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JAMES WALKER ABC CS'S ON CONTROVERSIAL PRINCIPAL, JOE CLARK OF EASTSIDE HIGH SCHOOL. 01:00:00:00 clark addresses his students, wielding a bat and saying he'll beat up drug pushers in the school. he says people now call him batman and the students cheer. clark patrols the hallways with a bullhorn. cu's of signs in clark's office. soundbite from education secretary william bennett, students and teachers. they all comment on what a good job clark is doing. clark soundbite in which he dismisses allegations that he is violating students' constitutional rights because, as he puts it, he is the constitution at eastside high. he also says he wants his students to become educated, viable citizens. gv's of a pro clark students' rally in the school. a school board spokesman says, to a packed auditorium, that clark is facing charges of conduct unbecoming a principal. clark responds to those charges. clark shakes hands with people in the auditorium. CI: PERSONALITIES: BENNETT, WILLIAM. PERSONALITIES: CLARK, JOE.

RYAN SEACREST NIGHTLINE: INTERVIEW A CAMERA Ryan Seacrest Verbate 11/01/07 Tape 1 010135 TM: I'm going to start on a random spot. Because we just had Halloween, it occurred to me, what did Ryan Seacrest go as on Halloween as a kid? What were your favorite costumes? 014021 RS: I was King Tut one year; I was Spiderman---anything that cam in an Under-roo package I would dress up as. I was Batman, Spiderman, Incredible Hulk one year. It was pretty easy. I didn't actually go out this year trick or treating, I've given up trick or treating and I didn't smash any pumpkins either this year. 010157 TM: Can we read anything into those costume choices? 010159 RS: No, they were easy. I was a fan of the comics I guess. But they were simple and you could get them for like $19.99 and they were simple to put on at the store. 010210 TM: Now the reason I ask is serious. I think the basic question people ask is, how did you get here? From an early age when you wanted to be here to, how did that happen? 010216 RS: I just, I guess in my head, I always really, truly envisioned it. When I was 10, 11, 12 years old, I would study the disc jockeys on the radio in Atlanta. Listen to every single aspect of their shows. I would almost; I would examine how they did a simple radio program. It was almost strange that I wouldn't want to go out and play in the woods or the creek; I'd rather sit in my room and listen to these local DJ's. 010252 TM: It wasn't almost strange-it sounds a little obsessive. 010255 RS: It was, it was. Instead of filling my canteen and playing in the woods, I would pretend to be on the radio at 12 years old in my bedroom. And I went to radio shack and bought a mixer and these big ugly headphones that look like pilots headphones and I would literally broadcast to cassette tapes in my bedroom. And I would give them to my parents and when they went on trips they would play these tapes of me introducing songs. So it's all I thought about, so from the time I was a little kid to the time I was in high school and college and I started working in radio when I was in high school. 010326 TM: What's the source of that? 010328 RS: It's interesting because I remember my father is an attorney and I used to say to him, "Dad, you work too many hours, you just work too hard. I don't ever want to do that. I mean I go to school at 8 in the morning and I'm done at 3. I want that lifestyle when I get a job." Well, that didn't happen, but I was one of those kids who always did a little bit of everything. Believe it or not, I grew up as a part of the student government; I played football in the pop warner league in junior high and high school. 010359 TM: What did you play? 010400 RS: I played strong safety. And my life was school and football and student government. So I did a little bit of everything when I was a kid and that has become sort of become the motto of my business now, doing a little bit of everything. 010413 TM: You like it that way? 010414 RS: I do. I like it that way. I'm not great if I have one thing to do. If I had one show a day or if I had one task to accomplish, I'm not good at it. I'm literally better when I can show up and walk on air. 010430 TM: Restless? 010431 RS: Yeah. I think, fearful, I have plenty of insecurities. I don't want anyone to get up earlier than I do or work harder than I do. When I moved to LA, I was intimidated by the city because I didn't know anyone. And it's a big town. And I would almost get depressed that I wasn't doing what I wanted to do. And I would get up every morning and I would try to figure out ways to get my foot in the door. And I'd have to start from the beginning. You know I worked in radio in Atlanta. And then when I got to LA I started in radio again here. And I drove the van and I worked the all-night shift and I did almost every job until I got to where I am. (Break to fix cameras and sweating on Ryan Seacrest's face) 010632 TM: But I want to pick up on that struggle. We good? Because that fights the image. The image that you've left a totally charmed life, you're feet have never touched the ground. No hard knocks. Is that true. 010651 RS: Oh I think hard knock is relatively speaking. I definitely had this vision and I wanted it to happen now. And that's the problem. I want the immediate return. I always want it to happen now. I don't want to wait until next week. I don't want to wait until the sunsets. I want it to happen today. And that was tough for me because when you move to LA and you're not an actor, what are you? And how do you get those jobs? Well I'm a radio personality, I want to be a host, I want to be a producer. I want to be in the world of pop culture. Okay, well how do you try out for that and where do you go? So I would go out for auditions and I would never go in. and I would drive up and I would see everyone else lined up and I would be intimidated and I would turn around and get back in my car. I didn't like the auditions and I never really was good at them. But I know if I was able to be, or if I was in a live situation, then I could shine. I just love being on live television and on live radio. 010754 TM: I sense a little insecurity, still. 010757 RS: A lot of insecurity. A lot of insecurity. 010800 TM: In spite of the grand success you've had? 010802 RS: I still don't feel. I feel like I've had very, very blessed and charmed path and I feel grateful for the success but I still am driven to get up very early every morning and work as many hours as I can. 010819 TM: With the goal being what? Fame? fortune? All of the above? 010823 RS: I think the goal is peace, fulfillment. And to be good and be known as good at what I do. And being a part of pop culture, in other the words the conduit to a lot of pop culture is a goal. American Idol is a major television event. That is a fantastic vehicle for me. I'm going to be the host for the Super Bowl this year; it's a big pop culture event. New Year's Eve, pop culture event. The radio shows, the American top 40, all of those allow me to be conduit for fans and those stars and that's the guy I want to be. 010905 TM: And when you were growing up, you saw that guy among others, Dick Clark and you saw that as something that you wanted to do? 010914 RS: Yeah I did, I saw Dick Clark and I thought he was my best friend. I felt comfortable when I watched him. I thought Merv Griffin was my best friend. I felt safe when I watched these guys and I thought to be that person would be the ultimate goal. To be that guy who made other people comfortable would be the perfect job. 010938 TM: That's fascinating. Because they probably started out doing something else and became that conduit into pop culture. And you patterned your career from childhood on doing that. 010950 RS: Initially, I would hear Kasey Kasem and I would hear Dick Clark and I would see Merv Griffin and I really felt like these guys were a part of my family. I would feel like--- you get this connection when you are listening to them or when you are watching them and they made people happy and gave people information and they made them laugh and smile and above all they did it seamlessly and I watched what they did and I thought if I work at it I can do that. And then of course I learned that they were tremendously successful with their business models and that becomes the next step. 011023 TM: Because the business side is very important to you as well. 011026 RS: It is. Hosting is fun and hosting is something that I've had the opportunity to do, but as you know, longevity becomes the question when you are in front of the camera. So for me, having ownership and equity is very, very important and that becomes the focus for the next few years. 011044 TM: To take control of, or part control of what it is you are doing on air? 011048 RS: Yeah, Dick Clark for example built a massive empire by being a host. He used those relationships that he had and those opportunities that he had, to further his goal of owning television shows. I guess today you would take owning content, because, what is it? Internet? Is it radio? Is it TV? Does it matter? It's content and there's several platforms. And to be an equity partner and player in that content is now the goal. 011117 TM: A player? 011117 RS: The player. 011118 TM: The player? 011119 RS: No, the player. 011120 TM: You said the. Okay then, what's you're talent? Ryan Seacrest is really good at? 011131 RS: Making people feel comfortable. I hope that's what I do. When we start American Idol this year. And when we're live in American Idol. We try to create a fantastic, entertainment television show that is good for all ages and that is comfortable for a 12 year old and a 40 year old father to watch. That's comfortable for a grandmother and their baby or granddaughter to watch. That's what we try and do and we're conscious of that. And we try our best to do it. And it's the same when I'm talking on the radio. I know in my head that the scope of age I'm talking too. And it's here at a 12 year old and it's also at a 49 year old or above. A 54 year old. And I'm thinking about that constantly with everything that I say. And with every person I book and with every interview question that I ask. 011224 TM: Radio, what do you like? (Break to fix Ryan's makeup) 011428 TM: I was going to ask about radio. Radio has been in your life since you were 15. What do you like about it? 011435 RS: It's live, it's day in day. It's interactive. You can throw a topic out and get instant feedback. You can talk about anything in the world and get every different opinion just like that. I will go on the air and talk about a television show and I'll say one thing about it and people will disagree and people will agree. I'll talk about a text message that I got that I think is a strange text message and people will call and say I got that same one. I will talk about. I mean you can literally come up with anything and you'll find somebody that can relate to it. It's a freeing medium as well. In other words, when you go on the air you have 5 hours everyday to create something and to really interact with the people you are talking to. It's a little different on TV. On TV you're not talking with those people who are watching, in my jobs and in radio I am, and I love that about it. 011533 TM: We're going to see you do that tomorrow. I just remembered something that I read or heard about your childhood. Here you are, you're a very trim guy, you went running today, but as a kid you were a little heavy? 011546 RS: Yeah, as a kid I was. As a kid I was the guy that would not want spring break to come. That every summer would not want to go to the beach because I would wear a t-shirt to the pool. I would wear these t-shirts to the pool because I was insecure about my weight. And I know why. I used to come home from school and I would eat pan of nachos and I would watch television in the afternoon. And even though I was active, I was eating more than I was active. And so I still remember how that felt and I remember being teased about it a little bit and I never want to be that guy again. And so when I get up everyday, its something I think about and its one of the reasons that I motivated to build some sort of exercise into my schedule during the week. 011638 TM: You're very disciplined. 