1 00:00:01,920 --> 00:00:06,760 Speaker 1: You're listening to Math and Magic, a production of iHeartRadio. 2 00:00:08,360 --> 00:00:11,360 Speaker 2: I think at the core what I get excited about, 3 00:00:11,400 --> 00:00:13,880 Speaker 2: what gets me up in the morning is connecting with 4 00:00:14,480 --> 00:00:18,520 Speaker 2: people in an unscripted, unvarnished way. Is getting to say 5 00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:21,400 Speaker 2: something to them, here back from them. Know that I'm 6 00:00:21,440 --> 00:00:23,800 Speaker 2: part of the routine, and I look forward to getting 7 00:00:23,800 --> 00:00:24,200 Speaker 2: on the air. 8 00:00:26,239 --> 00:00:29,400 Speaker 3: Welcome to Math and Magic, Stories from the Frontiers of Marketing. 9 00:00:29,720 --> 00:00:31,960 Speaker 3: I'm Bob Pittman, and on this episode, we're going to 10 00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:35,640 Speaker 3: chat with one of the world's most famous workaholics. Often 11 00:00:35,680 --> 00:00:41,879 Speaker 3: called the hardest working person in showbiz, he covers the spectrum, host, producer, promoter, 12 00:00:42,080 --> 00:00:45,760 Speaker 3: owner of radio and TV shows, events and products, entrepreneur, investor, 13 00:00:46,159 --> 00:00:49,560 Speaker 3: and a generous philanthropist. He's best known for his long 14 00:00:49,640 --> 00:00:52,440 Speaker 3: running stint as the host of American Idol. He's on 15 00:00:52,520 --> 00:00:56,480 Speaker 3: season twenty two and twenty years with us at iHeart 16 00:00:56,680 --> 00:01:01,120 Speaker 3: the iconic morning personality on LA's Kiss, and on air 17 00:01:01,160 --> 00:01:04,960 Speaker 3: with Ryan Seacrest on over one hundred radio stations nationwide. 18 00:01:05,440 --> 00:01:09,080 Speaker 3: Ryan is an almost Christmas baby from Atlanta, Georgia, but 19 00:01:09,200 --> 00:01:12,280 Speaker 3: is probably best known as part of the Hollywood establishment 20 00:01:12,319 --> 00:01:14,959 Speaker 3: for decades. Most people we talked to a math at 21 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:18,240 Speaker 3: Magic had a childhood ambition that got disrupted for the 22 00:01:18,240 --> 00:01:22,080 Speaker 3: path they eventually took. Not Ryan, he has done what 23 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:25,440 Speaker 3: he originally dreamed of doing and then some. He has 24 00:01:25,480 --> 00:01:29,560 Speaker 3: impeccable instincts, plus do organizational skills and discipline to bring 25 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:33,600 Speaker 3: them to life. The Kardashians New Year's Eve on ABC, 26 00:01:33,800 --> 00:01:37,240 Speaker 3: six years of Live with Kelly and Ryan, American Top forty, 27 00:01:37,520 --> 00:01:41,160 Speaker 3: the iHeartRadio Music Festival, and coming soon he takes over 28 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:44,520 Speaker 3: as the host of the legendary Wheel of Fortune place. 29 00:01:44,520 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 3: He's on the radio every morning, no matter what, How 30 00:01:48,280 --> 00:01:48,920 Speaker 3: does he do it all? 31 00:01:48,960 --> 00:01:49,360 Speaker 4: And why? 32 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:51,680 Speaker 3: We'll dig into that in a few minutes. He's also, 33 00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:55,320 Speaker 3: by the way, a great guy and a good friend. Ryan. Welcome, 34 00:01:55,440 --> 00:01:58,280 Speaker 3: congrats on thanks for twenty years at iHeart. 35 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:01,920 Speaker 4: Thank you. I'm thrilled to be Bob, my fellow Capricorn friend. 36 00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:04,840 Speaker 3: Before we jump into the media topics, I want to 37 00:02:04,880 --> 00:02:06,400 Speaker 3: do you in sixty seconds. 38 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:10,160 Speaker 4: You ready? Okay? Great? Do you prefer cats or dogs? Dogs? 39 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:15,360 Speaker 3: Early Riser Night Out Early Riser New York or Los 40 00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:20,200 Speaker 3: Angeles by Coastal Coca Pepsi Coca Cola, Atlanta boy Here, 41 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:24,960 Speaker 3: Rock and Roller, country, country, coffee or tea so much 42 00:02:25,400 --> 00:02:31,359 Speaker 3: black coffee. Reality TV or TV dramas, Reality TV cook 43 00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:32,000 Speaker 3: or eat out? 44 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:36,760 Speaker 4: Cook and eat out, but I cook? Radio or TV? Well, 45 00:02:36,840 --> 00:02:40,720 Speaker 4: are you the chairman of iHeart radio? And I like TV? 46 00:02:42,000 --> 00:02:46,760 Speaker 4: Comedy or drama? Drama? Selfie or autograph? Autograph? This is 47 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:47,800 Speaker 4: going to get really hard. 48 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:52,600 Speaker 2: All time favorite music artists Frank Sinatra, first job, Radio, 49 00:02:52,919 --> 00:02:56,960 Speaker 2: Favorite TV show from your childhood, Growing Pains, The Love Boat, 50 00:02:57,000 --> 00:02:59,680 Speaker 2: Beverly Hills, nine oh two, one Ohero. I can't choose 51 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:04,239 Speaker 2: smartest person you know? My father, childhood hero. I'm my 52 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:08,480 Speaker 2: father as well. Favorite sport to watch football, Favorite city 53 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:11,560 Speaker 2: Atlants in New York, Los Angeles, I mean all of 54 00:03:11,560 --> 00:03:12,280 Speaker 2: my affiliates. 55 00:03:13,120 --> 00:03:18,080 Speaker 4: A favorite place to visit Italy. And secret talent is 56 00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:22,119 Speaker 4: still searching. Okay, let's jump in. 57 00:03:22,880 --> 00:03:26,079 Speaker 3: Anytime I talk with anyone about you, the first words 58 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:29,280 Speaker 3: out of their mouth are, he's a great guy. No 59 00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:33,360 Speaker 3: one ever calls you temperamental talent. How did you navigate 60 00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:37,040 Speaker 3: all you've done and not turn into the Hollywood prima Donna? 61 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:40,480 Speaker 2: Well, I'm flattered to hear that people say that when 62 00:03:40,520 --> 00:03:44,240 Speaker 2: I'm not around, I think for me, it's just honesty 63 00:03:44,280 --> 00:03:46,320 Speaker 2: and simple this is what I always wanted to do. 64 00:03:47,040 --> 00:03:49,080 Speaker 2: I dreamt of doing what I get to do every 65 00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:52,200 Speaker 2: single day, and I remind myself of how it felt 66 00:03:52,200 --> 00:03:54,400 Speaker 2: when I didn't do it, and that drive, that how 67 00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:58,160 Speaker 2: that fire I had in my belly beforehand, and so 68 00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:00,600 Speaker 2: to have the privilege of doing it every day, I 69 00:04:00,680 --> 00:04:05,200 Speaker 2: remind myself to be grateful and treat it in such 70 00:04:05,240 --> 00:04:05,520 Speaker 2: a way. 71 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:11,960 Speaker 3: So, how has been a good reasonable guy helped your career? 72 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:17,560 Speaker 2: Well? I think people appreciate relationships in any business, especially 73 00:04:17,600 --> 00:04:21,880 Speaker 2: in our business. I think people appreciate kindness and authenticity. 74 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:25,000 Speaker 2: And I hope to think that people who I've met 75 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:27,960 Speaker 2: and didn't have an opportunity to do something with right 76 00:04:27,960 --> 00:04:31,200 Speaker 2: away later we came back and we were eventually able 77 00:04:31,240 --> 00:04:34,600 Speaker 2: to collaborate because we maintained a good, friendly, kind relationship. 78 00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:37,680 Speaker 3: Although I read a long list of things you do, 79 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:41,200 Speaker 3: the truth is that that's just a sampling of all 80 00:04:41,279 --> 00:04:43,920 Speaker 3: you do. Did you intend to do all those things 81 00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:46,320 Speaker 3: or did it just sneak up on you. I never 82 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:50,880 Speaker 3: intended to do all of those things. I wanted to 83 00:04:50,920 --> 00:04:54,200 Speaker 3: move to Los Angeles when I was growing up in Atlanta. 