has to do with a combination of things. It has to do with my idiosyncrasies turning women off. Look, a lot of women would be turned off with hearing me say how hot I think Brad Pitt is! Know what I mean? So I probably don't help my cause.

It's sad you have nobody to share your success with...

You hit the nail right on the head. I just don't have that person in my life right now that I can't wait to see at the end of the day to celebrate with. I have friends that I love, but nobody that I really have to celebrate my success with.

What's your greatest fear?...

Having it all and then losing it and ending up on E! True Hollywood Story. Everyone in showbiz is driven by ego, so how do you go from having loads of fame to working at 7-11? You can't do it!

Finally, will there be a third "American Idol" for you?...

I would hope so. I haven't been offered it and we haven't negotiated it, but I would hope so.

Source: steppinoutmagazine.com

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