011638 RS: I have a very, very tight, minute-by-minute schedule every day, with a.. I left my house today and I forgot my blackberry. And I was 5 minutes from my house. 5 up and 5 back, that will make me late and I can't go back and get it. I had to have someone go get my blackberry. I mean, that's how tight my day is. 011703 TM: Is that enjoyable? 011703 RS: Love it. Love it. I want to do three things at once. Multi-tasking. Absolutely love it. 011710 TM: You never take a break just to reflect. To sit on the beach? 011714 RS: Lets me honest, Thanksgiving is coming up. I'll have a break, I'll have some turkey and stuffing. I'll lie on the floor because I feel fat and stretch it all out. I'll spend time with my family. Sure I'll take a long weekend and I'll take a break. And when I do, I can relax and I can stop. But after a few days I'm ready to go again. And I'll keep that pace and I'll do that as long as I'm enthused and excited about it. Just like anybody else. Some days that alarm goes off and it's almost the middle of the night and I want to throw that clock across the room but once I get in the car and get to work and a sip of coffee I'm okay. 011747 TM: It's fulfilling? 011748 RS: It is. It is fulfilling. And you don't get bored. I'm never bored. There is always something new. Everyday looks different, looks different. And is different. And everyday starts with a morning radio show where there are a few million people listening. And by the time you've worked through 4 or 5 hours of it, you've covered so many bases and you know everything that is going on in the world at that point. And you can start your day. 011818 TM: Let's go back. The other side of the camera, the other side of the microphone. What's the business plan for Ryan Seacrest? 011822 RS: The plan is to produce pop culture. If something big is happening in pop culture, my company wants to be a part of it. Wants to be a part of delivering that content to the audience. And that really is the goal each and every day when I sit at my desk. Working our way each and every day towards that, but that is the goal. And with today's audience, they're getting content instantly. It's not necessarily conventional media. It's not lets wait until a certain time at night to watch TV, I mean I was driving the other day and two 17 year old girls pulled up to me at a stop light and they put down their window and they said, we're just reading this interview that you did with Britney Spears right now on our wireless device. So they can get instantly. So I think as you are building a company and as you are producing those shows or are a part of those shows, you've got to be conscious of that. 011915 TM: So give me an example of the kinds of pop culture you're company wants to produce. 011920 RS: Right now, I produce the pre-shows for the Grammy's, the Oscars, the Emmy's, the SAG awards and the Golden Globes. Love to do the main shows someday. Right now I produce a couple reality series; I would love to do more of that. Right now I produce the radio programs. Will radio at some point or those shows be available for in real time video form online? Perhaps that's something that is going to happen soon. All those things I'm thinking about every day and all those different components are interesting and will eventually be profitable. 011958 TM: And you have ownership in them? 011920 RS: And you'd have ownership. 012001 TM: And that is the player? 012003 RS: That's the work. That's the plan. 012010 TM: It seems that. I'm going to say something with a little bit of an edge. It sounds like a constructed life. Like a life less lived than built. 012022 RS: It is constructive. It is. That's okay. That's okay. 012031 TM: You don't feel like you're missing anything in the realm of spontaneity, accident, happen-stance? 012037 RS: Well I think within each compartment of a day, there's the opportunity to jump on spontaneity. But then when that's over, you've got to get to the next event. But that's alright, but that's fine. And that discipline and that tight schedule is good for me. It keeps you focused. Sure you don't get to have dinner past 8 o'clock, but there's Friday night and Saturday night. And then Sunday I'm back in bed at 6:30 or 7. It's okay. I like it. 012111 TM: Do you get lonely at all? 012113 RS: I get lonely, but there are four of me. So I spend time with the rest of me's. and we talk about our day. 012122 TM: That's a good line, I don't understand it. 012124 RS: That's really how I get it all done. I'm just one of the guys. I'm just the guy that does Idol. There's a different guy tomorrow, you'll see. But sure, you get lonely. I have a great group of friends that I've known for a long time. My old roommate who was a teacher and now is a pharmaceutical sales guy. He's a good buddy of mine. And he and his girlfriend and I we still hang out like old times. We talk about when we used to just eat cereal three meals a day. And how we thought that was so good for us until we realized that it was all puffy food. We talk about those good old times. The reward and the fulfillment far outweighs the fatigue and the loneliness. 012206 TM: Who is your competition? 012209 RS: My competition? I don't know who my competition is. I don't really frame what I'm trying to accomplish by looking at the competition or thinking about the competition. I'm happy for anyone who's in this world and who's successful. Because I didn't come out here knowing anyone or anything. I shared a one bedroom apartment when I first moved to LA, in Burbank not far from the Tonight Show. And one of the first show's I went to go see what Jay and I sat in the audience and I watched him. And at that point it was, "wow I would love to see him one day". And then you get to sit on the couch and he's asking you questions. And those moments are still very, for a guy from Atlanta, those moments are still very surreal and very powerful for me. 012255 TM: Do you still get to bright lights in the eyes? 012258 RS: I still do. I still drive onto a studio lot and I remember watching TV shows when I was kid, seeing these lots and wondering what it would be like to be on them. I think back to when I watched different strokes that TV show and I remember when they came to Hollywood for one episode and I thought oh my gosh look that. That's Universal back lot. I want to go there sometime on the tram. And when I came to LA, I want to see the Hollywood sign. All of those things. Until I was almost finished with high school I had never seen before. And now this is my home and I love it here. 012334 TM: Larry King has said that when he retires, if he retires, he would like you as his successor. That's another job you might do? 012345 RS: Very, very flattering. When I heard that, I called Larry and said, "Did you make a mistake?" And he said, "no, goodbye." I met Larry in an airport and the short story is, I said, "you're my idol" and he said, "Carry my bag" And so I did. And I'm walking with Larry and his wife and myself and we look like the happy King family. And eventually he said to me, "you should come on my show" and I did. And the first commercial break he said, "Why don't you host my show someday. And a week later he said, fill in for me and I did. And they call still now for me to come sit in while he's away. He's become a good friend and he's become obviously someone I look up to and a mentor. And he does a radio program on TV. That's what he does. That's what he started doing. And so we've bonded over that. 012439 TM: What have you learned from Larry King. 012440 RS: I think you learn that it is okay to ask questions, to not know everything, its okay to sit in front of somebody and really be inquisitive without knowing what they are going to say. When you first start broadcasting, interviewing people, many times you're told to get the answers so know where you are going to go and what's going to happen. That's not fun and that's not always the best approach. Many times it's not. And I learned that from him. I learned from him that you can, that you don't just have to talk to one type of person from one genre of the world. You can talk about entertainment, you can talk to politicians, you can talk to anybody and when you are interested and when you are an inquisitive person, hopefully that comes off as very natural when you are on the air. 012632 TM: You've studied the great broadcasters it seems. It seems that you've actually made a study of Merv Griffin, Dick Clark, Regis Philbin, Larry King. 012542 RS: I have. Dick Clark I know that when I listen to his cadence when he speaks on TV it makes me feel comfortable. He's seamless about it. Even if he doesn't know where he's going, you feel like he does. With Larry, he'll sit and ask questions not knowing where he's going to go. Not knowing where the guest is going to go. That's great. That's a massive security on the air. That's fantastic. You feel that confidence from him. Merv Griffin did something really amazing. And I still I just admire this so much. He would make every person on his show shine. He didn't want them to come off poorly, he didn't want them to come off and complain about anything. He wanted them to be the star, to shine and come off well and he did that with every guest he had on. And you don't have to be extreme and you don't have to be controversial and you don't have to be obnoxious and rude to make it work. You don't have to do that. You can be a nice guy and ask some honest questions. And have someone shake your hand at the end of the interview and say, "Thank you. I can't wait to come back." And that's one of the things I try and do. 012652 TM: That's a very close observation. (End of tape)

RYAN SEACREST NIGHTLINE: INTERVIEW A CAMERA Ryan Seacrest Verbate 11/01/07 Tape 1 010135 TM: I'm going to start on a random spot. Because we just had Halloween, it occurred to me, what did Ryan Seacrest go as on Halloween as a kid? What were your favorite costumes? 014021 RS: I was King Tut one year; I was Spiderman---anything that cam in an Under-roo package I would dress up as. I was Batman, Spiderman, Incredible Hulk one year. It was pretty easy. I didn't actually go out this year trick or treating, I've given up trick or treating and I didn't smash any pumpkins either this year. 010157 TM: Can we read anything into those costume choices? 010159 RS: No, they were easy. I was a fan of the comics I guess. But they were simple and you could get them for like $19.99 and they were simple to put on at the store. 010210 TM: Now the reason I ask is serious. I think the basic question people ask is, how did you get here? From an early age when you wanted to be here to, how did that happen? 010216 RS: I just, I guess in my head, I always really, truly envisioned it. When I was 10, 11, 12 years old, I would study the disc jockeys on the radio in Atlanta. Listen to every single aspect of their shows. I would almost; I would examine how they did a simple radio program. It was almost strange that I wouldn't want to go out and play in the woods or the creek; I'd rather sit in my room and listen to these local DJ's. 010252 TM: It wasn't almost strange-it sounds a little obsessive. 010255 RS: It was, it was. Instead of filling my canteen and playing in the woods, I would pretend to be on the radio at 12 years old in my bedroom. And I went to radio shack and bought a mixer and these big ugly headphones that look like pilots headphones and I would literally broadcast to cassette tapes in my bedroom. And I would give them to my parents and when they went on trips they would play these tapes of me introducing songs. So it's all I thought about, so from the time I was a little kid to the time I was in high school and college and I started working in radio when I was in high school. 010326 TM: What's the source of that? 010328 RS: It's interesting because I remember my father is an attorney and I used to say to him, "Dad, you work too many hours, you just work too hard. I don't ever want to do that. I mean I go to school at 8 in the morning and I'm done at 3. I want that lifestyle when I get a job." Well, that didn't happen, but I was one of those kids who always did a little bit of everything. Believe it or not, I grew up as a part of the student government; I played football in the pop warner league in junior high and high school. 