84 00:04:54,360 --> 00:04:55,880 Speaker 2: I had a dream to do that. When I was 85 00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:58,280 Speaker 2: a teenager. I made that dream come true. When I 86 00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:01,640 Speaker 2: was nineteen, still a teenage, I studied the work of 87 00:05:02,600 --> 00:05:07,760 Speaker 2: Merv Griffin Dick Clark, both guys who had a radio 88 00:05:07,800 --> 00:05:13,600 Speaker 2: and TV career and both entrepreneurs and both asset owners, 89 00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:16,839 Speaker 2: and both very very smart but also very good presenters 90 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 2: on air. And I watched how they maneuvered the skills 91 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:24,120 Speaker 2: of business and the skills of performance and what that 92 00:05:24,160 --> 00:05:28,800 Speaker 2: intersection was for them, And in my head I felt, Okay, 93 00:05:28,839 --> 00:05:33,279 Speaker 2: if I could take baby steps towards those paths, maybe 94 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:35,560 Speaker 2: it would be the career that I'm looking for and 95 00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:37,480 Speaker 2: be fulfilling to me. But I didn't know how it 96 00:05:37,480 --> 00:05:39,480 Speaker 2: would all come together. I didn't know what the pieces 97 00:05:39,520 --> 00:05:41,839 Speaker 2: of the puzzle necessarily would be. 98 00:05:42,960 --> 00:05:49,359 Speaker 3: Simple question here on your personality. Do you love complexity 99 00:05:49,400 --> 00:05:52,000 Speaker 3: and what happens to you if you don't have enough 100 00:05:52,040 --> 00:05:52,320 Speaker 3: to do? 101 00:05:52,960 --> 00:05:57,000 Speaker 2: Maybe I love complexity, but I also love simplicity in 102 00:05:57,040 --> 00:06:00,200 Speaker 2: the form of efficiency. When I was growing up, was 103 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:04,480 Speaker 2: always very very busy and hustling and rushing to the 104 00:06:04,520 --> 00:06:07,160 Speaker 2: next thing, and at the time that was you know, 105 00:06:07,240 --> 00:06:08,960 Speaker 2: I played football, believe it or not, as a kid, 106 00:06:09,120 --> 00:06:10,599 Speaker 2: and so we get up early, we go to the 107 00:06:10,600 --> 00:06:12,560 Speaker 2: weight room before class, we go to class, we go 108 00:06:12,600 --> 00:06:14,720 Speaker 2: to practice afterwards, then after that there'd be a four 109 00:06:14,839 --> 00:06:16,440 Speaker 2: h meeting or some sort of clug we'd have to 110 00:06:16,440 --> 00:06:20,239 Speaker 2: go to. Now remember my days being filled and loving 111 00:06:20,839 --> 00:06:23,200 Speaker 2: that sort of velocity in the day, And I think 112 00:06:23,200 --> 00:06:27,680 Speaker 2: I conditioned myself to thrive on motion and movement and 113 00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:31,120 Speaker 2: create emotion from that kind of motion. And so as 114 00:06:31,160 --> 00:06:35,040 Speaker 2: an adult, and as I put my professional life together, 115 00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:39,360 Speaker 2: I thought, how can I, if given the opportunity, do 116 00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:42,359 Speaker 2: multiple things, probably because I also have the fear of 117 00:06:42,440 --> 00:06:44,840 Speaker 2: all of it going away at some point, but do 118 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:49,120 Speaker 2: multiple things in the most efficient way so that it 119 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:52,680 Speaker 2: can be stacked into a morning, an afternoon, an evening, 120 00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:57,480 Speaker 2: a day a week, and create a formula that allows 121 00:06:57,520 --> 00:07:01,440 Speaker 2: me to jump into different roles, which I find very exciting. 122 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:05,200 Speaker 3: So do you think of your schedule as hectic or stimulating? 123 00:07:05,720 --> 00:07:08,560 Speaker 2: Well, when I read it, it's hectic, But then when 124 00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:13,080 Speaker 2: I get into it, I do find it exhilarating and stimulating. 125 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:17,480 Speaker 2: And I prefer and I like the momentum the schedule 126 00:07:17,640 --> 00:07:18,320 Speaker 2: that I keep. 127 00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:20,880 Speaker 4: Does it propel you through the day, It does propel 128 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:21,360 Speaker 4: me through the day. 129 00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:23,680 Speaker 2: I've also gotten better, you know, as the years go by, 130 00:07:23,840 --> 00:07:26,440 Speaker 2: you know, you start to chip off a little wisdom. 131 00:07:26,480 --> 00:07:29,480 Speaker 2: And I have gotten better understanding balance. I used to 132 00:07:29,480 --> 00:07:31,440 Speaker 2: carry a lot of guilt Bob when I wasn't working. 133 00:07:31,520 --> 00:07:35,280 Speaker 2: So for example, if I had a Saturday and I 134 00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:38,360 Speaker 2: was going to the beach with some friends, I felt 135 00:07:38,640 --> 00:07:41,160 Speaker 2: a little guilt like why am I not trying to 136 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:43,120 Speaker 2: get that big break, or why am I not trying 137 00:07:43,160 --> 00:07:48,240 Speaker 2: to leverage what I'm doing into something else. And I 138 00:07:48,280 --> 00:07:51,720 Speaker 2: remember going on vacations with my family, with my parents, 139 00:07:51,720 --> 00:07:54,000 Speaker 2: with my sister when I was in my early twenties, 140 00:07:54,280 --> 00:07:56,440 Speaker 2: and I always have my phone with me, and my 141 00:07:56,520 --> 00:07:57,880 Speaker 2: mom and dad said, why you why do you have 142 00:07:57,920 --> 00:07:59,560 Speaker 2: that phone with you? Well, well, in case the program 143 00:07:59,560 --> 00:08:01,440 Speaker 2: director of the radio station needs me or calls me 144 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:03,360 Speaker 2: or wants me to come back to do a shift 145 00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:05,720 Speaker 2: because somebody is sick, I want to be able to 146 00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:07,920 Speaker 2: do that. And so I carried that with me for 147 00:08:07,960 --> 00:08:09,720 Speaker 2: a long time. But now I've gotten to the place 148 00:08:09,760 --> 00:08:12,800 Speaker 2: where I do believe in full focus and work and 149 00:08:12,840 --> 00:08:15,920 Speaker 2: preparation in the hours and blocks that I'm in production. 150 00:08:16,640 --> 00:08:21,000 Speaker 2: But I also believe in really expanding my horizon when 151 00:08:21,040 --> 00:08:24,240 Speaker 2: it comes to things that I love to do with wellness, food, 152 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:25,560 Speaker 2: the hobbies that I'm into. 153 00:08:26,200 --> 00:08:32,080 Speaker 3: Almost every career is enabled by one unlikely or improbable 154 00:08:32,400 --> 00:08:35,320 Speaker 3: stroke of luck somewhere in the process. For me, it 155 00:08:35,360 --> 00:08:38,600 Speaker 3: was to jump from minimum wage part time radio announce 156 00:08:38,600 --> 00:08:42,200 Speaker 3: from Brookhaven, Mississippi, to programming this station and being on 157 00:08:42,320 --> 00:08:45,160 Speaker 3: the air at the big NBC owned radio station in 158 00:08:45,240 --> 00:08:48,480 Speaker 3: Chicago just five years later. What was yours and how 159 00:08:48,480 --> 00:08:49,120 Speaker 3: did it happen? 160 00:08:49,559 --> 00:08:52,240 Speaker 2: One that I think about now and hone in on 161 00:08:52,559 --> 00:08:55,880 Speaker 2: is the big break of being the host of American Idol. 162 00:08:56,520 --> 00:08:59,320 Speaker 2: This came at a time when I was twenty six 163 00:08:59,480 --> 00:09:01,920 Speaker 2: seven years years old. I was on the radio in 164 00:09:01,920 --> 00:09:04,520 Speaker 2: Los Angeles doing afternoon drive. It had been on television 165 00:09:04,520 --> 00:09:06,520 Speaker 2: a little bit and gotten some good experience, but nothing 166 00:09:06,760 --> 00:09:08,720 Speaker 2: at the level with the impact of what was about 167 00:09:08,760 --> 00:09:11,600 Speaker 2: to come. And initially I met with the producers and 168 00:09:11,640 --> 00:09:14,640 Speaker 2: I was considered as a judge for American Idol. And 169 00:09:14,840 --> 00:09:17,040 Speaker 2: during the meeting with those executive producers, I started asking 170 00:09:17,080 --> 00:09:19,760 Speaker 2: about the host and they said, well, you could audition 171 00:09:19,800 --> 00:09:21,680 Speaker 2: for the host if you want, so I auditioned to 172 00:09:21,679 --> 00:09:24,880 Speaker 2: be the host of American Idol. After the audition that night, 173 00:09:25,200 --> 00:09:27,200 Speaker 2: they told me that I got the job and we 174 00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:30,719 Speaker 2: started shooting the next day. Literally the next morning we 175 00:09:30,760 --> 00:09:31,480 Speaker 2: started shooting. 