Did we all have the same reaction to yesterday’s announcement that Ryan Seacrest would be hosting the Emmys? Something along the lines of, Oh god, he’s not going to do a monologue, is he? Thankfully, the answer is no. Seacrest tells Variety, "I don’t feel like I need to do a song and dance and 15 minutes of jokes. The way I’m looking at the whole show, it’s about elevating everyone on their night, as opposed to making it my night … I’m not going to pretend to be something I’m not. I plan to honor the class and the heritage of the Emmy."
There are many things wrong with that statement:
1. "I don’t feel like I need to do a song and dance and 15 minutes of jokes." I agree that you don’t need to do that, Ryan, but someone does. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not that fun to sit and watch other people accept awards for four hours. We need entertainment.
2. "It’s about elevating everyone on their night…" This is a phrase audiences never want to hear. They are stars. In formal wear. Accepting awards. They’re elevated enough. Again, make it about entertaining us.
3. "I plan to honor the class and the heritage of the Emmy." Sounds good in theory, but you’re on Fox, Seacrest, the official network of self-promotion (see also: your gig hosting the Super Bowl). Do not, under any circumstances, let them talk you into another round of Emmy Idol.
Anyhow, we all know this is a heinous idea, but now that the decision is made, can you think of any other ways Fox could make the night a little less painful? And what could Super Seacrest, who’ll also be a part of E!’s pre-Emmy coverage, do that won’t annoy you? (After all, the guy’s competent enough on Idol, it’s just these Fox hosting gigs have got to stop.)
Help Seacrest not destroy the Emmys
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Comments (1-30) of 64 Add your comment
My advice to Ryan is to not do it. Ryan, you are going to be so over exposed in the next year with Idol, E, your talk show, the Superbowl (ha), and now the Emmy’s.
expect a backlash, people are going to get tired of seaing your face and hearing your voice.
Heck, it even happened to Tom Hanks back in the late 80’s when he had four movies a year…they all started to bomb till he went away and we wanted to see him again.
My advice: resign and let Conan O’Brien take your place. He did a fantastic job last year and was the best awards show host of the past decade. (Yes, I know this year the Emmys are on Fox, so that’s why they went with their boy Seacrest, but still..)
Just as long as he keeps the faux-making out with Teri Hatcher to a minimum, I’ll be fine.
(note: typo. On the first sentence says “Did we all had the same reaction”)
I’m not a Ryan Seacrest fan, but the way I look at it, Mandi, if you’re so opposed to the idea, then I’m glad he’s hosting the Emmys. Anything that annoys critics THAT MUCH is worthwhile. Go Seacrest and may Paula Abdul host the Emmys next year!
I probably won’t watch the Emmys anyway. Any award show that nominates Two and a Half Men, and not Battlestar Galactica is not for me.
I think Seacrest is already overexposed, and I don’t even watch American Idol. As far as I’m concerned, any show that opts to recognize Two and a Half Men (as Louise pointed out) doesn’t have a whole lot of credibility in the first place.
I don’t know about the rest of America, but I’m on Ryan Seacrest overload. Seriously, Fox, letting Seacrest host is not going to make the kids tune in to an awards show. I agree with Ceballos that Conan O’Brien was the best host of the last decade. I cannot remember an Emmys that I enjoyed half as much as when he hosted last year.
Does Seacrest need to be kicked in his “American Idol” in order to smile correctly? He looks like a monkey!
Uggh! I hate this guy! Who are they going to get next year, Sanyaja?
Another problem I have: What Emmy class and heritage?
Let the Emmys burn!
A slong as there’s no uncomfortable banter between him and Simon, then it should me almost tolerable.
Think he’ll rip open anyone’s top, like he did Kathy Griffin at the AMAs that time?
Actually, Seacrest hosting could be a good thing, if only for the comedy GOLD that Griffin will make out of it.
This man does nothing but talk to celebrities. Oh wait, he flashed his boxers during the Oscars. This years Emmys sounds like it will include a lot of inflation of actors egos and much boredom for me. I don’t usually watch any awards show (except the Oscars, to see how right my predictions are) but the opening of the 2006 Emmys was pretty funny. Conan was not bothering to uphold the “prestige” of the awards and it worked for me. (What on Fox has prestige now a days?) They threatened to kill Bob Newhart if the show ran long, for Heaven’s sake.
