Ryan Seacrest says he’s busier than ever
NEW YORK » Most folks have slowed down in the past nine months but Ryan Seacrest says he’s been juggling more than usual during the pandemic.
His regular TV and radio gigs as a co-host on “Live with Kelly and Ryan” and his syndicated “On Air With Ryan Seacrest” radio show continue, despite lockdown. On weekends there were tapings for what he calls “the singing show” (otherwise known as ABC’s “American Idol. “)
“There were also a lot of requests to do extra specials and things for our partners (such as hosting the successful ‘Disney Family Sing Along’ programs) because everyone was going through a tough time,” said Seacrest, 46, in an interview from the radio studio he built in the basement of the “Live” set. “We leaned into doing as much as we could.”
His commute from the morning talk show to radio gig is one minute, but Seacrest is still splits time between New York and Los Angeles.
He is back at New York’s Times Square tonight to once again front “Dick Clark New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.” Seacrest will count down to 2021 with the help of actors Lucy Hale and Billy Porter. Ciara will co-host from Los Angeles. Jennifer Lopez is also scheduled to perform from New York. The broadcast is closed to the public due to the pandemic, but a select group of front line workers have been invited to watch.
“It may feel a little different on the ground, but I think on the air it’s still going to have that celebratory component to it,” Seacrest said. “Most of us can’t go anywhere, so we’re going to really try to put on a good show.”
He’s so comfortable with
hosting that Seacrest gets a thrill out of the curveballs that can pop up. He and Ripa purposely walk onto the “Live” set seconds before show time because, he says, “there’s something fun about that.”
He also admits he’s hoped for bad weather during past New Year’s Eve broadcasts because it would pose a challenge and “gives you something to talk about.”
Of all his work, Seacrest says the most important is his nonprofit Ryan Seacrest Foundation, which is run by his parents and sister. They’ve opened 11 broadcast studios, named Seacrest Studios, in children’s hospitals throughout the country to give the kids a positive distraction. The studios give young patients a taste of producing a radio or television show, with the occasional celebrity guest.
With the little downtime Seacrest does have, he’s become passionate about olive oil. Yes, olive oil.
“My hobby is growing olive trees, and I’m going to make olive oil,” he said. “I’m studying how to make organic olive oil in my real life ... and it’s been a fascination of mine. I find that, you know, there’s so many different health benefits to olive oil. And I got obsessed with the trees. And I’ve been reading books on how to farm the olives.”