176 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:32,800 Speaker 4: We were doing. 177 00:09:32,679 --> 00:09:35,719 Speaker 2: Audition Simon, Randy Paula. We were meeting in Hollywood to 178 00:09:35,760 --> 00:09:37,560 Speaker 2: do the auditions for the first season of the show 179 00:09:37,720 --> 00:09:38,880 Speaker 2: that had never been on the air. 180 00:09:39,240 --> 00:09:40,120 Speaker 4: This was at the time Bup. 181 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:42,240 Speaker 2: You probably remember this when people were saying music does 182 00:09:42,280 --> 00:09:44,920 Speaker 2: not work on TV, right, Remember that, Well, I remember 183 00:09:44,920 --> 00:09:48,200 Speaker 2: those stories. I know those people, we know those people. Well, 184 00:09:48,480 --> 00:09:52,200 Speaker 2: it did work on TV. It started to become this massive, 185 00:09:52,520 --> 00:09:56,600 Speaker 2: massive event on television. And that was a moment that 186 00:09:56,760 --> 00:09:59,560 Speaker 2: I thought to myself, Wow, I'm lucky here right like 187 00:09:59,640 --> 00:10:02,000 Speaker 2: I got into this, I'm lucky. 188 00:10:02,080 --> 00:10:03,120 Speaker 4: This is going to be a ride. 189 00:10:03,520 --> 00:10:06,800 Speaker 2: How do I take this momentum and turn it into 190 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:10,560 Speaker 2: something bigger at the same time, And that's when we 191 00:10:10,640 --> 00:10:14,040 Speaker 2: started having conversations with the management for American Top forty 192 00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:18,319 Speaker 2: and Kiss FM and the other things that you mentioned 193 00:10:18,400 --> 00:10:21,080 Speaker 2: at E where I went and hosted E News and 194 00:10:21,120 --> 00:10:24,480 Speaker 2: the red carpet shows and produced series for them. So 195 00:10:24,640 --> 00:10:28,040 Speaker 2: I would say being the host of that singing competition 196 00:10:28,240 --> 00:10:32,000 Speaker 2: show opened the door for all the things that they 197 00:10:32,200 --> 00:10:32,880 Speaker 2: came to fruition. 198 00:10:33,520 --> 00:10:34,840 Speaker 4: How did you even get the audition? 199 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:38,040 Speaker 2: That was one that you know, in Hollywood, you have 200 00:10:38,120 --> 00:10:41,160 Speaker 2: representation and the agents call and say they're looking for 201 00:10:41,200 --> 00:10:44,360 Speaker 2: a host for this show. The audition was pretty interesting. 202 00:10:44,400 --> 00:10:47,040 Speaker 2: The audition was at the Fox lot in front of 203 00:10:47,080 --> 00:10:49,760 Speaker 2: the executives in a meeting room, and all they did 204 00:10:49,880 --> 00:10:53,240 Speaker 2: was say, Okay, here's a scenario. A contestant just lost 205 00:10:53,240 --> 00:10:55,800 Speaker 2: a family member. They sang an emotional song, they're crying. 206 00:10:55,840 --> 00:10:57,440 Speaker 2: You need to talk to them and turn to the 207 00:10:57,480 --> 00:10:59,600 Speaker 2: camera and get us a commercial break in thirty seconds 208 00:10:59,640 --> 00:11:00,400 Speaker 2: with Finn go. 209 00:11:01,120 --> 00:11:03,120 Speaker 3: Wait a minute, you can't leave us hanging. What did 210 00:11:03,120 --> 00:11:04,600 Speaker 3: you say? How did you handle that? 211 00:11:04,840 --> 00:11:07,480 Speaker 2: I can't remember exactly how are what I said, but 212 00:11:07,679 --> 00:11:09,720 Speaker 2: I do remember thinking, Okay, this is a moment to 213 00:11:09,760 --> 00:11:12,080 Speaker 2: slow down and not say too much. That's the other 214 00:11:12,120 --> 00:11:14,600 Speaker 2: thing that I've learned. And of course this is an 215 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:17,040 Speaker 2: audio format, so we're talking a lot. But another thing 216 00:11:17,040 --> 00:11:20,400 Speaker 2: that I learned hosting was just listening is the best 217 00:11:20,440 --> 00:11:21,720 Speaker 2: thing you can do when being a host. 218 00:11:21,720 --> 00:11:23,560 Speaker 4: It's just to listen. So I just I think I 219 00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:25,680 Speaker 4: listened and maybe that's what they saw. 220 00:11:25,960 --> 00:11:29,840 Speaker 3: So you started as your foundation as an on air 221 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:33,280 Speaker 3: radio personality. You still do it today mornings on the 222 00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:37,520 Speaker 3: legendary KISSFM in Los Angeles, America Top forty. You're syndicated 223 00:11:37,520 --> 00:11:41,200 Speaker 3: on Aaron Ryan Seacrest on over one hundred stations nationwide, 224 00:11:41,440 --> 00:11:44,280 Speaker 3: plus one of the top shows on the iHeartRadio digital app. 225 00:11:44,880 --> 00:11:47,720 Speaker 3: Why the love of radio and after all your success 226 00:11:47,760 --> 00:11:51,160 Speaker 3: across all media, why is radio still so important to you? 227 00:11:51,920 --> 00:11:53,280 Speaker 4: Love the connection to people. 228 00:11:53,880 --> 00:11:56,880 Speaker 2: I think at the core what I get excited about, 229 00:11:56,920 --> 00:11:59,360 Speaker 2: what gets me up in the morning is connecting with 230 00:12:00,080 --> 00:12:04,240 Speaker 2: people in an unscripted, unvarnished way. Is getting to say 231 00:12:04,280 --> 00:12:07,120 Speaker 2: something to them, hear back from them, know that I'm 232 00:12:07,160 --> 00:12:09,520 Speaker 2: part of the routine, and I look forward to getting 233 00:12:09,520 --> 00:12:11,600 Speaker 2: on the air. I look forward to it. Just last night, 234 00:12:11,640 --> 00:12:13,320 Speaker 2: I went to dinner. I eat very early. I went 235 00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:15,000 Speaker 2: to dinner very early. I was trying to get into 236 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:16,960 Speaker 2: a restaurant. It was five point thirty the first reservation. 237 00:12:17,000 --> 00:12:18,840 Speaker 2: I was there at five twelve. I was sitting outside. 238 00:12:18,840 --> 00:12:20,880 Speaker 2: It wasn't open, and I was standing on the curb, 239 00:12:20,920 --> 00:12:22,760 Speaker 2: and I'm texting the co hosts of my morning show, 240 00:12:22,920 --> 00:12:25,080 Speaker 2: you know, just sort of saying, hey, this is kind 241 00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:26,959 Speaker 2: of funny, let's talk about this tomorrow. That I'm always 242 00:12:26,960 --> 00:12:29,040 Speaker 2: the one standing outside waiting for a place to open, 243 00:12:29,040 --> 00:12:30,400 Speaker 2: and I can't wait to get in there and get 244 00:12:30,400 --> 00:12:33,160 Speaker 2: out in forty two minutes, And so in my mind 245 00:12:33,720 --> 00:12:37,080 Speaker 2: I'm thinking about the next day's show because I just 246 00:12:37,320 --> 00:12:39,800 Speaker 2: love to get up and connect and have that conversation 247 00:12:39,880 --> 00:12:42,800 Speaker 2: on a regular basis. That same thing about the radio shows, 248 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:44,679 Speaker 2: and I've done it almost every day since i was 249 00:12:44,720 --> 00:12:45,640 Speaker 2: fourteen years old. 250 00:12:45,720 --> 00:12:46,800 Speaker 4: I'm now not fourteen. 251 00:12:47,480 --> 00:12:52,040 Speaker 2: But there's just something about the fluidity, about the autonomy 252 00:12:52,360 --> 00:12:55,200 Speaker 2: of conversation, of content, of topics that we get to 253 00:12:55,360 --> 00:12:59,000 Speaker 2: have in the radio show that's just real and hopefully relatable. 254 00:12:59,280 --> 00:13:02,800 Speaker 2: I love that, and I love you mentioned Wheel of Fortune. 255 00:13:02,920 --> 00:13:05,640 Speaker 2: I haven't done it yet, but I think I'm going 256 00:13:05,640 --> 00:13:08,960 Speaker 2: to love the opportunity to connect with three people every night, 257 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:11,800 Speaker 2: meet three people from across the country, get to know 258 00:13:11,840 --> 00:13:14,680 Speaker 2: them for a half hour, and give away some money 259 00:13:14,880 --> 00:13:17,120 Speaker 2: and maybe a car, you know, cash and prizes. 260 00:13:17,480 --> 00:13:18,360 Speaker 4: That's what drives me. 261 00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:21,800 Speaker 3: Advertisers love being on your show, and they really love 262 00:13:22,200 --> 00:13:25,959 Speaker 3: your endorsements. Talk about how you think about that and 263 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:27,840 Speaker 3: how you interact with sponsors. 