Ryan Seacrest burst on the Los Angeles/Hollywood scene before he was even 20-years-old, already having had D.J. experience in his native Atlanta. From a beginning with ESPN, he graduated to hosting American Idol and the American Idol reboot.
He's one busy guy, doing Live with Kelly and Ryan, E! Live From the Red Carpet, and Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve.
He moved into producing shows via his Ryan Seacrest Productions. That's where the big money is. And, to his credit, he has given the world Keeping Up With the Kardashians.
Let's face it. The guy can do it all. He's a D.J., a host, a chat show boffin, a red carpet interviewer, and a producer. Here are 15 little known things about Ryan Seacrest's rise to fame (and fortune).
Ryan John Seacrest was born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1974. Forget G.I. Joe, little Ryan, microphone in hand would prance around the house entertaining anyone who would listen. His mother told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Ryan would always have a little microphone and do shows in the house." He started early.
14 A Station Hired Him As A DJ When He Was Still In High School
In high school, he worked as a kind of intern at a local radio station. When a DJ called in sick, Ryan sat in for him and ended up with a regular night time DJing gig while he was still in high. His energy, personality, and sense of fun kept them coming back for more. By the time he graduated high school, he had a good amount of experience behind him.
13 19 And Hosting On ESPN
After a brief stint at the University of Georgia, Seacrest moved to Los Angeles to pursue a media career. By the time he was 19-years-old, he was fronting ESPN's Radical Outdoor Challenge. He also hosted Gladiator 2000. By the time American Idol happened in 2002 Ryan's CV showed nearly 20 years of radio and TV experience.
12 2002 And American Idol Came Calling
Seacrest was making a name for himself, as a charismatic, energetic, and articulate host that audiences could identify with. So, in 2002 he was a natural as the co-host of FOX's American Idol singing competition show. He was cute handsome and, besides, he and Simon Cowell had this hate-hate thing going on that audiences loved. By 2003, he was hosting the show on his own. A star is born.
11 One More Time And The Idol Reboot
American Idol breathed its last on FOX in 2016. But by 2018 it was back on ABC, with guess who as host, and new judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie. Seacrest, who was also doing Live with Kelly and Ryan was being called the "busiest man in show business". Do you realize the man has fronted around 560 American Idol shows?
10 Reason For Success No. 1: The Guy Can Do It All And Then Some
He's a DJ par excellence. He does stand up TV hosting, everything from action sports to reality shows. He stands on a red carpet mike in hand and does celebrity interviews. And he sits on sofas and chit chats and laughs. It called an all-rounder. Add to that a handsome face, an exuberant personality, and a winning smile and what have you got? A winner. A rich winner. The guy's worth $430 million.
9 Reason For Success No. 2: Genuine Charisma And Charm
One of the things that was his making on American Idol was his likeability. People were drawn to him, liked him, empathized with him when he went head to head with nasty old Simon Cowell. He has a presence, has had it from the time when, as a little tot, he walked around the house with a mike in hand. You can't fake that. You either got it or you don't. And our Ryan has it in spades.
8 Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve
Dick Clark was an iconic DJ, the face of the 1960s American teenage record and dance scene. In 1973, he started broadcasting and hosting Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin's Eve show from New York City's Times Square. It was, and is, hugely popular. By 2006, an elderly and stroke-ridden Clark turned over his mike to Ryan Seacrest. As it now stands, the show will continue rockin' through 2024.
7 Hitting The Red Carpet For E!
Big celebrities want to talk to big celebrities. So, E! hit upon a winning formula when it decided to used Ryan Seacrest to conduct red carpet interviews. Beginning in 2006, Seacrest hosted E! Live From the Red Carpet, interviewing the great and the good in advance of the Academy Award, Emmy, Grammy, and Golden Globe Awards. Did we mention, it's produced by Ryan Seacrest Productions? Big bucks for our Ryan.
6 Live With Kelly And Ryan
It's staggering to think that Kelly Ripa has done over 2,500 episodes of the morning talk show! Her newest co-host (since 2017) is none other than Ryan Seacrest, succeeding a long distinguished list of hosts including Regis Philbin and Kathie Lee Gifford. The critics don't think much of it, but it's a popular format of coffee mugs and cozy chat. Still, it's a far cry from the red carpet.
5 The Producer: Ryan Seacrest Productions
Behind the camera is where the money is in show business. And Ryan being the smart cookie he knows that. So, when he signed his deal with E! in 2006, he also set up Ryan Seacrest Productions. His company has produced Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution and Shahs of Sunset. Wait. Isn't there another famous franchise he's associated with?
4 2007: Keeping Up With The Kardashian Gold
Series Producer Seacrest has called KUWTK (jokingly we hope) his biggest contribution to the world. He claims that when Larry King asked everybody at one of his dinner parties to say what their biggest contribution was, Ryan said the Kardashians. The scary thing? All those celebrities and world leaders knew what he was talking about!
3 Distinction: Selling Tight-Fitting Suits At Macy's
In between radio shows, KUWTK, Live with Kelly and Ryan, and American Idol, Ryan decided to pair with Macy's and come up with the "Distinction" line of "fitted" (tight") suits and accessories. Expect to pay upwards of $150, unless a sale is on. There are suits, tuxes, ties, vests, and other accessories.
2 Those Harassment Charges
A stylist accused Seacrest of "inappropriate" behavior towards her. He claimed she was trying to get money out of him. At the end of the day E! found in his favor. Suzie Hardy was not a happy camper, but the allegations were ten years old and there simply was no evidence to support her claims. Seacrest had had, until her allegations, a squeaky clean image.
1 Giving Back: The Ryan Seacrest Foundation
This is such a cool idea! The foundation builds radio and TV studios in children's hospitals, allowing sick kids to host their own shows, interview celebrities, and play DJ for the afternoon. It started in Atlanta in 2010 and now totals 10 studios. The 10 studios are called Seacrest Studios. They even offer Internships to media students.