My advice to Seacrest: Put yourself in the glass box they had Newhart in and wait out the three hour supply of oxygen. I can stop wondering why I should care about you and you can go interview celebrities up on the giant red carpet in the sky. On second thought, do every award show you can get your paws on, the Oscars, the Emmys, the Grammys, every freaking voting show on TV. By the year end, you will have commited career suicide.
I think we can all agree that Seacrest ain’t no slacker, but I think he needs to step back and maybe choose one or two jobs. He literally is all over the place. Maybe he is a clone or something, but radio show, E channel, Emmy’s, football (? Seacrest? Football?), AI, what’s next, the food network? PBS? Mr. Seacrest’s Neighborhood? I remember when he was a date on blind date..it was in atlanta, GA a few years ago, anyone remember that?
No Idol jokes! Everyone knows where you work Ryan, so for the love of Zeus, don’t compare Simon’s man-boobage to any of the female nominees and do not induct any winners to Randy’s “dawg” pound. But the biggest land mine to avoid: DO NOT attempt to reveal any of the winners….after the break!
Someone please make him go away. He’s already ruined the red carpet. Must he ruin the entire night?
why is this guy even popular? he’s hardly that good looking & he’s apparently not smart enough to play to the audience instead of stars w/ already big egos. & i dont watch idol b/c i cant stand reality tv, but maybe he’s better on their b/c the teleprompter is more interesting to read. the writers at fox could use some more interesting stuff…
While he never would have been my first choice, I actually do like the guy (I listen to his radio show every morning) and he has significant hosting experience that could make the show run a lot more smoothly than in years past. Also, I would assume that they’ll have TV talents and comedians contribute sketches as well as a (probably pre-recorded) opening sketch as well. That could really work out well, too; if you give each comedian/personality one chance on the show to entertain, s/he will always put out his/her best work. Not so if they’re forced to fill the whole show with jokes and sketches. I don’t think there’s any need to worry; this is FOX and they’re going to bomb you with entertainment until you’re shell shocked.
Let’s just hope ‘The Sopranos’ wins Best Drama.
There is nothing that can be done to fix it. The Emmys are now officially beyond hope. It’s as if the Oscars hired Melissa Rivers to host and the best picture nominees were Transformers, Harry Potter and Spiderman. Once the Emmys find a host with talent and nominees that are truly deserving then maybe I’ll watch again.
The Brian Dumbeldore guy, who hosted Idol with him in season 1, must be kicking himself now.
I’ll say the same thing I said yesterday when he was announced. There is no God!
Maybe his opening could show him waking up with George Clooney? I think that’s been done elsewhere. Maybe Tony Shaloub? And please, for God’s sake, no Simon is a “mean man” and Paula is goofy jokes. Find somewhere else to mine “comic” material.
This announcment just removes all doubt from my mind about maybe, just maybe, giving in and watching the Emmys this year. I was already mad about the lousy/nonexistent nominations, now, there’s no way in heck I’ll watch it!
Liza, that would be Brian Dunkelman who left to be a comedian-correction,an UNfunny comedian. I say that the Emmy people should have chosen the current host of “Talk Soup” who is beyond funny as well as entertaining.
You can’t destroy something that hasn’t been relevant for the past decade.
Thanks Stephanie,
I’m sure I could have found his name if I had Googled it. But somehow I saw that as a waste of my time. I hope you knew it off by heart, and didn’t waste your valuable time looking for it.
Fox should take advantage of this to have the entertainment be provided by a combo of former American Idol contestants and the recent contestants of So You Think You Can Dance. If the right person choreographs and organizes, it could be good and very appropriate for an awards show. It could depict different nominated shows or something. The Oscars do stuff like that, why not the Emmy’s?
To paraphrase an old Hollywood putdown: Seacrest would host the opening of a Diet Coke. I halfway expect him to be shaking hands with people entering an indian casino is ten years.
Honestly, as long as Jenna Fischer wins for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy, I don’t really care about the rest. I’ll miss Conan, but I think it’d be more cringe-worthy than watching Jan’s breakdown on The Office seeing Seacrest try to be funny. I’m glad he realizes his limits.