264 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:30,400 Speaker 2: Well, we have done this together for a long time, 265 00:13:30,559 --> 00:13:33,600 Speaker 2: you and I and I truly believe and I realize 266 00:13:33,640 --> 00:13:36,840 Speaker 2: this that the sales department and the partnership with our 267 00:13:36,880 --> 00:13:40,880 Speaker 2: advertisers and clients. That's what fuels the platform. That's what 268 00:13:40,960 --> 00:13:45,400 Speaker 2: allows us as personalities influencers to get up every day 269 00:13:45,400 --> 00:13:47,760 Speaker 2: and have a place to talk and have a beacon. 270 00:13:48,000 --> 00:13:50,880 Speaker 2: Right Without the advertisers, we wouldn't be able to do 271 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:53,240 Speaker 2: what we do. So there's a lot of value in 272 00:13:53,240 --> 00:13:56,040 Speaker 2: our relationship with them. And what's most important to me 273 00:13:56,920 --> 00:14:00,240 Speaker 2: is when an advertiser wants to be on one of 274 00:14:00,280 --> 00:14:03,520 Speaker 2: our programs, is to understand what they're trying to accomplish. 275 00:14:03,880 --> 00:14:06,040 Speaker 2: And we've asked them before meetings that you and I 276 00:14:06,080 --> 00:14:09,199 Speaker 2: have been in together, what will move the needle for you? 277 00:14:09,559 --> 00:14:11,760 Speaker 2: Not just getting on the air and talking about something, 278 00:14:11,800 --> 00:14:16,080 Speaker 2: but what really will make change or what really is 279 00:14:16,120 --> 00:14:19,280 Speaker 2: a success for you for this product, for this campaign, 280 00:14:19,320 --> 00:14:20,040 Speaker 2: for this season. 281 00:14:20,600 --> 00:14:21,760 Speaker 4: And that's helpful. 282 00:14:21,880 --> 00:14:25,280 Speaker 2: You get really clear answers and have a very clear 283 00:14:25,320 --> 00:14:29,160 Speaker 2: path to success with an advertiser when you understand what 284 00:14:29,320 --> 00:14:30,760 Speaker 2: a win is for them. 285 00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:33,480 Speaker 3: And I love to have that dialogue. Most people on 286 00:14:33,520 --> 00:14:36,720 Speaker 3: the radio would love to have your success. You're the 287 00:14:36,720 --> 00:14:40,040 Speaker 3: top of the heap. What do you think makes great 288 00:14:40,160 --> 00:14:43,280 Speaker 3: on air talent and what advice would you give to 289 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:44,920 Speaker 3: anyone who wants to be you. 290 00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:48,440 Speaker 2: It's difficult for me to give advice because everybody is 291 00:14:48,680 --> 00:14:52,600 Speaker 2: so different and everybody's got their own skill set. 292 00:14:53,080 --> 00:14:55,680 Speaker 4: For me, I don't have a talent. 293 00:14:55,760 --> 00:14:59,160 Speaker 2: I don't have a skill set per se except I 294 00:14:59,400 --> 00:15:04,360 Speaker 2: love to go. I love to prepare. I do take 295 00:15:04,400 --> 00:15:07,760 Speaker 2: it seriously while having fun. But preparation is a big 296 00:15:07,800 --> 00:15:10,080 Speaker 2: thing for me that I can control. When I was 297 00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:14,240 Speaker 2: a baby DJ, people who were wiser than I said, 298 00:15:14,400 --> 00:15:15,680 Speaker 2: you know, you got to have a point of view, 299 00:15:15,920 --> 00:15:18,880 Speaker 2: and you've got to be a good communicator with that 300 00:15:19,000 --> 00:15:23,440 Speaker 2: point of view and be your genuine self. And when 301 00:15:23,480 --> 00:15:25,480 Speaker 2: I was young and starting out, that was impossible to 302 00:15:25,480 --> 00:15:27,960 Speaker 2: do because I had imposter syndrome because I was eighteen 303 00:15:28,040 --> 00:15:32,960 Speaker 2: trying to play thirty five and always wanting to sound 304 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:35,240 Speaker 2: like I fit in. But I do think that the 305 00:15:35,280 --> 00:15:40,200 Speaker 2: preparation is key. Having fun while taking it seriously and 306 00:15:40,360 --> 00:15:41,920 Speaker 2: being kind is a good formula. 307 00:15:42,600 --> 00:15:45,000 Speaker 3: I remember when you first told us about the opportunity 308 00:15:45,360 --> 00:15:48,400 Speaker 3: to do the live TV show each day with Kelly 309 00:15:48,760 --> 00:15:51,320 Speaker 3: and explaining how you could get off the air in 310 00:15:51,360 --> 00:15:54,240 Speaker 3: New York and then do your daily radio show in 311 00:15:54,320 --> 00:15:56,600 Speaker 3: Los Angeles, and I ad met you and I've talked 312 00:15:56,600 --> 00:15:57,160 Speaker 3: about it before. 313 00:15:57,160 --> 00:15:57,920 Speaker 4: I was skeptical. 314 00:15:58,200 --> 00:16:01,680 Speaker 3: I couldn't imagine that anyone can handle that schedule. And oh, 315 00:16:01,760 --> 00:16:04,720 Speaker 3: by the way, he squeezed in American Idol. But you did, 316 00:16:04,920 --> 00:16:08,360 Speaker 3: and ratings actually went up. On your radio show, Live 317 00:16:08,600 --> 00:16:11,840 Speaker 3: with Kelly and Ryan was a top daytime show on TV. 318 00:16:12,480 --> 00:16:15,800 Speaker 3: An Idol was also a smash and you're not stopping. 319 00:16:15,840 --> 00:16:18,520 Speaker 3: So after six seasons, you've moved on from the daily 320 00:16:18,600 --> 00:16:21,239 Speaker 3: TV show to step into one of the most legendary 321 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:25,080 Speaker 3: roles on TV, replacing Pat Sajack as the host of 322 00:16:25,120 --> 00:16:28,560 Speaker 3: Wheel of Fortune. Tell us why and how that happened. 323 00:16:29,160 --> 00:16:31,680 Speaker 2: Well, to think about that meeting with you, I don't 324 00:16:31,680 --> 00:16:33,440 Speaker 2: get nervous too much. I was a little nervous about 325 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:36,400 Speaker 2: that meeting, right because I had to come in sounding 326 00:16:36,400 --> 00:16:38,560 Speaker 2: pretty confident that could pull it all off, even if 327 00:16:38,560 --> 00:16:41,200 Speaker 2: I wasn't quite sure if I could. And thank goodness, 328 00:16:41,240 --> 00:16:43,760 Speaker 2: it did work. And you know, those six years with 329 00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:48,200 Speaker 2: Kelly Rippa were amazing six years. She is such a 330 00:16:48,520 --> 00:16:52,320 Speaker 2: brilliant talent. She made me better. Sitting next to her 331 00:16:52,440 --> 00:16:54,520 Speaker 2: raised my game. You kind of have to. She's just 332 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:59,400 Speaker 2: that good. And she can carry any conversation anywhere, at 333 00:16:59,440 --> 00:17:02,400 Speaker 2: any time, at any second it's thrown at her on 334 00:17:02,480 --> 00:17:04,480 Speaker 2: live television, and that's a show that has no script. 335 00:17:04,560 --> 00:17:06,760 Speaker 2: And I will tell you one of the things I 336 00:17:06,760 --> 00:17:08,960 Speaker 2: loved about that show having no script was because I 337 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:11,040 Speaker 2: had so many years of radio experience where we don't 338 00:17:11,040 --> 00:17:12,760 Speaker 2: have a script, and that made it fun. It's a 339 00:17:12,760 --> 00:17:15,560 Speaker 2: little bit like doing a morning show Bob on TV, right, 340 00:17:15,600 --> 00:17:17,000 Speaker 2: the two of us sitting there talking about what we 341 00:17:17,040 --> 00:17:21,200 Speaker 2: did last night, And after traveling back and forth from 342 00:17:21,240 --> 00:17:24,639 Speaker 2: Los Angeles to New York a lot over the years, 343 00:17:24,680 --> 00:17:28,040 Speaker 2: it felt like a good time to try something else. 344 00:17:28,080 --> 00:17:30,919 Speaker 2: The opportunity for Wheel of Fortune came up. Fortunately we 345 00:17:30,960 --> 00:17:33,679 Speaker 2: made that deal. And no one will ever do what 346 00:17:33,720 --> 00:17:37,640 Speaker 2: Pat Sajack has done. He's a legend who had hosted 347 00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:40,440 Speaker 2: that show for so many years, I mean the episode's 348 00:17:40,480 --> 00:17:44,240 Speaker 2: record breaking episodes, and he became a companion and a 349 00:17:44,240 --> 00:17:46,080 Speaker 2: good friend to a lot of people in their living 350 00:17:46,119 --> 00:17:49,439 Speaker 2: rooms every single night with Vanna and me too. So 351 00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:53,919 Speaker 2: for me, it's a show that I know this country loves. 