010359 TM: What did you play? 010400 RS: I played strong safety. And my life was school and football and student government. So I did a little bit of everything when I was a kid and that has become sort of become the motto of my business now, doing a little bit of everything. 010413 TM: You like it that way? 010414 RS: I do. I like it that way. I'm not great if I have one thing to do. If I had one show a day or if I had one task to accomplish, I'm not good at it. I'm literally better when I can show up and walk on air. 010430 TM: Restless? 010431 RS: Yeah. I think, fearful, I have plenty of insecurities. I don't want anyone to get up earlier than I do or work harder than I do. When I moved to LA, I was intimidated by the city because I didn't know anyone. And it's a big town. And I would almost get depressed that I wasn't doing what I wanted to do. And I would get up every morning and I would try to figure out ways to get my foot in the door. And I'd have to start from the beginning. You know I worked in radio in Atlanta. And then when I got to LA I started in radio again here. And I drove the van and I worked the all-night shift and I did almost every job until I got to where I am. (Break to fix cameras and sweating on Ryan Seacrest's face) 010632 TM: But I want to pick up on that struggle. We good? Because that fights the image. The image that you've left a totally charmed life, you're feet have never touched the ground. No hard knocks. Is that true. 010651 RS: Oh I think hard knock is relatively speaking. I definitely had this vision and I wanted it to happen now. And that's the problem. I want the immediate return. I always want it to happen now. I don't want to wait until next week. I don't want to wait until the sunsets. I want it to happen today. And that was tough for me because when you move to LA and you're not an actor, what are you? And how do you get those jobs? Well I'm a radio personality, I want to be a host, I want to be a producer. I want to be in the world of pop culture. Okay, well how do you try out for that and where do you go? So I would go out for auditions and I would never go in. and I would drive up and I would see everyone else lined up and I would be intimidated and I would turn around and get back in my car. I didn't like the auditions and I never really was good at them. But I know if I was able to be, or if I was in a live situation, then I could shine. I just love being on live television and on live radio. 010754 TM: I sense a little insecurity, still. 010757 RS: A lot of insecurity. A lot of insecurity. 010800 TM: In spite of the grand success you've had? 010802 RS: I still don't feel. I feel like I've had very, very blessed and charmed path and I feel grateful for the success but I still am driven to get up very early every morning and work as many hours as I can. 010819 TM: With the goal being what? Fame? fortune? All of the above? 010823 RS: I think the goal is peace, fulfillment. And to be good and be known as good at what I do. And being a part of pop culture, in other the words the conduit to a lot of pop culture is a goal. American Idol is a major television event. That is a fantastic vehicle for me. I'm going to be the host for the Super Bowl this year; it's a big pop culture event. New Year's Eve, pop culture event. The radio shows, the American top 40, all of those allow me to be conduit for fans and those stars and that's the guy I want to be. 010905 TM: And when you were growing up, you saw that guy among others, Dick Clark and you saw that as something that you wanted to do? 010914 RS: Yeah I did, I saw Dick Clark and I thought he was my best friend. I felt comfortable when I watched him. I thought Merv Griffin was my best friend. I felt safe when I watched these guys and I thought to be that person would be the ultimate goal. To be that guy who made other people comfortable would be the perfect job. 010938 TM: That's fascinating. Because they probably started out doing something else and became that conduit into pop culture. And you patterned your career from childhood on doing that. 010950 RS: Initially, I would hear Kasey Kasem and I would hear Dick Clark and I would see Merv Griffin and I really felt like these guys were a part of my family. I would feel like--- you get this connection when you are listening to them or when you are watching them and they made people happy and gave people information and they made them laugh and smile and above all they did it seamlessly and I watched what they did and I thought if I work at it I can do that. And then of course I learned that they were tremendously successful with their business models and that becomes the next step. 011023 TM: Because the business side is very important to you as well. 011026 RS: It is. Hosting is fun and hosting is something that I've had the opportunity to do, but as you know, longevity becomes the question when you are in front of the camera. So for me, having ownership and equity is very, very important and that becomes the focus for the next few years. 011044 TM: To take control of, or part control of what it is you are doing on air? 011048 RS: Yeah, Dick Clark for example built a massive empire by being a host. He used those relationships that he had and those opportunities that he had, to further his goal of owning television shows. I guess today you would take owning content, because, what is it? Internet? Is it radio? Is it TV? Does it matter? It's content and there's several platforms. And to be an equity partner and player in that content is now the goal. 011117 TM: A player? 011117 RS: The player. 011118 TM: The player? 011119 RS: No, the player. 011120 TM: You said the. Okay then, what's you're talent? Ryan Seacrest is really good at? 011131 RS: Making people feel comfortable. I hope that's what I do. When we start American Idol this year. And when we're live in American Idol. We try to create a fantastic, entertainment television show that is good for all ages and that is comfortable for a 12 year old and a 40 year old father to watch. That's comfortable for a grandmother and their baby or granddaughter to watch. That's what we try and do and we're conscious of that. And we try our best to do it. And it's the same when I'm talking on the radio. I know in my head that the scope of age I'm talking too. And it's here at a 12 year old and it's also at a 49 year old or above. A 54 year old. And I'm thinking about that constantly with everything that I say. And with every person I book and with every interview question that I ask. 011224 TM: Radio, what do you like? (Break to fix Ryan's makeup) 011428 TM: I was going to ask about radio. Radio has been in your life since you were 15. What do you like about it? 011435 RS: It's live, it's day in day. It's interactive. You can throw a topic out and get instant feedback. You can talk about anything in the world and get every different opinion just like that. I will go on the air and talk about a television show and I'll say one thing about it and people will disagree and people will agree. I'll talk about a text message that I got that I think is a strange text message and people will call and say I got that same one. I will talk about. I mean you can literally come up with anything and you'll find somebody that can relate to it. It's a freeing medium as well. In other words, when you go on the air you have 5 hours everyday to create something and to really interact with the people you are talking to. It's a little different on TV. On TV you're not talking with those people who are watching, in my jobs and in radio I am, and I love that about it. 011533 TM: We're going to see you do that tomorrow. I just remembered something that I read or heard about your childhood. Here you are, you're a very trim guy, you went running today, but as a kid you were a little heavy? 011546 RS: Yeah, as a kid I was. As a kid I was the guy that would not want spring break to come. That every summer would not want to go to the beach because I would wear a t-shirt to the pool. I would wear these t-shirts to the pool because I was insecure about my weight. And I know why. I used to come home from school and I would eat pan of nachos and I would watch television in the afternoon. And even though I was active, I was eating more than I was active. And so I still remember how that felt and I remember being teased about it a little bit and I never want to be that guy again. And so when I get up everyday, its something I think about and its one of the reasons that I motivated to build some sort of exercise into my schedule during the week. 011638 TM: You're very disciplined. 011638 RS: I have a very, very tight, minute-by-minute schedule every day, with a.. I left my house today and I forgot my blackberry. And I was 5 minutes from my house. 5 up and 5 back, that will make me late and I can't go back and get it. I had to have someone go get my blackberry. I mean, that's how tight my day is. 011703 TM: Is that enjoyable? 011703 RS: Love it. Love it. I want to do three things at once. Multi-tasking. Absolutely love it. 011710 TM: You never take a break just to reflect. To sit on the beach? 011714 RS: Lets me honest, Thanksgiving is coming up. I'll have a break, I'll have some turkey and stuffing. I'll lie on the floor because I feel fat and stretch it all out. I'll spend time with my family. Sure I'll take a long weekend and I'll take a break. And when I do, I can relax and I can stop. But after a few days I'm ready to go again. And I'll keep that pace and I'll do that as long as I'm enthused and excited about it. Just like anybody else. Some days that alarm goes off and it's almost the middle of the night and I want to throw that clock across the room but once I get in the car and get to work and a sip of coffee I'm okay. 011747 TM: It's fulfilling? 011748 RS: It is. It is fulfilling. And you don't get bored. I'm never bored. There is always something new. Everyday looks different, looks different. And is different. And everyday starts with a morning radio show where there are a few million people listening. And by the time you've worked through 4 or 5 hours of it, you've covered so many bases and you know everything that is going on in the world at that point. And you can start your day. 011818 TM: Let's go back. The other side of the camera, the other side of the microphone. What's the business plan for Ryan Seacrest? 011822 RS: The plan is to produce pop culture. If something big is happening in pop culture, my company wants to be a part of it. Wants to be a part of delivering that content to the audience. And that really is the goal each and every day when I sit at my desk. Working our way each and every day towards that, but that is the goal. And with today's audience, they're getting content instantly. It's not necessarily conventional media. It's not lets wait until a certain time at night to watch TV, I mean I was driving the other day and two 17 year old girls pulled up to me at a stop light and they put down their window and they said, we're just reading this interview that you did with Britney Spears right now on our wireless device. So they can get instantly. So I think as you are building a company and as you are producing those shows or are a part of those shows, you've got to be conscious of that. 011915 TM: So give me an example of the kinds of pop culture you're company wants to produce. 011920 RS: Right now, I produce the pre-shows for the Grammy's, the Oscars, the Emmy's, the SAG awards and the Golden Globes. Love to do the main shows someday. Right now I produce a couple reality series; I would love to do more of that. Right now I produce the radio programs. Will radio at some point or those shows be available for in real time video form online? Perhaps that's something that is going to happen soon. All those things I'm thinking about every day and all those different components are interesting and will eventually be profitable. 011958 TM: And you have ownership in them? 011920 RS: And you'd have ownership. 012001 TM: And that is the player? 012003 RS: That's the work. That's the plan. 012010 TM: It seems that. I'm going to say something with a little bit of an edge. It sounds like a constructed life. Like a life less lived than built. 