Ryan Seacrest Talks ‘New Year’s Rockin’ Eve’ Details: Dick Clark, Lady Gaga and His Resolution
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In 40 years of countdowns and party favors, much has changed in how we celebrate New Year’s Eve.
In the beginning, the iconic ball dropped in Times Square hosted a mere 100 25-watt bulbs, a bit dimmer than today’s 22,000 LED lights embedded in Waterford Crystal.
When Dick Clark launched his first “New Years Rockin’ Eve” in 1972, the band Blood, Sweat and Tears was the headliner. The show was created to be a hipper answer to CBS’s annual broadcast of Guy Lombardo’s live orchestra performing from the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City.
Clark’s show soon became an established tradition, and this Saturday night will be another snapshot of popular sound and fashion as 2011 turns over to 2012. ‘Rockin’ Eve’ co-host Ryan Seacrest granted “Nightline” a sneak preview of what’s to come, and said Clark would make an appearance again this year.
“I looked forward to seeing him every year and I was always impressed with how he could make you feel so comfortable,” Seacrest told “Nightline” anchor Bill Weir. “You’d watch at home and you’d feel like you were part of the party and he was just talking to you. That’s one of his amazing talents.”
Seacrest was brought onto the program after Clark, now 82, suffered a stroke seven years ago that impaired his speech and changed his beloved broadcast.
“[Clark] is doing good. He’s excited about this year. He gets excited every year. He looks forward to being on the air,” Seacrest said. “He still runs the show. He’ll make as many appearances as he wants, and I kind of just stand there and take the ball when he passes it.”
The 37-year-old host said he has fond memories of watching Clark’s special at home when he was growing up.
“I remember as a kid standing in my living room with a pizza. Mom would leave 10 bucks on the table, order pizza with the babysitter and I was allowed to stay up and watch Dick Clark with the headset and the microphone and the big ABC logo,” Seacrest said.
These days, most of Hollywood works for Seacrest. In addition to his hosting deals with the ever popular “American Idol” and the E! Channel — he created all four Kardashian shows, including “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” — his national radio presence has him plugged in to the biggest musical acts of today, which makes for a big New Year’s night.
Seacrest said this year’s show includes rapper PitBull, Justin Bieber, guitar master Carlos Santana and the final mega act — Lady Gaga. Seacrest claimed they didn’t know much about what the Pop princess, known for her outrageous costumes and bizarre entrances, will do.
“You know what’s great about Lady Gaga. This is true. With some artists you know exactly what their plan is before they go on the air. With Gaga she always wants to keep you guessing,” he said. “We know the time she’s got. She’s got about six-and-a-half minutes to fill but what she does with it is up to her.”
As for who Seacrest will kiss when the clock strikes midnight, he said his girlfriend, 22-year-old professional dancer Julianne Hough.
“I won’t get to kiss her until about 12:04 or :05 because I do it during commercial break,” he said.
When asked about his New Year’s resolution, Seacrest, who seems to constantly have a hand in everything entertainment, said he hopes to slow down a bit in 2012.
“I’m always planning the next thing whether it be standing up at work thinking about the next thing, sitting at lunch thinking about dinner, I’m always trying too hard to plan ahead and I believe the resolution this year would be to be a little more present in a moment and enjoy where you are for a second without planning the next one,” Seacrest said.
“Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest” airs on Saturday, Dec. 31 at 10 p.m. on ABC. Watch “Nightline” anchor Bill Weir’s report below:
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ABC is so out of touch with what ABC viewers want to see… GAGA, BIEBER, and PITBULL… yawn! Just another reason to go out.
Posted by: Johnny | December 30, 2011, 9:10 am 9:10 am
Great, so we have Ryan to blame for the Kardashians, Thanks you tool. Yet another reason to dislike this guy.
Posted by: Toph | December 30, 2011, 5:38 pm 5:38 pm
There is something wrong with Seacrest’s forehead. Something is seriously off. He looks like a smiling plastic zombie.
Posted by: sf | December 30, 2011, 9:26 pm 9:26 pm
Oh, No!!!! Dick Clark, again? How pathetic!
Posted by: velvers | December 31, 2011, 1:11 pm 1:11 pm
You guys (ABC) have your year count wrong. You’re calling this the “40th anniversary,” when in fact, it is not. This year’s show is the 40th show, but it’s only 39 years apart from the first show, so it’s on the 39th anniversary this year. Next year should be your big anniversary show, not this one.
But anyway, so you’re going to have this tribute to Dick on the 40th show, 39 years later. Will you please make that distinction during the broadcast, so that you’re not calling it the 40th anniversary when it’s really just the 40th TIME (40th season), but only the 39th anniversary (the first time isn’t an anniversary)?
Happy Christmas and happy New Year!
Posted by: Mike, "MaxxFordham" | December 31, 2011, 2:45 pm 2:45 pm
Sorry Dick it has nothing to do with you been waching you sent I was a teen.Its a;; about ABC not caring for loyal veiwers.Won’t be watching.Beside its more a Ryan Seacrest show now.