352 00:17:53,960 --> 00:17:55,600 Speaker 2: I know it's got a special place in a lot 353 00:17:55,600 --> 00:17:58,879 Speaker 2: of people's hearts because it's generational. They grew up with it, 354 00:17:59,119 --> 00:18:01,240 Speaker 2: maybe they learned something from it, maybe they got together 355 00:18:01,280 --> 00:18:02,479 Speaker 2: with their kids to watch it. 356 00:18:02,800 --> 00:18:03,800 Speaker 4: I like that in the show. 357 00:18:04,119 --> 00:18:07,679 Speaker 2: I like that it's fun, it's lighthearted, and at the 358 00:18:07,800 --> 00:18:11,359 Speaker 2: end of it, you make people really happy. At this 359 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:15,199 Speaker 2: stage in my career, that's exciting. To do it in 360 00:18:15,280 --> 00:18:18,879 Speaker 2: the seven to eight time period is exciting, and I 361 00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:20,399 Speaker 2: kind of can't wait to get on the air that 362 00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:23,520 Speaker 2: starts in September Moral Math. 363 00:18:23,320 --> 00:18:30,000 Speaker 3: And Magic right after this quick break. Welcome back to 364 00:18:30,119 --> 00:18:32,800 Speaker 3: Math and Magic. Let's hear more from my conversation with 365 00:18:32,920 --> 00:18:36,720 Speaker 3: Ryan Seacrest. So let's go back in time. I want 366 00:18:36,720 --> 00:18:40,120 Speaker 3: to put you in context. You were born in Atlanta, Georgia, 367 00:18:40,280 --> 00:18:43,400 Speaker 3: a very tight and supportive family, still have it. Can 368 00:18:43,440 --> 00:18:46,840 Speaker 3: you paint the picture of that time and place when 369 00:18:46,880 --> 00:18:47,680 Speaker 3: you were growing up? 370 00:18:48,680 --> 00:18:48,880 Speaker 4: Oh? 371 00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:51,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, this is when I found in love with radio. 372 00:18:51,800 --> 00:18:55,600 Speaker 2: I can smell the grass when I was mowing the 373 00:18:55,680 --> 00:19:00,560 Speaker 2: lawn with a Toro rear propelled lawnmower, and I was 374 00:19:00,640 --> 00:19:04,639 Speaker 2: listening at the time on my water resistant yellow Sony 375 00:19:04,720 --> 00:19:08,560 Speaker 2: Walkman to American Top forty hosted by Casey Kaseum, and 376 00:19:08,760 --> 00:19:12,320 Speaker 2: I pictured all of the artists he was playing. I 377 00:19:12,440 --> 00:19:16,119 Speaker 2: pictured him being in his studio in Hollywood, the glamour 378 00:19:16,200 --> 00:19:18,399 Speaker 2: of it all, and I just thought, Wow, this is 379 00:19:18,440 --> 00:19:21,120 Speaker 2: super cool that I'm listening in Atlanta to something coming 380 00:19:21,119 --> 00:19:23,720 Speaker 2: out of Hollywood about the biggest artists in the top forty. 381 00:19:24,240 --> 00:19:26,280 Speaker 2: And that's when I started to dream about doing it. 382 00:19:26,320 --> 00:19:28,399 Speaker 2: That's when I started to make tapes pretending I was 383 00:19:28,440 --> 00:19:31,199 Speaker 2: Casey Caseum and I go up into my bedroom and 384 00:19:31,240 --> 00:19:34,560 Speaker 2: I'd count down the hits from coast to coast, as 385 00:19:34,600 --> 00:19:38,960 Speaker 2: he would say, and make audio tapes with songs for 386 00:19:39,160 --> 00:19:41,399 Speaker 2: my mom and dad and my sister and I to 387 00:19:41,480 --> 00:19:44,760 Speaker 2: listen to when we would drive from Atlanta to Destin, 388 00:19:44,840 --> 00:19:47,320 Speaker 2: Florida for our one week summer vacation every year in 389 00:19:47,359 --> 00:19:50,240 Speaker 2: a Volvo station Wagon with the luggage carrier on top. 390 00:19:50,760 --> 00:19:53,800 Speaker 2: So I have vivid memories of those days dreaming about this. 391 00:19:54,320 --> 00:19:57,760 Speaker 3: Did your family worry about your obsession with radio. 392 00:19:58,119 --> 00:20:01,800 Speaker 2: I don't know that they were. I think they saw 393 00:20:02,080 --> 00:20:04,760 Speaker 2: this is something that I am going to do. Either 394 00:20:05,440 --> 00:20:07,720 Speaker 2: they get to come on board or if they don't, 395 00:20:07,760 --> 00:20:09,880 Speaker 2: I'm going for it anyway. I remember telling my folks, 396 00:20:09,920 --> 00:20:11,359 Speaker 2: you know, I went to the University of Georgia in 397 00:20:11,400 --> 00:20:13,920 Speaker 2: about a year and a half in I wasn't sleeping. 398 00:20:14,520 --> 00:20:19,240 Speaker 2: I was so focused on trying to make it in 399 00:20:19,400 --> 00:20:22,359 Speaker 2: Los Angeles. I thought, I cannot get this out of 400 00:20:22,359 --> 00:20:25,480 Speaker 2: my system. That's all they think about. I'm obsessed with 401 00:20:25,720 --> 00:20:27,840 Speaker 2: going for it. I'm going to pack up my stuff, 402 00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:29,240 Speaker 2: I'm gonna get in my Honda, I'm going to go 403 00:20:29,280 --> 00:20:31,119 Speaker 2: out to Los Angeles. I have to tell my parents 404 00:20:31,160 --> 00:20:33,359 Speaker 2: I'm dropping out of college. This is not something that 405 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:37,119 Speaker 2: they saw coming pretty traditional families, you know, Bob. My 406 00:20:37,240 --> 00:20:40,399 Speaker 2: mom and dad blessed. They've been married for fifty plus years, 407 00:20:41,359 --> 00:20:44,800 Speaker 2: and my father is a retired attorney. My mother's the 408 00:20:44,840 --> 00:20:47,080 Speaker 2: greatest mother in the world. So going to them to say, hey, 409 00:20:47,080 --> 00:20:49,200 Speaker 2: I'm quitting school and going to LA where we didn't 410 00:20:49,240 --> 00:20:51,280 Speaker 2: know anybody, I knew it was gonna be a tough one. 411 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:54,760 Speaker 2: And they said, well, look, we can tell based on 412 00:20:54,840 --> 00:20:58,359 Speaker 2: what you're saying that if we're not supportive of this idea, 413 00:20:58,400 --> 00:21:00,320 Speaker 2: you're going to go anyway, and said, I think I am. 414 00:21:00,800 --> 00:21:02,400 Speaker 2: Now whether or not they thought it would work out, 415 00:21:02,680 --> 00:21:04,920 Speaker 2: I don't know what they really believed, but I knew 416 00:21:04,920 --> 00:21:06,640 Speaker 2: when I went out there, I wasn't going to come 417 00:21:06,680 --> 00:21:08,280 Speaker 2: back until I made it. I didn't want to come 418 00:21:08,320 --> 00:21:10,880 Speaker 2: home until I could say at least I've got a job. 419 00:21:11,480 --> 00:21:14,320 Speaker 3: You went to La. Where did you live? You didn't 420 00:21:14,359 --> 00:21:16,840 Speaker 3: know anybody? Who did you say hello to? How did 421 00:21:16,880 --> 00:21:20,440 Speaker 3: you start? So my father was in the army. 422 00:21:20,800 --> 00:21:23,040 Speaker 2: One of the guys he kept in touch with had 423 00:21:23,040 --> 00:21:25,440 Speaker 2: a son who was a teacher in LA. 424 00:21:26,160 --> 00:21:29,240 Speaker 4: And so my mom says, hey, why don't you. 425 00:21:30,080 --> 00:21:33,840 Speaker 2: Call this guy and if you guys can connect, we 426 00:21:34,080 --> 00:21:36,400 Speaker 2: feel more comfortable if you would move in with him, 427 00:21:36,440 --> 00:21:38,080 Speaker 2: if he is cool with it, and you guys share 428 00:21:38,119 --> 00:21:41,360 Speaker 2: an apartment together, because we just don't know anybody out there. 429 00:21:41,400 --> 00:21:43,440 Speaker 2: So anyway, I went out. We stood in line to 430 00:21:43,480 --> 00:21:45,480 Speaker 2: get tickets to see the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. 431 00:21:46,040 --> 00:21:48,000 Speaker 2: We watched that. That's when we first met and we 432 00:21:48,040 --> 00:21:49,879 Speaker 2: started talking. He said, yeah, we want to split a 433 00:21:49,880 --> 00:21:52,000 Speaker 2: one bedroom I'll do it. So we split a one 434 00:21:52,040 --> 00:21:55,560 Speaker 2: bedroom apartment in Burbank for three hundred and seventy five 435 00:21:55,760 --> 00:21:58,640 Speaker 2: dollars each. And that's where I started to live. 436 00:21:58,920 --> 00:22:01,880 Speaker 3: You're living in this one an apartment with a roommate 437 00:22:02,440 --> 00:22:04,879 Speaker 3: and you don't know anybody in LA and you're going 438 00:22:04,960 --> 00:22:07,320 Speaker 3: to make it. How do you get into the system? 439 00:22:07,320 --> 00:22:09,639 Speaker 3: Who on earth did you call? What put your foot 440 00:22:09,640 --> 00:22:10,120 Speaker 3: in the door. 441 00:22:10,560 --> 00:22:12,679 Speaker 2: So at the time when I moved out to Los Angeles. 442 00:22:12,760 --> 00:22:15,199 Speaker 2: I had been on the air while I was in 443 00:22:15,280 --> 00:22:18,560 Speaker 2: high school as a part time DJ at the radio station, 444 00:22:18,680 --> 00:22:22,200 Speaker 2: the pop station in Atlanta, WSTR Star ninety four FM. 445 00:22:23,000 --> 00:22:28,520 Speaker 2: And when I moved out to Los Angeles, there was 446 00:22:28,760 --> 00:22:31,879 Speaker 2: an affiliate of the American Top forty. And somehow I 447 00:22:31,880 --> 00:22:34,160 Speaker 2: got a name of somebody that was a program director 448 00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:38,159 Speaker 2: at Star ninety eight point seven in LA. And his 449 00:22:38,240 --> 00:22:41,719 Speaker 2: name was Randy Lane. And I called Randy Lane and 450 00:22:41,760 --> 00:22:43,360 Speaker 2: I left a message, and I called it, called and called, 451 00:22:43,359 --> 00:22:45,040 Speaker 2: and eventually I did get a call back from him, 452 00:22:45,040 --> 00:22:46,520 Speaker 2: and I said, look, I was a part time guy. 453 00:22:46,560 --> 00:22:48,440 Speaker 2: It just moved out to LA. I was on in Atlanta. 454 00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:50,760 Speaker 2: I'm just a kid. I'm trying to make it no problem. 