012022 RS: It is constructive. It is. That's okay. That's okay. 012031 TM: You don't feel like you're missing anything in the realm of spontaneity, accident, happen-stance? 012037 RS: Well I think within each compartment of a day, there's the opportunity to jump on spontaneity. But then when that's over, you've got to get to the next event. But that's alright, but that's fine. And that discipline and that tight schedule is good for me. It keeps you focused. Sure you don't get to have dinner past 8 o'clock, but there's Friday night and Saturday night. And then Sunday I'm back in bed at 6:30 or 7. It's okay. I like it. 012111 TM: Do you get lonely at all? 012113 RS: I get lonely, but there are four of me. So I spend time with the rest of me's. and we talk about our day. 012122 TM: That's a good line, I don't understand it. 012124 RS: That's really how I get it all done. I'm just one of the guys. I'm just the guy that does Idol. There's a different guy tomorrow, you'll see. But sure, you get lonely. I have a great group of friends that I've known for a long time. My old roommate who was a teacher and now is a pharmaceutical sales guy. He's a good buddy of mine. And he and his girlfriend and I we still hang out like old times. We talk about when we used to just eat cereal three meals a day. And how we thought that was so good for us until we realized that it was all puffy food. We talk about those good old times. The reward and the fulfillment far outweighs the fatigue and the loneliness. 012206 TM: Who is your competition? 012209 RS: My competition? I don't know who my competition is. I don't really frame what I'm trying to accomplish by looking at the competition or thinking about the competition. I'm happy for anyone who's in this world and who's successful. Because I didn't come out here knowing anyone or anything. I shared a one bedroom apartment when I first moved to LA, in Burbank not far from the Tonight Show. And one of the first show's I went to go see what Jay and I sat in the audience and I watched him. And at that point it was, "wow I would love to see him one day". And then you get to sit on the couch and he's asking you questions. And those moments are still very, for a guy from Atlanta, those moments are still very surreal and very powerful for me. 012255 TM: Do you still get to bright lights in the eyes? 012258 RS: I still do. I still drive onto a studio lot and I remember watching TV shows when I was kid, seeing these lots and wondering what it would be like to be on them. I think back to when I watched different strokes that TV show and I remember when they came to Hollywood for one episode and I thought oh my gosh look that. That's Universal back lot. I want to go there sometime on the tram. And when I came to LA, I want to see the Hollywood sign. All of those things. Until I was almost finished with high school I had never seen before. And now this is my home and I love it here. 012334 TM: Larry King has said that when he retires, if he retires, he would like you as his successor. That's another job you might do? 012345 RS: Very, very flattering. When I heard that, I called Larry and said, "Did you make a mistake?" And he said, "no, goodbye." I met Larry in an airport and the short story is, I said, "you're my idol" and he said, "Carry my bag" And so I did. And I'm walking with Larry and his wife and myself and we look like the happy King family. And eventually he said to me, "you should come on my show" and I did. And the first commercial break he said, "Why don't you host my show someday. And a week later he said, fill in for me and I did. And they call still now for me to come sit in while he's away. He's become a good friend and he's become obviously someone I look up to and a mentor. And he does a radio program on TV. That's what he does. That's what he started doing. And so we've bonded over that. 012439 TM: What have you learned from Larry King. 012440 RS: I think you learn that it is okay to ask questions, to not know everything, its okay to sit in front of somebody and really be inquisitive without knowing what they are going to say. When you first start broadcasting, interviewing people, many times you're told to get the answers so know where you are going to go and what's going to happen. That's not fun and that's not always the best approach. Many times it's not. And I learned that from him. I learned from him that you can, that you don't just have to talk to one type of person from one genre of the world. You can talk about entertainment, you can talk to politicians, you can talk to anybody and when you are interested and when you are an inquisitive person, hopefully that comes off as very natural when you are on the air. 012632 TM: You've studied the great broadcasters it seems. It seems that you've actually made a study of Merv Griffin, Dick Clark, Regis Philbin, Larry King. 012542 RS: I have. Dick Clark I know that when I listen to his cadence when he speaks on TV it makes me feel comfortable. He's seamless about it. Even if he doesn't know where he's going, you feel like he does. With Larry, he'll sit and ask questions not knowing where he's going to go. Not knowing where the guest is going to go. That's great. That's a massive security on the air. That's fantastic. You feel that confidence from him. Merv Griffin did something really amazing. And I still I just admire this so much. He would make every person on his show shine. He didn't want them to come off poorly, he didn't want them to come off and complain about anything. He wanted them to be the star, to shine and come off well and he did that with every guest he had on. And you don't have to be extreme and you don't have to be controversial and you don't have to be obnoxious and rude to make it work. You don't have to do that. You can be a nice guy and ask some honest questions. And have someone shake your hand at the end of the interview and say, "Thank you. I can't wait to come back." And that's one of the things I try and do. 012652 TM: That's a very close observation. (End of tape)

RYAN SEACREST NIGHTLINE: INTERVIEW A CAMERA Ryan Seacrest Verbate 11/01/07 Tape 1 010135 TM: I'm going to start on a random spot. Because we just had Halloween, it occurred to me, what did Ryan Seacrest go as on Halloween as a kid? What were your favorite costumes? 014021 RS: I was King Tut one year; I was Spiderman---anything that cam in an Under-roo package I would dress up as. I was Batman, Spiderman, Incredible Hulk one year. It was pretty easy. I didn't actually go out this year trick or treating, I've given up trick or treating and I didn't smash any pumpkins either this year. 010157 TM: Can we read anything into those costume choices? 010159 RS: No, they were easy. I was a fan of the comics I guess. But they were simple and you could get them for like $19.99 and they were simple to put on at the store. 010210 TM: Now the reason I ask is serious. I think the basic question people ask is, how did you get here? From an early age when you wanted to be here to, how did that happen? 010216 RS: I just, I guess in my head, I always really, truly envisioned it. When I was 10, 11, 12 years old, I would study the disc jockeys on the radio in Atlanta. Listen to every single aspect of their shows. I would almost; I would examine how they did a simple radio program. It was almost strange that I wouldn't want to go out and play in the woods or the creek; I'd rather sit in my room and listen to these local DJ's. 010252 TM: It wasn't almost strange-it sounds a little obsessive. 010255 RS: It was, it was. Instead of filling my canteen and playing in the woods, I would pretend to be on the radio at 12 years old in my bedroom. And I went to radio shack and bought a mixer and these big ugly headphones that look like pilots headphones and I would literally broadcast to cassette tapes in my bedroom. And I would give them to my parents and when they went on trips they would play these tapes of me introducing songs. So it's all I thought about, so from the time I was a little kid to the time I was in high school and college and I started working in radio when I was in high school. 010326 TM: What's the source of that? 010328 RS: It's interesting because I remember my father is an attorney and I used to say to him, "Dad, you work too many hours, you just work too hard. I don't ever want to do that. I mean I go to school at 8 in the morning and I'm done at 3. I want that lifestyle when I get a job." Well, that didn't happen, but I was one of those kids who always did a little bit of everything. Believe it or not, I grew up as a part of the student government; I played football in the pop warner league in junior high and high school. 010359 TM: What did you play? 010400 RS: I played strong safety. And my life was school and football and student government. So I did a little bit of everything when I was a kid and that has become sort of become the motto of my business now, doing a little bit of everything. 010413 TM: You like it that way? 010414 RS: I do. I like it that way. I'm not great if I have one thing to do. If I had one show a day or if I had one task to accomplish, I'm not good at it. I'm literally better when I can show up and walk on air. 010430 TM: Restless? 010431 RS: Yeah. I think, fearful, I have plenty of insecurities. I don't want anyone to get up earlier than I do or work harder than I do. When I moved to LA, I was intimidated by the city because I didn't know anyone. And it's a big town. And I would almost get depressed that I wasn't doing what I wanted to do. And I would get up every morning and I would try to figure out ways to get my foot in the door. And I'd have to start from the beginning. You know I worked in radio in Atlanta. And then when I got to LA I started in radio again here. And I drove the van and I worked the all-night shift and I did almost every job until I got to where I am. (Break to fix cameras and sweating on Ryan Seacrest's face) 010632 TM: But I want to pick up on that struggle. We good? Because that fights the image. The image that you've left a totally charmed life, you're feet have never touched the ground. No hard knocks. Is that true. 010651 RS: Oh I think hard knock is relatively speaking. I definitely had this vision and I wanted it to happen now. And that's the problem. I want the immediate return. I always want it to happen now. I don't want to wait until next week. I don't want to wait until the sunsets. I want it to happen today. And that was tough for me because when you move to LA and you're not an actor, what are you? And how do you get those jobs? Well I'm a radio personality, I want to be a host, I want to be a producer. I want to be in the world of pop culture. Okay, well how do you try out for that and where do you go? So I would go out for auditions and I would never go in. and I would drive up and I would see everyone else lined up and I would be intimidated and I would turn around and get back in my car. I didn't like the auditions and I never really was good at them. But I know if I was able to be, or if I was in a live situation, then I could shine. I just love being on live television and on live radio. 010754 TM: I sense a little insecurity, still. 010757 RS: A lot of insecurity. A lot of insecurity. 010800 TM: In spite of the grand success you've had? 010802 RS: I still don't feel. I feel like I've had very, very blessed and charmed path and I feel grateful for the success but I still am driven to get up very early every morning and work as many hours as I can. 010819 TM: With the goal being what? Fame? fortune? All of the above? 