Posted by: moshane58 | December 31, 2011, 4:10 pm 4:10 pm
This show gets worse and worse each year! And sorry, but Dick Clark needs to pass on this show, he looks bad when he tries to introduce someone or talk and is hard to understand-somehow, it is really creepy to see him trying to do this. Keep your name for the show, and make it more entertaining without the usleless has been acts that usually perform-Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin are more entertaining!!!
Posted by: sammy | December 31, 2011, 6:53 pm 6:53 pm
“Great, so we have Ryan to blame for the Kardashians, Thanks you tool. Yet another reason to dislike this guy”.
I couldn’t agree more
Posted by: terry | December 31, 2011, 8:46 pm 8:46 pm
I thinks its great to see Dick Clark still on, all that he been though the man is an icon and i welcome him on the show until he cannot make it any more then i hope Ryan takes over as long as Dick did
Posted by: mike of florida | December 31, 2011, 10:01 pm 10:01 pm
Jenny is the worst. Dick is the best. With that said the show content and talent continues to erode very year.
Posted by: Chris | December 31, 2011, 11:42 pm 11:42 pm
Lady Gaga and/or ABC should fire their art director for her performance. What were they thinking? Black costumes, black floor, black on black everywhere! Looked more like a sad, Halloween, goth offering and not like NEW YEAR’S EVE celebrating the start of a much awaited 2012! Yet again, the 1% letting down the 99!
Posted by: Sebek | December 31, 2011, 11:50 pm 11:50 pm
Shame on you ABC 10 pm news in Utah. You cut into the ball dropping completely dropped Dick Clark and Lady Gaga. I watched from 7 pm to 10 pm and the new broadcast cut in with local Salt Lake City news. Seriously, what’s wrong with you? Oh, I’m sorry, you kept a little box in the corner of the screen but took all the sound away. Seriously, what’s wrong with you?
Posted by: Pam Deters | January 1, 2012, 12:16 am 12:16 am
Why does ABC hate the mountain time zone? we always get screwed! the news instead of Lady Gaga. Cruel.
Posted by: Dave Lewis | January 1, 2012, 12:46 am 12:46 am
I love Dick Clark too, but he need to retire. The job can no long be done due to his illness. Sorry Dick, please call it a day.
Posted by: Nancy Sawicki | January 1, 2012, 1:26 am 1:26 am
Whose idea was it to sanitize John Lennon’s classic song about a better world? Talk about irony. I mean how did that go down exactly, that you would decide to change the lyrics to a John Lennon song to appease the advertisers? Was that Celo’s idea? I knew he wasn’t gonna sing it. Why not just pick a different f#@%ing song. Morons. This is the problem with America. Money above all.
Posted by: Ima Believer | January 1, 2012, 1:37 am 1:37 am
@Chris Much awaited 2012 without Osama, I’m sorry I mean Obama (Both Muslim). You are clearly a troll but I’ll bite and say “Lady Horse face” is also the fictional 99% because the whole occupy “failure” was orchestrated by the Democrats, which is pretty apparent.
Posted by: BriThom | January 1, 2012, 2:04 am 2:04 am
If you don’t like Dick Clark, don’t watch. If you don’t like Ryan, don’t watch. If you don’t like the guests, don’t watch. If you think you can do better, then apply for the job. Dick Clark is as synonymous with New Year’s Eve as college football is to New Year’s Day. You can’t have one without the other. He’s a long time entertainment business icon. Leave him alone. He had a stroke. If doing this show, his show, for as little as he’s on is his thing and it makes him happy then he can do it until he’s 100+. So he’s not perfect anymore… sit back, enjoy and be happy you have yet one more New Year’s Eve to ring in. Dick’s critics should take a long look in a mirror…you’re not going to see the image of perfection staring back.
Posted by: LMNYYGAL | January 1, 2012, 9:00 am 9:00 am
Absolutely LMNYYGAL! Couldn’t have said it better myself. Now days, if you’re not perfect, you are no longer wanted in society. Hope these young people’s health stays for a long time! Annnddd, they are the ones going to be taking care of some of us. SCARY thought!
Posted by: Kristen | January 1, 2012, 1:06 pm 1:06 pm
I have to admit this was one of the biggest disappointments of the year for me. We watched the show and and at 11:56 Jenny McCarthy is talking and in the background people are counting down 4, 3, 2, 1 and what happens at 0 we’re taken to Hollywood and Florence and the Machine.
There was no ball drop no Ryan no Dick Clark nothing. I have never been so livid at a show before. Next year will NOT have me watching ABC again. Fool me once shame on you fool me twice well…it’s not going to happen.
Posted by: Karen | January 1, 2012, 5:21 pm 5:21 pm
How much botox did Ryan Seacrest get before this show? It was hard to tell him apart from Dick Clark-both had the same frozen expression, but Dick Clark did have a stroke years ago. This show was very disappointing-most of the muscial acts weren’t that great-Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin were more entertaining than this bunch!!!!
Posted by: Harry | January 1, 2012, 7:28 pm 7:28 pm
I switched to Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin a few years ago. Dick needs to retire and Seacrest just needs to go away. He’s everywhere! And he’s responsible for taking the talentless Kardashians and pushing them on the world. Ugh!
Posted by: Bob | January 3, 2012, 8:45 am 8:45 am