455 00:22:50,800 --> 00:22:54,800 Speaker 2: Come in, we'll meet. We met the first shift I did, eventually, 456 00:22:54,840 --> 00:22:58,200 Speaker 2: after driving the van around and giving away tab Clear 457 00:22:58,720 --> 00:23:01,360 Speaker 2: in drugstore parking line. Remember that it was a big 458 00:23:01,359 --> 00:23:04,200 Speaker 2: promotion for tab Clear. I was doing, oh yeah, and 459 00:23:04,400 --> 00:23:07,480 Speaker 2: he said, why don't you do overnights Friday. It was 460 00:23:07,520 --> 00:23:09,800 Speaker 2: like midnight to five am, same thing Saturday. 461 00:23:09,840 --> 00:23:11,480 Speaker 4: So that's what I did. I did overnights. I drove 462 00:23:11,520 --> 00:23:12,480 Speaker 4: the van and I. 463 00:23:12,520 --> 00:23:16,879 Speaker 2: Kept just chipping away and trying to show some ambition 464 00:23:17,400 --> 00:23:19,160 Speaker 2: in what I wanted to do for a living. 465 00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:22,120 Speaker 3: Did you ever think maybe I need to go back 466 00:23:22,119 --> 00:23:22,920 Speaker 3: to Atlanta. 467 00:23:23,040 --> 00:23:23,240 Speaker 4: No. 468 00:23:23,840 --> 00:23:27,800 Speaker 2: I knew that no matter what or how hard or 469 00:23:28,320 --> 00:23:30,560 Speaker 2: you know, sleepless nights, whatever it was going to take, 470 00:23:31,040 --> 00:23:35,360 Speaker 2: I was going to do something so that I never 471 00:23:35,440 --> 00:23:37,240 Speaker 2: had to go back and say I didn't do it. 472 00:23:37,280 --> 00:23:38,760 Speaker 4: I couldn't do it, I didn't make it. 473 00:23:38,800 --> 00:23:45,160 Speaker 2: I had real fire, real drive to do something so 474 00:23:45,160 --> 00:23:46,679 Speaker 2: that I didn't have to go back. Not because I 475 00:23:46,680 --> 00:23:48,359 Speaker 2: didn't love Atlanta. I want to go back, but I 476 00:23:48,400 --> 00:23:50,480 Speaker 2: wanted to make it. I wanted to be right right. 477 00:23:50,560 --> 00:23:52,560 Speaker 2: I wanted the case that presented to my parents to 478 00:23:52,560 --> 00:23:53,639 Speaker 2: actually be legitimate. 479 00:23:54,040 --> 00:23:57,720 Speaker 3: So you mentioned Murf Griffin and Dick Clark. Dick Clark, 480 00:23:57,760 --> 00:23:59,960 Speaker 3: I know, was someone you greatly admired, and he was 481 00:24:00,160 --> 00:24:02,400 Speaker 3: mentor of yours as well. What did you learn from 482 00:24:02,440 --> 00:24:04,879 Speaker 3: Dick Clark And how the hell did you meet Dick Clark? 483 00:24:05,440 --> 00:24:10,080 Speaker 2: I called called Dick Clark when American Idol first started 484 00:24:10,119 --> 00:24:11,080 Speaker 2: after the first season. 485 00:24:11,119 --> 00:24:12,800 Speaker 4: He was a he and Marbez. 486 00:24:12,840 --> 00:24:14,720 Speaker 2: You said, these guys were guys I looked up to, 487 00:24:15,160 --> 00:24:17,280 Speaker 2: and I called his office and American Idol had aired, 488 00:24:17,320 --> 00:24:20,080 Speaker 2: So I figured I have a shot at meeting him, 489 00:24:20,600 --> 00:24:22,560 Speaker 2: and they set a meeting with him, and I went 490 00:24:22,680 --> 00:24:25,960 Speaker 2: into his offices in Burbank, and you know, I asked 491 00:24:26,040 --> 00:24:30,840 Speaker 2: him some questions and he was extremely focused on the 492 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:33,480 Speaker 2: business while being the most congenial guy and making it 493 00:24:33,520 --> 00:24:34,639 Speaker 2: look so easy on TV. 494 00:24:35,080 --> 00:24:36,679 Speaker 4: And I'll never forget what he did say to me. 495 00:24:37,040 --> 00:24:42,200 Speaker 2: He did say to me, Okay, so everybody's probably gonna 496 00:24:42,200 --> 00:24:44,840 Speaker 2: think they can do what you do really well. You 497 00:24:44,880 --> 00:24:47,439 Speaker 2: want people to think that's easy. I could do that. 498 00:24:47,560 --> 00:24:49,960 Speaker 2: Who are watching you? Because if you're making it look 499 00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:51,920 Speaker 2: that easy, and we all know it's not. You're doing 500 00:24:51,960 --> 00:24:55,200 Speaker 2: a good job, making it seamless and making it comfortable. 501 00:24:55,359 --> 00:24:57,600 Speaker 2: If it looks difficult and hard, you're not doing a 502 00:24:57,600 --> 00:25:00,040 Speaker 2: good job. So I remember him telling me that, and 503 00:25:00,119 --> 00:25:01,720 Speaker 2: he also said you should try to own some things 504 00:25:01,800 --> 00:25:04,280 Speaker 2: and the shows that you do, really make sure you've 505 00:25:04,280 --> 00:25:06,080 Speaker 2: got some equity and the piece of them and some 506 00:25:06,119 --> 00:25:08,480 Speaker 2: control of those. And so I took that and eventually 507 00:25:08,800 --> 00:25:12,919 Speaker 2: we established a rapport, and eventually he invited me to 508 00:25:12,920 --> 00:25:15,720 Speaker 2: come on a co host with him after his stroke 509 00:25:16,200 --> 00:25:18,760 Speaker 2: on New Year's Rock and Eve. The first year immediately 510 00:25:18,800 --> 00:25:24,520 Speaker 2: Regis Philbin hosted with before Dick actually, and then after 511 00:25:24,800 --> 00:25:28,120 Speaker 2: Dick had me come in and co host with him, 512 00:25:28,320 --> 00:25:30,880 Speaker 2: and every year afterwards he would write me the most 513 00:25:30,920 --> 00:25:35,280 Speaker 2: beautiful letter about the night and the experience and just 514 00:25:35,280 --> 00:25:38,800 Speaker 2: just really kind words. So it was an honor to 515 00:25:38,840 --> 00:25:40,880 Speaker 2: take over for him once I did. 516 00:25:41,240 --> 00:25:44,359 Speaker 3: You started your own production company two thousand and six 517 00:25:45,000 --> 00:25:48,600 Speaker 3: and almost immediately had a hit. What took you there 518 00:25:48,760 --> 00:25:52,199 Speaker 3: and looking back, what was the most important reason for 519 00:25:52,240 --> 00:25:55,119 Speaker 3: your success as a producer. How did you make that 520 00:25:55,240 --> 00:25:57,560 Speaker 3: jump from creative to business person? 521 00:25:58,240 --> 00:26:00,879 Speaker 2: This is thinking of the ideas that MERV Griffin when 522 00:26:00,920 --> 00:26:02,480 Speaker 2: I sat with him, and Dick Clark when I sat 523 00:26:02,520 --> 00:26:03,960 Speaker 2: with him, These are the things that they said to 524 00:26:04,000 --> 00:26:06,840 Speaker 2: always be on the lookout for. I remember MRV saying, look, 525 00:26:06,840 --> 00:26:09,200 Speaker 2: once you're on a TV show where people are watching, 526 00:26:09,280 --> 00:26:12,879 Speaker 2: you can probably get a meeting with executives at different 527 00:26:12,880 --> 00:26:15,679 Speaker 2: networks to sell an idea. So I remember that and 528 00:26:15,720 --> 00:26:20,080 Speaker 2: we made the production deal. The Kardashians came along pretty fast. 529 00:26:20,400 --> 00:26:22,280 Speaker 2: I was watching the Osbornes at the time that was 530 00:26:22,280 --> 00:26:24,800 Speaker 2: on MTV, and I thought that was brilliant the way 531 00:26:24,800 --> 00:26:27,359 Speaker 2: that they were showing the family and thought, wow, there 532 00:26:27,400 --> 00:26:30,120 Speaker 2: could be you know, a real genre for this and 533 00:26:30,600 --> 00:26:33,600 Speaker 2: is there another interesting family with a lot of different 534 00:26:33,720 --> 00:26:37,200 Speaker 2: moving parts and people and things going on that people 535 00:26:37,280 --> 00:26:40,040 Speaker 2: might want to watch. And at the time, Chris Jenner 536 00:26:40,720 --> 00:26:45,000 Speaker 2: was thinking about doing a show with the family and 537 00:26:45,040 --> 00:26:48,840 Speaker 2: a casting director, Dina Katz. She knew that both of 538 00:26:48,880 --> 00:26:52,520 Speaker 2: us were in this aligned thinking pattern about this kind 539 00:26:52,560 --> 00:26:55,200 Speaker 2: of show and this genre in seat up a meeting 540 00:26:55,200 --> 00:26:57,080 Speaker 2: with the two of us, and Chris Jenner and I 541 00:26:57,200 --> 00:27:00,359 Speaker 2: had that meeting and afterwards we made a deal to 542 00:27:00,440 --> 00:27:02,439 Speaker 2: go shoot a pilot of the Kardashians. And I, at 543 00:27:02,440 --> 00:27:05,359 Speaker 2: the time at the production company didn't own I didn't 544 00:27:05,400 --> 00:27:08,600 Speaker 2: own a camera. We didn't have anything, no equipment. So 545 00:27:08,640 --> 00:27:11,080 Speaker 2: I remember Elliott, who worked for me at the time. 546 00:27:11,200 --> 00:27:12,880 Speaker 2: He went out and he bought a camera. He went 547 00:27:12,880 --> 00:27:15,600 Speaker 2: to the valley to the Kardashians house over a weekend 548 00:27:15,880 --> 00:27:16,360 Speaker 2: and he just. 549 00:27:16,320 --> 00:27:19,800 Speaker 4: Shot a backyard barbecue. He called me after he shot. 550 00:27:19,920 --> 00:27:22,960 Speaker 2: He said, I think we've got something here, and of 551 00:27:23,040 --> 00:27:24,760 Speaker 2: course we saw it. We put the tape together. I 552 00:27:24,760 --> 00:27:29,240 Speaker 2: think Chris Jenner still has the pilot tape somewhere. Initially 553 00:27:29,280 --> 00:27:31,800 Speaker 2: we pitched it to E and it didn't stick in 554 00:27:31,840 --> 00:27:34,520 Speaker 2: The pitch was going to go somewhere else and I 555 00:27:34,600 --> 00:27:37,320 Speaker 2: remember calling Ted Harbert, who was the president of E 556 00:27:37,440 --> 00:27:41,080 Speaker 2: at the time, and saying, I really think we should 557 00:27:41,119 --> 00:27:43,680 Speaker 2: try and do this here and and Chris, to her credit, said, 558 00:27:43,760 --> 00:27:45,560 Speaker 2: they are going to let the cameras follow everything. 