010823 RS: I think the goal is peace, fulfillment. And to be good and be known as good at what I do. And being a part of pop culture, in other the words the conduit to a lot of pop culture is a goal. American Idol is a major television event. That is a fantastic vehicle for me. I'm going to be the host for the Super Bowl this year; it's a big pop culture event. New Year's Eve, pop culture event. The radio shows, the American top 40, all of those allow me to be conduit for fans and those stars and that's the guy I want to be. 010905 TM: And when you were growing up, you saw that guy among others, Dick Clark and you saw that as something that you wanted to do? 010914 RS: Yeah I did, I saw Dick Clark and I thought he was my best friend. I felt comfortable when I watched him. I thought Merv Griffin was my best friend. I felt safe when I watched these guys and I thought to be that person would be the ultimate goal. To be that guy who made other people comfortable would be the perfect job. 010938 TM: That's fascinating. Because they probably started out doing something else and became that conduit into pop culture. And you patterned your career from childhood on doing that. 010950 RS: Initially, I would hear Kasey Kasem and I would hear Dick Clark and I would see Merv Griffin and I really felt like these guys were a part of my family. I would feel like--- you get this connection when you are listening to them or when you are watching them and they made people happy and gave people information and they made them laugh and smile and above all they did it seamlessly and I watched what they did and I thought if I work at it I can do that. And then of course I learned that they were tremendously successful with their business models and that becomes the next step. 011023 TM: Because the business side is very important to you as well. 011026 RS: It is. Hosting is fun and hosting is something that I've had the opportunity to do, but as you know, longevity becomes the question when you are in front of the camera. So for me, having ownership and equity is very, very important and that becomes the focus for the next few years. 011044 TM: To take control of, or part control of what it is you are doing on air? 011048 RS: Yeah, Dick Clark for example built a massive empire by being a host. He used those relationships that he had and those opportunities that he had, to further his goal of owning television shows. I guess today you would take owning content, because, what is it? Internet? Is it radio? Is it TV? Does it matter? It's content and there's several platforms. And to be an equity partner and player in that content is now the goal. 011117 TM: A player? 011117 RS: The player. 011118 TM: The player? 011119 RS: No, the player. 011120 TM: You said the. Okay then, what's you're talent? Ryan Seacrest is really good at? 011131 RS: Making people feel comfortable. I hope that's what I do. When we start American Idol this year. And when we're live in American Idol. We try to create a fantastic, entertainment television show that is good for all ages and that is comfortable for a 12 year old and a 40 year old father to watch. That's comfortable for a grandmother and their baby or granddaughter to watch. That's what we try and do and we're conscious of that. And we try our best to do it. And it's the same when I'm talking on the radio. I know in my head that the scope of age I'm talking too. And it's here at a 12 year old and it's also at a 49 year old or above. A 54 year old. And I'm thinking about that constantly with everything that I say. And with every person I book and with every interview question that I ask. 011224 TM: Radio, what do you like? (Break to fix Ryan's makeup) 011428 TM: I was going to ask about radio. Radio has been in your life since you were 15. What do you like about it? 011435 RS: It's live, it's day in day. It's interactive. You can throw a topic out and get instant feedback. You can talk about anything in the world and get every different opinion just like that. I will go on the air and talk about a television show and I'll say one thing about it and people will disagree and people will agree. I'll talk about a text message that I got that I think is a strange text message and people will call and say I got that same one. I will talk about. I mean you can literally come up with anything and you'll find somebody that can relate to it. It's a freeing medium as well. In other words, when you go on the air you have 5 hours everyday to create something and to really interact with the people you are talking to. It's a little different on TV. On TV you're not talking with those people who are watching, in my jobs and in radio I am, and I love that about it. 011533 TM: We're going to see you do that tomorrow. I just remembered something that I read or heard about your childhood. Here you are, you're a very trim guy, you went running today, but as a kid you were a little heavy? 011546 RS: Yeah, as a kid I was. As a kid I was the guy that would not want spring break to come. That every summer would not want to go to the beach because I would wear a t-shirt to the pool. I would wear these t-shirts to the pool because I was insecure about my weight. And I know why. I used to come home from school and I would eat pan of nachos and I would watch television in the afternoon. And even though I was active, I was eating more than I was active. And so I still remember how that felt and I remember being teased about it a little bit and I never want to be that guy again. And so when I get up everyday, its something I think about and its one of the reasons that I motivated to build some sort of exercise into my schedule during the week. 011638 TM: You're very disciplined. 011638 RS: I have a very, very tight, minute-by-minute schedule every day, with a.. I left my house today and I forgot my blackberry. And I was 5 minutes from my house. 5 up and 5 back, that will make me late and I can't go back and get it. I had to have someone go get my blackberry. I mean, that's how tight my day is. 011703 TM: Is that enjoyable? 011703 RS: Love it. Love it. I want to do three things at once. Multi-tasking. Absolutely love it. 011710 TM: You never take a break just to reflect. To sit on the beach? 011714 RS: Lets me honest, Thanksgiving is coming up. I'll have a break, I'll have some turkey and stuffing. I'll lie on the floor because I feel fat and stretch it all out. I'll spend time with my family. Sure I'll take a long weekend and I'll take a break. And when I do, I can relax and I can stop. But after a few days I'm ready to go again. And I'll keep that pace and I'll do that as long as I'm enthused and excited about it. Just like anybody else. Some days that alarm goes off and it's almost the middle of the night and I want to throw that clock across the room but once I get in the car and get to work and a sip of coffee I'm okay. 011747 TM: It's fulfilling? 011748 RS: It is. It is fulfilling. And you don't get bored. I'm never bored. There is always something new. Everyday looks different, looks different. And is different. And everyday starts with a morning radio show where there are a few million people listening. And by the time you've worked through 4 or 5 hours of it, you've covered so many bases and you know everything that is going on in the world at that point. And you can start your day. 011818 TM: Let's go back. The other side of the camera, the other side of the microphone. What's the business plan for Ryan Seacrest? 011822 RS: The plan is to produce pop culture. If something big is happening in pop culture, my company wants to be a part of it. Wants to be a part of delivering that content to the audience. And that really is the goal each and every day when I sit at my desk. Working our way each and every day towards that, but that is the goal. And with today's audience, they're getting content instantly. It's not necessarily conventional media. It's not lets wait until a certain time at night to watch TV, I mean I was driving the other day and two 17 year old girls pulled up to me at a stop light and they put down their window and they said, we're just reading this interview that you did with Britney Spears right now on our wireless device. So they can get instantly. So I think as you are building a company and as you are producing those shows or are a part of those shows, you've got to be conscious of that. 011915 TM: So give me an example of the kinds of pop culture you're company wants to produce. 011920 RS: Right now, I produce the pre-shows for the Grammy's, the Oscars, the Emmy's, the SAG awards and the Golden Globes. Love to do the main shows someday. Right now I produce a couple reality series; I would love to do more of that. Right now I produce the radio programs. Will radio at some point or those shows be available for in real time video form online? Perhaps that's something that is going to happen soon. All those things I'm thinking about every day and all those different components are interesting and will eventually be profitable. 011958 TM: And you have ownership in them? 011920 RS: And you'd have ownership. 012001 TM: And that is the player? 012003 RS: That's the work. That's the plan. 012010 TM: It seems that. I'm going to say something with a little bit of an edge. It sounds like a constructed life. Like a life less lived than built. 012022 RS: It is constructive. It is. That's okay. That's okay. 012031 TM: You don't feel like you're missing anything in the realm of spontaneity, accident, happen-stance? 012037 RS: Well I think within each compartment of a day, there's the opportunity to jump on spontaneity. But then when that's over, you've got to get to the next event. But that's alright, but that's fine. And that discipline and that tight schedule is good for me. It keeps you focused. Sure you don't get to have dinner past 8 o'clock, but there's Friday night and Saturday night. And then Sunday I'm back in bed at 6:30 or 7. It's okay. I like it. 012111 TM: Do you get lonely at all? 012113 RS: I get lonely, but there are four of me. So I spend time with the rest of me's. and we talk about our day. 012122 TM: That's a good line, I don't understand it. 012124 RS: That's really how I get it all done. I'm just one of the guys. I'm just the guy that does Idol. There's a different guy tomorrow, you'll see. But sure, you get lonely. I have a great group of friends that I've known for a long time. My old roommate who was a teacher and now is a pharmaceutical sales guy. He's a good buddy of mine. And he and his girlfriend and I we still hang out like old times. We talk about when we used to just eat cereal three meals a day. And how we thought that was so good for us until we realized that it was all puffy food. We talk about those good old times. The reward and the fulfillment far outweighs the fatigue and the loneliness. 012206 TM: Who is your competition? 012209 RS: My competition? I don't know who my competition is. I don't really frame what I'm trying to accomplish by looking at the competition or thinking about the competition. I'm happy for anyone who's in this world and who's successful. Because I didn't come out here knowing anyone or anything. I shared a one bedroom apartment when I first moved to LA, in Burbank not far from the Tonight Show. And one of the first show's I went to go see what Jay and I sat in the audience and I watched him. And at that point it was, "wow I would love to see him one day". And then you get to sit on the couch and he's asking you questions. And those moments are still very, for a guy from Atlanta, those moments are still very surreal and very powerful for me. 012255 TM: Do you still get to bright lights in the eyes? 012258 RS: I still do. I still drive onto a studio lot and I remember watching TV shows when I was kid, seeing these lots and wondering what it would be like to be on them. I think back to when I watched different strokes that TV show and I remember when they came to Hollywood for one episode and I thought oh my gosh look that. That's Universal back lot. I want to go there sometime on the tram. And when I came to LA, I want to see the Hollywood sign. All of those things. Until I was almost finished with high school I had never seen before. And now this is my home and I love it here. 012334 TM: Larry King has said that when he retires, if he retires, he would like you as his successor. That's another job you might do? 012345 RS: Very, very flattering. When I heard that, I called Larry and said, "Did you make a mistake?" And he said, "no, goodbye." I met Larry in an airport and the short story is, I said, "you're my idol" and he said, "Carry my bag" And so I did. And I'm walking with Larry and his wife and myself and we look like the happy King family. And eventually he said to me, "you should come on my show" and I did. And the first commercial break he said, "Why don't you host my show someday. And a week later he said, fill in for me and I did. And they call still now for me to come sit in while he's away. He's become a good friend and he's become obviously someone I look up to and a mentor. And he does a radio program on TV. That's what he does. That's what he started doing. And so we've bonded over that. 012439 TM: What have you learned from Larry King. 012440 RS: I think you learn that it is okay to ask questions, to not know everything, its okay to sit in front of somebody and really be inquisitive without knowing what they are going to say. When you first start broadcasting, interviewing people, many times you're told to get the answers so know where you are going to go and what's going to happen. That's not fun and that's not always the best approach. Many times it's not. And I learned that from him. I learned from him that you can, that you don't just have to talk to one type of person from one genre of the world. You can talk about entertainment, you can talk to politicians, you can talk to anybody and when you are interested and when you are an inquisitive person, hopefully that comes off as very natural when you are on the air. 012632 TM: You've studied the great broadcasters it seems. It seems that you've actually made a study of Merv Griffin, Dick Clark, Regis Philbin, Larry King. 012542 RS: I have. Dick Clark I know that when I listen to his cadence when he speaks on TV it makes me feel comfortable. He's seamless about it. Even if he doesn't know where he's going, you feel like he does. With Larry, he'll sit and ask questions not knowing where he's going to go. Not knowing where the guest is going to go. That's great. That's a massive security on the air. That's fantastic. You feel that confidence from him. Merv Griffin did something really amazing. And I still I just admire this so much. He would make every person on his show shine. He didn't want them to come off poorly, he didn't want them to come off and complain about anything. He wanted them to be the star, to shine and come off well and he did that with every guest he had on. And you don't have to be extreme and you don't have to be controversial and you don't have to be obnoxious and rude to make it work. You don't have to do that. You can be a nice guy and ask some honest questions. And have someone shake your hand at the end of the interview and say, "Thank you. I can't wait to come back." And that's one of the things I try and do. 012652 TM: That's a very close observation. (End of tape)

RYAN SEACREST NIGHTLINE: INTERVIEW A CAMERA Ryan Seacrest Verbate 11/01/07 Tape 1 010135 TM: I'm going to start on a random spot. Because we just had Halloween, it occurred to me, what did Ryan Seacrest go as on Halloween as a kid? What were your favorite costumes? 014021 RS: I was King Tut one year; I was Spiderman---anything that cam in an Under-roo package I would dress up as. I was Batman, Spiderman, Incredible Hulk one year. It was pretty easy. I didn't actually go out this year trick or treating, I've given up trick or treating and I didn't smash any pumpkins either this year. 010157 TM: Can we read anything into those costume choices? 010159 RS: No, they were easy. I was a fan of the comics I guess. But they were simple and you could get them for like $19.99 and they were simple to put on at the store. 010210 TM: Now the reason I ask is serious. I think the basic question people ask is, how did you get here? From an early age when you wanted to be here to, how did that happen? 010216 RS: I just, I guess in my head, I always really, truly envisioned it. When I was 10, 11, 12 years old, I would study the disc jockeys on the radio in Atlanta. Listen to every single aspect of their shows. I would almost; I would examine how they did a simple radio program. It was almost strange that I wouldn't want to go out and play in the woods or the creek; I'd rather sit in my room and listen to these local DJ's. 010252 TM: It wasn't almost strange-it sounds a little obsessive. 010255 RS: It was, it was. Instead of filling my canteen and playing in the woods, I would pretend to be on the radio at 12 years old in my bedroom. And I went to radio shack and bought a mixer and these big ugly headphones that look like pilots headphones and I would literally broadcast to cassette tapes in my bedroom. And I would give them to my parents and when they went on trips they would play these tapes of me introducing songs. So it's all I thought about, so from the time I was a little kid to the time I was in high school and college and I started working in radio when I was in high school. 010326 TM: What's the source of that? 010328 RS: It's interesting because I remember my father is an attorney and I used to say to him, "Dad, you work too many hours, you just work too hard. I don't ever want to do that. I mean I go to school at 8 in the morning and I'm done at 3. I want that lifestyle when I get a job." Well, that didn't happen, but I was one of those kids who always did a little bit of everything. Believe it or not, I grew up as a part of the student government; I played football in the pop warner league in junior high and high school. 010359 TM: What did you play? 010400 RS: I played strong safety. And my life was school and football and student government. So I did a little bit of everything when I was a kid and that has become sort of become the motto of my business now, doing a little bit of everything. 010413 TM: You like it that way? 010414 RS: I do. I like it that way. I'm not great if I have one thing to do. If I had one show a day or if I had one task to accomplish, I'm not good at it. I'm literally better when I can show up and walk on air. 010430 TM: Restless? 010431 RS: Yeah. I think, fearful, I have plenty of insecurities. I don't want anyone to get up earlier than I do or work harder than I do. When I moved to LA, I was intimidated by the city because I didn't know anyone. And it's a big town. And I would almost get depressed that I wasn't doing what I wanted to do. And I would get up every morning and I would try to figure out ways to get my foot in the door. And I'd have to start from the beginning. You know I worked in radio in Atlanta. And then when I got to LA I started in radio again here. And I drove the van and I worked the all-night shift and I did almost every job until I got to where I am. (Break to fix cameras and sweating on Ryan Seacrest's face) 010632 TM: But I want to pick up on that struggle. We good? Because that fights the image. The image that you've left a totally charmed life, you're feet have never touched the ground. No hard knocks. Is that true. 010651 RS: Oh I think hard knock is relatively speaking. I definitely had this vision and I wanted it to happen now. And that's the problem. I want the immediate return. I always want it to happen now. I don't want to wait until next week. I don't want to wait until the sunsets. I want it to happen today. And that was tough for me because when you move to LA and you're not an actor, what are you? And how do you get those jobs? Well I'm a radio personality, I want to be a host, I want to be a producer. I want to be in the world of pop culture. Okay, well how do you try out for that and where do you go? So I would go out for auditions and I would never go in. and I would drive up and I would see everyone else lined up and I would be intimidated and I would turn around and get back in my car. I didn't like the auditions and I never really was good at them. But I know if I was able to be, or if I was in a live situation, then I could shine. I just love being on live television and on live radio. 010754 TM: I sense a little insecurity, still. 010757 RS: A lot of insecurity. A lot of insecurity. 010800 TM: In spite of the grand success you've had? 010802 RS: I still don't feel. I feel like I've had very, very blessed and charmed path and I feel grateful for the success but I still am driven to get up very early every morning and work as many hours as I can. 010819 TM: With the goal being what? Fame? fortune? All of the above? 010823 RS: I think the goal is peace, fulfillment. And to be good and be known as good at what I do. And being a part of pop culture, in other the words the conduit to a lot of pop culture is a goal. American Idol is a major television event. That is a fantastic vehicle for me. I'm going to be the host for the Super Bowl this year; it's a big pop culture event. New Year's Eve, pop culture event. The radio shows, the American top 40, all of those allow me to be conduit for fans and those stars and that's the guy I want to be. 010905 TM: And when you were growing up, you saw that guy among others, Dick Clark and you saw that as something that you wanted to do? 010914 RS: Yeah I did, I saw Dick Clark and I thought he was my best friend. I felt comfortable when I watched him. I thought Merv Griffin was my best friend. I felt safe when I watched these guys and I thought to be that person would be the ultimate goal. To be that guy who made other people comfortable would be the perfect job. 010938 TM: That's fascinating. Because they probably started out doing something else and became that conduit into pop culture. And you patterned your career from childhood on doing that. 010950 RS: Initially, I would hear Kasey Kasem and I would hear Dick Clark and I would see Merv Griffin and I really felt like these guys were a part of my family. I would feel like--- you get this connection when you are listening to them or when you are watching them and they made people happy and gave people information and they made them laugh and smile and above all they did it seamlessly and I watched what they did and I thought if I work at it I can do that. And then of course I learned that they were tremendously successful with their business models and that becomes the next step. 011023 TM: Because the business side is very important to you as well. 011026 RS: It is. Hosting is fun and hosting is something that I've had the opportunity to do, but as you know, longevity becomes the question when you are in front of the camera. So for me, having ownership and equity is very, very important and that becomes the focus for the next few years. 011044 TM: To take control of, or part control of what it is you are doing on air? 011048 RS: Yeah, Dick Clark for example built a massive empire by being a host. He used those relationships that he had and those opportunities that he had, to further his goal of owning television shows. I guess today you would take owning content, because, what is it? Internet? Is it radio? Is it TV? Does it matter? It's content and there's several platforms. And to be an equity partner and player in that content is now the goal. 011117 TM: A player? 011117 RS: The player. 011118 TM: The player? 011119 RS: No, the player. 011120 TM: You said the. Okay then, what's you're talent? Ryan Seacrest is really good at? 011131 RS: Making people feel comfortable. I hope that's what I do. When we start American Idol this year. And when we're live in American Idol. We try to create a fantastic, entertainment television show that is good for all ages and that is comfortable for a 12 year old and a 40 year old father to watch. That's comfortable for a grandmother and their baby or granddaughter to watch. That's what we try and do and we're conscious of that. And we try our best to do it. And it's the same when I'm talking on the radio. I know in my head that the scope of age I'm talking too. And it's here at a 12 year old and it's also at a 49 year old or above. A 54 year old. And I'm thinking about that constantly with everything that I say. And with every person I book and with every interview question that I ask. 011224 TM: Radio, what do you like? (Break to fix Ryan's makeup) 011428 TM: I was going to ask about radio. Radio has been in your life since you were 15. What do you like about it? 011435 RS: It's live, it's day in day. It's interactive. You can throw a topic out and get instant feedback. You can talk about anything in the world and get every different opinion just like that. I will go on the air and talk about a television show and I'll say one thing about it and people will disagree and people will agree. I'll talk about a text message that I got that I think is a strange text message and people will call and say I got that same one. I will talk about. I mean you can literally come up with anything and you'll find somebody that can relate to it. It's a freeing medium as well. In other words, when you go on the air you have 5 hours everyday to create something and to really interact with the people you are talking to. It's a little different on TV. On TV you're not talking with those people who are watching, in my jobs and in radio I am, and I love that about it. 011533 TM: We're going to see you do that tomorrow. I just remembered something that I read or heard about your childhood. Here you are, you're a very trim guy, you went running today, but as a kid you were a little heavy? 