559 00:27:45,760 --> 00:27:47,600 Speaker 4: They're going to be vulnerable. That's just the way they're 560 00:27:47,640 --> 00:27:49,679 Speaker 4: going to treat this. And I made one more push 561 00:27:49,720 --> 00:27:50,520 Speaker 4: and they bought it. 562 00:27:51,000 --> 00:27:54,480 Speaker 2: And then what happened was we had to move quick, 563 00:27:54,520 --> 00:27:57,040 Speaker 2: and we made that show very fast to air, and 564 00:27:57,080 --> 00:27:58,400 Speaker 2: the rest sort of well, you know. 565 00:27:58,920 --> 00:28:01,159 Speaker 4: And that was your jump the business person. 566 00:28:01,600 --> 00:28:03,439 Speaker 2: That was the jump I think you know making and 567 00:28:03,480 --> 00:28:06,800 Speaker 2: you're good at this making a quick decision, right. I mean, 568 00:28:06,840 --> 00:28:09,439 Speaker 2: I like to digest, but I also have found this 569 00:28:09,480 --> 00:28:11,359 Speaker 2: sometimes you don't get the opportunity to do that, and 570 00:28:11,440 --> 00:28:13,960 Speaker 2: if you can make a quick decision, it can pay off. 571 00:28:14,480 --> 00:28:18,359 Speaker 3: Philanthropy, you've always been concerned about others. It shows on 572 00:28:18,400 --> 00:28:21,120 Speaker 3: the air. It's probably what makes you you. Listeners can 573 00:28:21,160 --> 00:28:23,880 Speaker 3: feel it. But you've also given your time and your 574 00:28:23,920 --> 00:28:26,960 Speaker 3: money directly to causes that matter to you and move 575 00:28:27,040 --> 00:28:29,320 Speaker 3: you can you tell us a little bit about that, 576 00:28:29,359 --> 00:28:32,440 Speaker 3: and specifically about the Ryan Seacrest Foundation of what you're 577 00:28:32,440 --> 00:28:34,720 Speaker 3: doing in pediatric hospitals. 578 00:28:34,320 --> 00:28:39,760 Speaker 2: Well, this is something that is my greatest work and 579 00:28:40,120 --> 00:28:42,800 Speaker 2: it is something that we are fortunate enough to do. 580 00:28:42,920 --> 00:28:44,600 Speaker 2: My mom, my dad, my sister, and I at the 581 00:28:44,680 --> 00:28:47,840 Speaker 2: Ryan Seacrest Foundation and a great team based out of Nashville. 582 00:28:47,920 --> 00:28:52,880 Speaker 2: Now we have built media centers, TV content centers, radio centers, 583 00:28:53,200 --> 00:29:00,120 Speaker 2: green screen centers in fifteen pediatric hospitals across the country. 584 00:29:00,880 --> 00:29:04,320 Speaker 2: We're in the lobby of pediatric hospitals everywhere from Boston 585 00:29:04,360 --> 00:29:08,000 Speaker 2: to Philly to Atlanta and many more to come. And 586 00:29:08,040 --> 00:29:10,560 Speaker 2: when you walk into the lobby, you'll see this cool 587 00:29:10,600 --> 00:29:12,680 Speaker 2: area behind the glass that looks like a studio that 588 00:29:12,720 --> 00:29:16,120 Speaker 2: we would work in, and it's a place for kids 589 00:29:16,200 --> 00:29:18,400 Speaker 2: and their families to go to escape. It's the one 590 00:29:18,440 --> 00:29:21,200 Speaker 2: room in the hospital where they're not giving shots, doctors 591 00:29:21,240 --> 00:29:23,479 Speaker 2: aren't telling you what you have to do, there's no 592 00:29:23,560 --> 00:29:28,160 Speaker 2: treatment in there. It's all about escaping and tapping into creativity. 593 00:29:28,240 --> 00:29:31,680 Speaker 2: And this idea came after I had visited pediatric hospitals 594 00:29:31,680 --> 00:29:34,200 Speaker 2: around the country and spoken with parents, After I met 595 00:29:34,280 --> 00:29:37,360 Speaker 2: kids in their hospital beds and I just asked them questions. 596 00:29:37,400 --> 00:29:40,840 Speaker 2: I said, you know, what are the kids do, what 597 00:29:41,000 --> 00:29:45,160 Speaker 2: keeps them motivated, what gives them the incentive to get 598 00:29:45,240 --> 00:29:47,200 Speaker 2: up and walk the hallways or get out of bed 599 00:29:47,280 --> 00:29:50,400 Speaker 2: when you're going through a tough time. And I listened 600 00:29:50,440 --> 00:29:52,640 Speaker 2: to what parents had to say, and I thought, Okay, 601 00:29:53,280 --> 00:29:58,600 Speaker 2: what if we could create this center of energy and excitement, 602 00:29:58,760 --> 00:30:02,400 Speaker 2: essentially an event space where kids and their families would 603 00:30:02,400 --> 00:30:04,040 Speaker 2: have things to look forward to and they could go 604 00:30:04,120 --> 00:30:06,600 Speaker 2: participate and they could be the stars. And that's how 605 00:30:06,600 --> 00:30:10,080 Speaker 2: we develop these secret studios where now patients will go 606 00:30:10,160 --> 00:30:13,440 Speaker 2: into the studio and artists, every artist that we have 607 00:30:13,480 --> 00:30:16,240 Speaker 2: played on iHeartRadio, and movie stars and TV stars have 608 00:30:16,400 --> 00:30:19,080 Speaker 2: come to these different cities inside the studios, and the 609 00:30:19,200 --> 00:30:23,360 Speaker 2: patients produce the shows, the patients interview the stars, and 610 00:30:23,400 --> 00:30:27,000 Speaker 2: the patients broadcast all of it into the hospital rooms, 611 00:30:27,320 --> 00:30:29,480 Speaker 2: not only in the building that they're in, sometimes in 612 00:30:29,520 --> 00:30:33,800 Speaker 2: campuses across the country, and that we've seen has helped 613 00:30:34,240 --> 00:30:37,880 Speaker 2: in the healing process. Some patients call less for pain 614 00:30:38,080 --> 00:30:42,440 Speaker 2: medication because they're happy, because they've forgotten for a moment 615 00:30:42,480 --> 00:30:45,080 Speaker 2: what they're going through, and we've had doctors report that 616 00:30:45,200 --> 00:30:47,800 Speaker 2: to us. So we didn't know what it was going 617 00:30:47,800 --> 00:30:48,800 Speaker 2: to be and how it was going to have an 618 00:30:48,840 --> 00:30:53,560 Speaker 2: impact in healing, but it has, and fortunately we continue 619 00:30:53,600 --> 00:30:54,120 Speaker 2: to build them. 620 00:30:54,360 --> 00:30:58,400 Speaker 3: You're up to eleven, soon to have fourteen, is that right? Yeah, 621 00:30:58,400 --> 00:31:00,480 Speaker 3: we're going to have fourteen the new ones. 622 00:31:00,520 --> 00:31:04,120 Speaker 2: A fifteenth is another one going into Atlanta and their 623 00:31:04,200 --> 00:31:06,560 Speaker 2: new hospital there, and then we've got two more that 624 00:31:06,560 --> 00:31:07,680 Speaker 2: we're going to announce real soon. 625 00:31:07,760 --> 00:31:11,960 Speaker 3: Well, thank you and congratulations on that. You always wanted 626 00:31:11,960 --> 00:31:13,280 Speaker 3: to be on the air since you were a kid, 627 00:31:13,840 --> 00:31:17,840 Speaker 3: and I'm sure you have exceeded your own wildest expectations. 628 00:31:17,960 --> 00:31:21,840 Speaker 3: But it comes at a price celebrity and not much privacy. 629 00:31:22,080 --> 00:31:23,000 Speaker 4: How have you dealt with that? 630 00:31:23,480 --> 00:31:26,719 Speaker 2: I have one sort of thought about that. It's everything 631 00:31:26,720 --> 00:31:30,520 Speaker 2: I ever wanted. If I were doing these jobs and 632 00:31:30,600 --> 00:31:32,800 Speaker 2: no one came up to me and said hi, then 633 00:31:32,840 --> 00:31:35,840 Speaker 2: they're not making the shows, aren't making a real impact. 