011546 RS: Yeah, as a kid I was. As a kid I was the guy that would not want spring break to come. That every summer would not want to go to the beach because I would wear a t-shirt to the pool. I would wear these t-shirts to the pool because I was insecure about my weight. And I know why. I used to come home from school and I would eat pan of nachos and I would watch television in the afternoon. And even though I was active, I was eating more than I was active. And so I still remember how that felt and I remember being teased about it a little bit and I never want to be that guy again. And so when I get up everyday, its something I think about and its one of the reasons that I motivated to build some sort of exercise into my schedule during the week. 011638 TM: You're very disciplined. 011638 RS: I have a very, very tight, minute-by-minute schedule every day, with a.. I left my house today and I forgot my blackberry. And I was 5 minutes from my house. 5 up and 5 back, that will make me late and I can't go back and get it. I had to have someone go get my blackberry. I mean, that's how tight my day is. 011703 TM: Is that enjoyable? 011703 RS: Love it. Love it. I want to do three things at once. Multi-tasking. Absolutely love it. 011710 TM: You never take a break just to reflect. To sit on the beach? 011714 RS: Lets me honest, Thanksgiving is coming up. I'll have a break, I'll have some turkey and stuffing. I'll lie on the floor because I feel fat and stretch it all out. I'll spend time with my family. Sure I'll take a long weekend and I'll take a break. And when I do, I can relax and I can stop. But after a few days I'm ready to go again. And I'll keep that pace and I'll do that as long as I'm enthused and excited about it. Just like anybody else. Some days that alarm goes off and it's almost the middle of the night and I want to throw that clock across the room but once I get in the car and get to work and a sip of coffee I'm okay. 011747 TM: It's fulfilling? 011748 RS: It is. It is fulfilling. And you don't get bored. I'm never bored. There is always something new. Everyday looks different, looks different. And is different. And everyday starts with a morning radio show where there are a few million people listening. And by the time you've worked through 4 or 5 hours of it, you've covered so many bases and you know everything that is going on in the world at that point. And you can start your day. 011818 TM: Let's go back. The other side of the camera, the other side of the microphone. What's the business plan for Ryan Seacrest? 011822 RS: The plan is to produce pop culture. If something big is happening in pop culture, my company wants to be a part of it. Wants to be a part of delivering that content to the audience. And that really is the goal each and every day when I sit at my desk. Working our way each and every day towards that, but that is the goal. And with today's audience, they're getting content instantly. It's not necessarily conventional media. It's not lets wait until a certain time at night to watch TV, I mean I was driving the other day and two 17 year old girls pulled up to me at a stop light and they put down their window and they said, we're just reading this interview that you did with Britney Spears right now on our wireless device. So they can get instantly. So I think as you are building a company and as you are producing those shows or are a part of those shows, you've got to be conscious of that. 011915 TM: So give me an example of the kinds of pop culture you're company wants to produce. 011920 RS: Right now, I produce the pre-shows for the Grammy's, the Oscars, the Emmy's, the SAG awards and the Golden Globes. Love to do the main shows someday. Right now I produce a couple reality series; I would love to do more of that. Right now I produce the radio programs. Will radio at some point or those shows be available for in real time video form online? Perhaps that's something that is going to happen soon. All those things I'm thinking about every day and all those different components are interesting and will eventually be profitable. 011958 TM: And you have ownership in them? 011920 RS: And you'd have ownership. 012001 TM: And that is the player? 012003 RS: That's the work. That's the plan. 012010 TM: It seems that. I'm going to say something with a little bit of an edge. It sounds like a constructed life. Like a life less lived than built. 012022 RS: It is constructive. It is. That's okay. That's okay. 012031 TM: You don't feel like you're missing anything in the realm of spontaneity, accident, happen-stance? 012037 RS: Well I think within each compartment of a day, there's the opportunity to jump on spontaneity. But then when that's over, you've got to get to the next event. But that's alright, but that's fine. And that discipline and that tight schedule is good for me. It keeps you focused. Sure you don't get to have dinner past 8 o'clock, but there's Friday night and Saturday night. And then Sunday I'm back in bed at 6:30 or 7. It's okay. I like it. 012111 TM: Do you get lonely at all? 012113 RS: I get lonely, but there are four of me. So I spend time with the rest of me's. and we talk about our day. 012122 TM: That's a good line, I don't understand it. 012124 RS: That's really how I get it all done. I'm just one of the guys. I'm just the guy that does Idol. There's a different guy tomorrow, you'll see. But sure, you get lonely. I have a great group of friends that I've known for a long time. My old roommate who was a teacher and now is a pharmaceutical sales guy. He's a good buddy of mine. And he and his girlfriend and I we still hang out like old times. We talk about when we used to just eat cereal three meals a day. And how we thought that was so good for us until we realized that it was all puffy food. We talk about those good old times. The reward and the fulfillment far outweighs the fatigue and the loneliness. 012206 TM: Who is your competition? 012209 RS: My competition? I don't know who my competition is. I don't really frame what I'm trying to accomplish by looking at the competition or thinking about the competition. I'm happy for anyone who's in this world and who's successful. Because I didn't come out here knowing anyone or anything. I shared a one bedroom apartment when I first moved to LA, in Burbank not far from the Tonight Show. And one of the first show's I went to go see what Jay and I sat in the audience and I watched him. And at that point it was, "wow I would love to see him one day". And then you get to sit on the couch and he's asking you questions. And those moments are still very, for a guy from Atlanta, those moments are still very surreal and very powerful for me. 012255 TM: Do you still get to bright lights in the eyes? 012258 RS: I still do. I still drive onto a studio lot and I remember watching TV shows when I was kid, seeing these lots and wondering what it would be like to be on them. I think back to when I watched different strokes that TV show and I remember when they came to Hollywood for one episode and I thought oh my gosh look that. That's Universal back lot. I want to go there sometime on the tram. And when I came to LA, I want to see the Hollywood sign. All of those things. Until I was almost finished with high school I had never seen before. And now this is my home and I love it here. 012334 TM: Larry King has said that when he retires, if he retires, he would like you as his successor. That's another job you might do? 012345 RS: Very, very flattering. When I heard that, I called Larry and said, "Did you make a mistake?" And he said, "no, goodbye." I met Larry in an airport and the short story is, I said, "you're my idol" and he said, "Carry my bag" And so I did. And I'm walking with Larry and his wife and myself and we look like the happy King family. And eventually he said to me, "you should come on my show" and I did. And the first commercial break he said, "Why don't you host my show someday. And a week later he said, fill in for me and I did. And they call still now for me to come sit in while he's away. He's become a good friend and he's become obviously someone I look up to and a mentor. And he does a radio program on TV. That's what he does. That's what he started doing. And so we've bonded over that. 012439 TM: What have you learned from Larry King. 012440 RS: I think you learn that it is okay to ask questions, to not know everything, its okay to sit in front of somebody and really be inquisitive without knowing what they are going to say. When you first start broadcasting, interviewing people, many times you're told to get the answers so know where you are going to go and what's going to happen. That's not fun and that's not always the best approach. Many times it's not. And I learned that from him. I learned from him that you can, that you don't just have to talk to one type of person from one genre of the world. You can talk about entertainment, you can talk to politicians, you can talk to anybody and when you are interested and when you are an inquisitive person, hopefully that comes off as very natural when you are on the air. 012632 TM: You've studied the great broadcasters it seems. It seems that you've actually made a study of Merv Griffin, Dick Clark, Regis Philbin, Larry King. 012542 RS: I have. Dick Clark I know that when I listen to his cadence when he speaks on TV it makes me feel comfortable. He's seamless about it. Even if he doesn't know where he's going, you feel like he does. With Larry, he'll sit and ask questions not knowing where he's going to go. Not knowing where the guest is going to go. That's great. That's a massive security on the air. That's fantastic. You feel that confidence from him. Merv Griffin did something really amazing. And I still I just admire this so much. He would make every person on his show shine. He didn't want them to come off poorly, he didn't want them to come off and complain about anything. He wanted them to be the star, to shine and come off well and he did that with every guest he had on. And you don't have to be extreme and you don't have to be controversial and you don't have to be obnoxious and rude to make it work. You don't have to do that. You can be a nice guy and ask some honest questions. And have someone shake your hand at the end of the interview and say, "Thank you. I can't wait to come back." And that's one of the things I try and do. 012652 TM: That's a very close observation. (End of tape)