634 00:31:36,120 --> 00:31:39,360 Speaker 2: So I love it when anybody walks up to me 635 00:31:39,440 --> 00:31:43,040 Speaker 2: anywhere and says hello, or hey, I heard you talking 636 00:31:43,040 --> 00:31:45,040 Speaker 2: about this, or you know what. I'm a big carry 637 00:31:45,080 --> 00:31:48,200 Speaker 2: Underwood fan. I remember the night that she won American Idol. 638 00:31:48,240 --> 00:31:49,960 Speaker 2: I was with my family, we were in the airport, 639 00:31:50,000 --> 00:31:52,479 Speaker 2: we were at a bar. I love that. So the 640 00:31:52,520 --> 00:31:55,560 Speaker 2: deal I made with myself was whenever I leave my home, 641 00:31:56,480 --> 00:31:59,080 Speaker 2: I'm out, I'm on right, like, I'm a little bit 642 00:31:59,080 --> 00:32:02,400 Speaker 2: of public property. And so if you want to take 643 00:32:02,400 --> 00:32:03,880 Speaker 2: a picture, if you want to say hello, if you 644 00:32:03,880 --> 00:32:07,600 Speaker 2: want to chat about something, I'm totally, absolutely fine with it. 645 00:32:07,640 --> 00:32:10,160 Speaker 2: As a matter of fact. When that stops, then I 646 00:32:10,200 --> 00:32:11,880 Speaker 2: have a problem. And the other thing, Bob, but we 647 00:32:11,960 --> 00:32:15,320 Speaker 2: talked about this too. I'm not the star of any 648 00:32:15,360 --> 00:32:19,440 Speaker 2: of the shows that I do. I put people in 649 00:32:19,480 --> 00:32:22,840 Speaker 2: the spotlight. I listen to people, I talk to people, 650 00:32:22,880 --> 00:32:26,120 Speaker 2: I interview people, I debut people, I celebrate people that 651 00:32:26,200 --> 00:32:28,520 Speaker 2: I'm not the star. You know, Live with Kelly and Ryan. 652 00:32:28,640 --> 00:32:30,560 Speaker 2: Kelly Rippa is the star of the show We Have 653 00:32:30,680 --> 00:32:33,080 Speaker 2: a Fortune, The game and the contestants are the star 654 00:32:33,120 --> 00:32:36,080 Speaker 2: of the show American Idol, the judges and the singers 655 00:32:36,120 --> 00:32:39,160 Speaker 2: are the star of the show. So that's my role. 656 00:32:39,440 --> 00:32:41,600 Speaker 2: And by having that role, I find that people don't 657 00:32:41,600 --> 00:32:43,800 Speaker 2: treat me like a star. They treat me like somebody 658 00:32:43,800 --> 00:32:45,240 Speaker 2: they know, and that's what I want. 659 00:32:45,520 --> 00:32:49,400 Speaker 3: Let's jump to some advice. If you could it was possible, 660 00:32:49,880 --> 00:32:52,800 Speaker 3: what advice would you give your fifteen year old self, 661 00:32:53,000 --> 00:32:55,240 Speaker 3: your twenty one year old self, and your thirty year 662 00:32:55,240 --> 00:32:55,800 Speaker 3: old self. 663 00:32:56,680 --> 00:33:00,320 Speaker 2: Oh man, so my fifteen year old self, the advice 664 00:33:00,400 --> 00:33:03,160 Speaker 2: would be to actually do a few things that are 665 00:33:03,160 --> 00:33:05,720 Speaker 2: fun in school, not just work all around class, right 666 00:33:05,760 --> 00:33:10,000 Speaker 2: like I worked a lot around class in football my twenties. 667 00:33:10,200 --> 00:33:14,480 Speaker 2: Something might be to carry a little less guilt when 668 00:33:14,520 --> 00:33:16,840 Speaker 2: I wasn't working, as I was saying, even if a 669 00:33:16,880 --> 00:33:18,720 Speaker 2: Sunday morning and I wasn't at the radio stations, like 670 00:33:18,760 --> 00:33:19,640 Speaker 2: why wasn't they there? 671 00:33:19,720 --> 00:33:21,400 Speaker 4: Why didn't they want me to be there on Sunday? 672 00:33:21,440 --> 00:33:23,080 Speaker 4: I should be there, you know. 673 00:33:23,120 --> 00:33:26,040 Speaker 2: So I think about those things throughout the years, and 674 00:33:27,200 --> 00:33:29,840 Speaker 2: I would tell my now I'm I don't want to say, 675 00:33:29,840 --> 00:33:32,440 Speaker 2: but yeah, now I'm into my forties. I would tell 676 00:33:32,520 --> 00:33:34,880 Speaker 2: you know, my thirty five, thirty six, thirty seven a 677 00:33:34,880 --> 00:33:37,480 Speaker 2: little more balanced, like find a hobby. I remember filling 678 00:33:37,480 --> 00:33:41,120 Speaker 2: out doctors not doctorsworms, it forms, whatever form you're filling 679 00:33:41,120 --> 00:33:41,400 Speaker 2: out for. 680 00:33:41,920 --> 00:33:43,080 Speaker 4: They say, what are your hobbies? 681 00:33:43,920 --> 00:33:46,320 Speaker 2: I was like, hm, I need to make something up 682 00:33:46,360 --> 00:33:48,480 Speaker 2: because I haven't had a chance to do anything like that. 683 00:33:49,000 --> 00:33:50,560 Speaker 2: So I thought that was a moment where I should 684 00:33:50,600 --> 00:33:53,600 Speaker 2: try and develop some hobbies. We end each episode with 685 00:33:53,680 --> 00:33:56,080 Speaker 2: a shout out to the greats of math and magic 686 00:33:56,120 --> 00:33:59,960 Speaker 2: and business marketing. The math person who has an incredibly 687 00:34:00,080 --> 00:34:03,520 Speaker 2: analytical mind and their success comes from that skill. And 688 00:34:03,600 --> 00:34:07,120 Speaker 2: the magic person, the promoter, the visionary, the dreamer who 689 00:34:07,160 --> 00:34:08,600 Speaker 2: achieved success. 690 00:34:08,280 --> 00:34:13,279 Speaker 4: Through that path. Who are the two who get your 691 00:34:13,320 --> 00:34:14,120 Speaker 4: shout outs? 692 00:34:14,440 --> 00:34:17,200 Speaker 2: There's one that I didn't meet and one that I 693 00:34:17,320 --> 00:34:19,640 Speaker 2: met for the Math. For the Math, the one I 694 00:34:19,680 --> 00:34:22,920 Speaker 2: wanted to meet would have been Walt Disney. The one 695 00:34:23,000 --> 00:34:25,399 Speaker 2: that I think about that I did meet is one 696 00:34:25,440 --> 00:34:28,200 Speaker 2: we spoke about in Dick Clark. And when I think 697 00:34:28,280 --> 00:34:30,560 Speaker 2: of the magic and we put Dick and Merv together, 698 00:34:30,920 --> 00:34:33,840 Speaker 2: I would put Merv in the magic category. He was 699 00:34:33,880 --> 00:34:36,840 Speaker 2: great in math, but the magic category. He had something special. 700 00:34:37,239 --> 00:34:41,359 Speaker 2: He had the magic wand he could just create an atmosphere, 701 00:34:41,480 --> 00:34:45,400 Speaker 2: an energy, a connection that I was in awe of. 702 00:34:45,719 --> 00:34:48,719 Speaker 2: And Chris Jenner, we talked about her earlier too. 703 00:34:49,200 --> 00:34:49,880 Speaker 4: She has it. 704 00:34:50,280 --> 00:34:53,439 Speaker 2: She has a magic wand she can do the math. 705 00:34:53,920 --> 00:34:57,040 Speaker 2: She's very smart with business, but she knows how to 706 00:34:57,160 --> 00:34:59,960 Speaker 2: create the magic. And I've been blessed with the op 707 00:35:00,000 --> 00:35:02,120 Speaker 2: cortinuy to be exposed to these people. Vote well, what's 708 00:35:02,120 --> 00:35:03,880 Speaker 2: the one that I would have loved to have met? 709 00:35:04,239 --> 00:35:07,799 Speaker 3: Brian, you are truly a unicorn. You've not only done 710 00:35:07,880 --> 00:35:10,399 Speaker 3: things no one's ever done before but you've done them 711 00:35:10,440 --> 00:35:14,000 Speaker 3: in parallel, not in sequence, and you show no signs 712 00:35:14,040 --> 00:35:17,240 Speaker 3: of slowing down. Thanks for sharing your stories and insights. 713 00:35:17,760 --> 00:35:18,160 Speaker 4: Thank you. 714 00:35:23,160 --> 00:35:24,840 Speaker 3: Here are a few things I picked up from my 715 00:35:24,880 --> 00:35:28,960 Speaker 3: conversation with Ryan. One, have an open line of communication 716 00:35:29,160 --> 00:35:34,200 Speaker 3: with business partners. Bryan's relationships with brands are true collaborative partnerships, 717 00:35:34,440 --> 00:35:37,520 Speaker 3: and as a result, advertisers love being on Ryan's show. 718 00:35:38,320 --> 00:35:41,040 Speaker 4: Enter any business partnership with a clear. 719 00:35:40,840 --> 00:35:44,239 Speaker 3: Understanding of their goals, find out what success means to 720 00:35:44,320 --> 00:35:47,000 Speaker 3: them and what will move the needle, and work together 721 00:35:47,120 --> 00:35:47,719 Speaker 3: to achieve it. 722 00:35:48,560 --> 00:35:48,799 Speaker 4: Two. 723 00:35:49,280 --> 00:35:54,960 Speaker 3: Foster and maintain meaningful relationships. People appreciate honesty, kindness, and 724 00:35:55,080 --> 00:35:58,920 Speaker 3: authenticity in any business, and Ryan is just as genuine 725 00:35:58,960 --> 00:36:01,719 Speaker 3: as he appears on tea on the radio. He was 726 00:36:01,760 --> 00:36:04,239 Speaker 3: able to lean on the connections he formed early in 727 00:36:04,280 --> 00:36:06,760 Speaker 3: his career, and this is one of the key elements 728 00:36:06,760 --> 00:36:08,160 Speaker 3: he attributes to his success. 729 00:36:09,160 --> 00:36:09,440 Speaker 4: Three. 730 00:36:09,800 --> 00:36:13,040 Speaker 3: Make quick decisions time and time again. Ryan built his 731 00:36:13,120 --> 00:36:15,040 Speaker 3: career by making quick decisions. 732 00:36:15,440 --> 00:36:16,000 Speaker 4: He did not. 733 00:36:16,200 --> 00:36:18,840 Speaker 3: Miss the moment he saw an opening in the reality 734 00:36:18,920 --> 00:36:22,080 Speaker 3: TV space for the Kardashians before he even owned the camera. 735 00:36:22,600 --> 00:36:24,600 Speaker 3: Don't be afraid to make a quick decision when you 736 00:36:24,640 --> 00:36:27,720 Speaker 3: see the opportunity, it may pay off in more ways 737 00:36:27,880 --> 00:36:31,400 Speaker 3: than you ever imagine. I'm Bob Pittman. Thanks for listening. 738 00:36:40,000 --> 00:36:42,760 Speaker 1: That's it for today's episode. Thanks so much for listening 739 00:36:42,760 --> 00:36:46,160 Speaker 1: to Math and Magic, a production of iHeart Podcasts. The 740 00:36:46,200 --> 00:36:49,160 Speaker 1: show is hosted by Bob Pittman. Special thanks to Sidney 741 00:36:49,200 --> 00:36:52,319 Speaker 1: Rosenblat for booking and wrangling our wonderful talent, which is 742 00:36:52,360 --> 00:36:55,880 Speaker 1: no small feat. Math and Magic's producers are Emily Meronoth 743 00:36:55,960 --> 00:36:59,840 Speaker 1: and Jessica Crimechech. It is mixed and mastered by Baheid Fraser. 744 00:37:00,160 --> 00:37:03,360 Speaker 1: Our executive producers are Nikki Etoor and Ali Perry, and 745 00:37:03,440 --> 00:37:06,800 Speaker 1: of course, of big thanks to Gail Raoul, Eric Angel 746 00:37:06,960 --> 00:37:10,120 Speaker 1: Noel and everyone who helped bring this show to your ears. 747 00:37:10,480 --> 00:37:11,319 Speaker 1: Until next time,