RYAN SEACREST NIGHTLINE: INTERVIEW A CAMERA Ryan Seacrest Verbate 11/01/07 Tape 1 010135 TM: I'm going to start on a random spot. Because we just had Halloween, it occurred to me, what did Ryan Seacrest go as on Halloween as a kid? What were your favorite costumes? 014021 RS: I was King Tut one year; I was Spiderman---anything that cam in an Under-roo package I would dress up as. I was Batman, Spiderman, Incredible Hulk one year. It was pretty easy. I didn't actually go out this year trick or treating, I've given up trick or treating and I didn't smash any pumpkins either this year. 010157 TM: Can we read anything into those costume choices? 010159 RS: No, they were easy. I was a fan of the comics I guess. But they were simple and you could get them for like $19.99 and they were simple to put on at the store. 010210 TM: Now the reason I ask is serious. I think the basic question people ask is, how did you get here? From an early age when you wanted to be here to, how did that happen? 010216 RS: I just, I guess in my head, I always really, truly envisioned it. When I was 10, 11, 12 years old, I would study the disc jockeys on the radio in Atlanta. Listen to every single aspect of their shows. I would almost; I would examine how they did a simple radio program. It was almost strange that I wouldn't want to go out and play in the woods or the creek; I'd rather sit in my room and listen to these local DJ's. 010252 TM: It wasn't almost strange-it sounds a little obsessive. 010255 RS: It was, it was. Instead of filling my canteen and playing in the woods, I would pretend to be on the radio at 12 years old in my bedroom. And I went to radio shack and bought a mixer and these big ugly headphones that look like pilots headphones and I would literally broadcast to cassette tapes in my bedroom. And I would give them to my parents and when they went on trips they would play these tapes of me introducing songs. So it's all I thought about, so from the time I was a little kid to the time I was in high school and college and I started working in radio when I was in high school. 010326 TM: What's the source of that? 010328 RS: It's interesting because I remember my father is an attorney and I used to say to him, "Dad, you work too many hours, you just work too hard. I don't ever want to do that. I mean I go to school at 8 in the morning and I'm done at 3. I want that lifestyle when I get a job." Well, that didn't happen, but I was one of those kids who always did a little bit of everything. Believe it or not, I grew up as a part of the student government; I played football in the pop warner league in junior high and high school. 010359 TM: What did you play? 010400 RS: I played strong safety. And my life was school and football and student government. So I did a little bit of everything when I was a kid and that has become sort of become the motto of my business now, doing a little bit of everything. 010413 TM: You like it that way? 010414 RS: I do. I like it that way. I'm not great if I have one thing to do. If I had one show a day or if I had one task to accomplish, I'm not good at it. I'm literally better when I can show up and walk on air. 010430 TM: Restless? 010431 RS: Yeah. I think, fearful, I have plenty of insecurities. I don't want anyone to get up earlier than I do or work harder than I do. When I moved to LA, I was intimidated by the city because I didn't know anyone. And it's a big town. And I would almost get depressed that I wasn't doing what I wanted to do. And I would get up every morning and I would try to figure out ways to get my foot in the door. And I'd have to start from the beginning. You know I worked in radio in Atlanta. And then when I got to LA I started in radio again here. And I drove the van and I worked the all-night shift and I did almost every job until I got to where I am. (Break to fix cameras and sweating on Ryan Seacrest's face) 010632 TM: But I want to pick up on that struggle. We good? Because that fights the image. The image that you've left a totally charmed life, you're feet have never touched the ground. No hard knocks. Is that true. 010651 RS: Oh I think hard knock is relatively speaking. I definitely had this vision and I wanted it to happen now. And that's the problem. I want the immediate return. I always want it to happen now. I don't want to wait until next week. I don't want to wait until the sunsets. I want it to happen today. And that was tough for me because when you move to LA and you're not an actor, what are you? And how do you get those jobs? Well I'm a radio personality, I want to be a host, I want to be a producer. I want to be in the world of pop culture. Okay, well how do you try out for that and where do you go? So I would go out for auditions and I would never go in. and I would drive up and I would see everyone else lined up and I would be intimidated and I would turn around and get back in my car. I didn't like the auditions and I never really was good at them. But I know if I was able to be, or if I was in a live situation, then I could shine. I just love being on live television and on live radio. 010754 TM: I sense a little insecurity, still. 010757 RS: A lot of insecurity. A lot of insecurity. 010800 TM: In spite of the grand success you've had? 010802 RS: I still don't feel. I feel like I've had very, very blessed and charmed path and I feel grateful for the success but I still am driven to get up very early every morning and work as many hours as I can. 010819 TM: With the goal being what? Fame? fortune? All of the above? 010823 RS: I think the goal is peace, fulfillment. And to be good and be known as good at what I do. And being a part of pop culture, in other the words the conduit to a lot of pop culture is a goal. American Idol is a major television event. That is a fantastic vehicle for me. I'm going to be the host for the Super Bowl this year; it's a big pop culture event. New Year's Eve, pop culture event. The radio shows, the American top 40, all of those allow me to be conduit for fans and those stars and that's the guy I want to be. 010905 TM: And when you were growing up, you saw that guy among others, Dick Clark and you saw that as something that you wanted to do? 010914 RS: Yeah I did, I saw Dick Clark and I thought he was my best friend. I felt comfortable when I watched him. I thought Merv Griffin was my best friend. I felt safe when I watched these guys and I thought to be that person would be the ultimate goal. To be that guy who made other people comfortable would be the perfect job. 010938 TM: That's fascinating. Because they probably started out doing something else and became that conduit into pop culture. And you patterned your career from childhood on doing that. 010950 RS: Initially, I would hear Kasey Kasem and I would hear Dick Clark and I would see Merv Griffin and I really felt like these guys were a part of my family. I would feel like--- you get this connection when you are listening to them or when you are watching them and they made people happy and gave people information and they made them laugh and smile and above all they did it seamlessly and I watched what they did and I thought if I work at it I can do that. And then of course I learned that they were tremendously successful with their business models and that becomes the next step. 011023 TM: Because the business side is very important to you as well. 011026 RS: It is. Hosting is fun and hosting is something that I've had the opportunity to do, but as you know, longevity becomes the question when you are in front of the camera. So for me, having ownership and equity is very, very important and that becomes the focus for the next few years. 011044 TM: To take control of, or part control of what it is you are doing on air? 011048 RS: Yeah, Dick Clark for example built a massive empire by being a host. He used those relationships that he had and those opportunities that he had, to further his goal of owning television shows. I guess today you would take owning content, because, what is it? Internet? Is it radio? Is it TV? Does it matter? It's content and there's several platforms. And to be an equity partner and player in that content is now the goal. 011117 TM: A player? 011117 RS: The player. 011118 TM: The player? 011119 RS: No, the player. 011120 TM: You said the. Okay then, what's you're talent? Ryan Seacrest is really good at? 011131 RS: Making people feel comfortable. I hope that's what I do. When we start American Idol this year. And when we're live in American Idol. We try to create a fantastic, entertainment television show that is good for all ages and that is comfortable for a 12 year old and a 40 year old father to watch. That's comfortable for a grandmother and their baby or granddaughter to watch. That's what we try and do and we're conscious of that. And we try our best to do it. And it's the same when I'm talking on the radio. I know in my head that the scope of age I'm talking too. And it's here at a 12 year old and it's also at a 49 year old or above. A 54 year old. And I'm thinking about that constantly with everything that I say. And with every person I book and with every interview question that I ask. 011224 TM: Radio, what do you like? (Break to fix Ryan's makeup) 011428 TM: I was going to ask about radio. Radio has been in your life since you were 15. What do you like about it? 011435 RS: It's live, it's day in day. It's interactive. You can throw a topic out and get instant feedback. You can talk about anything in the world and get every different opinion just like that. I will go on the air and talk about a television show and I'll say one thing about it and people will disagree and people will agree. I'll talk about a text message that I got that I think is a strange text message and people will call and say I got that same one. I will talk about. I mean you can literally come up with anything and you'll find somebody that can relate to it. It's a freeing medium as well. In other words, when you go on the air you have 5 hours everyday to create something and to really interact with the people you are talking to. It's a little different on TV. On TV you're not talking with those people who are watching, in my jobs and in radio I am, and I love that about it. 011533 TM: We're going to see you do that tomorrow. I just remembered something that I read or heard about your childhood. Here you are, you're a very trim guy, you went running today, but as a kid you were a little heavy? 011546 RS: Yeah, as a kid I was. As a kid I was the guy that would not want spring break to come. That every summer would not want to go to the beach because I would wear a t-shirt to the pool. I would wear these t-shirts to the pool because I was insecure about my weight. And I know why. I used to come home from school and I would eat pan of nachos and I would watch television in the afternoon. And even though I was active, I was eating more than I was active. And so I still remember how that felt and I remember being teased about it a little bit and I never want to be that guy again. And so when I get up everyday, its something I think about and its one of the reasons that I motivated to build some sort of exercise into my schedule during the week. 011638 TM: You're very disciplined. 011638 RS: I have a very, very tight, minute-by-minute schedule every day, with a.. I left my house today and I forgot my blackberry. And I was 5 minutes from my house. 5 up and 5 back, that will make me late and I can't go back and get it. I had to have someone go get my blackberry. I mean, that's how tight my day is. 011703 TM: Is that enjoyable? 011703 RS: Love it. Love it. I want to do three things at once. Multi-tasking. Absolutely love it. 011710 TM: You never take a break just to reflect. To sit on the beach? 011714 RS: Lets me honest, Thanksgiving is coming up. I'll have a break, I'll have some turkey and stuffing. I'll lie on the floor because I feel fat and stretch it all out. I'll spend time with my family. Sure I'll take a long weekend and I'll take a break. And when I do, I can relax and I can stop. But after a few days I'm ready to go again. And I'll keep that pace and I'll do that as long as I'm enthused and excited about it. Just like anybody else. Some days that alarm goes off and it's almost the middle of the night and I want to throw that clock across the room but once I get in the car and get to work and a sip of coffee I'm okay. 011747 TM: It's fulfilling? 011748 RS: It is. It is fulfilling. And you don't get bored. I'm never bored. There is always something new. Everyday looks different, looks different. And is different. And everyday starts with a morning radio show where there are a few million people listening. And by the time you've worked through 4 or 5 hours of it, you've covered so many bases and you know everything that is going on in the world at that point. And you can start your day. 011818 TM: Let's go back. The other side of the camera, the other side of the microphone. What's the business plan for Ryan Seacrest? 011822 RS: The plan is to produce pop culture. If something big is happening in pop culture, my company wants to be a part of it. Wants to be a part of delivering that content to the audience. And that really is the goal each and every day when I sit at my desk. Working our way each and every day towards that, but that is the goal. And with today's audience, they're getting content instantly. It's not necessarily conventional media. It's not lets wait until a certain time at night to watch TV, I mean I was driving the other day and two 17 year old girls pulled up to me at a stop light and they put down their window and they said, we're just reading this interview that you did with Britney Spears right now on our wireless device. So they can get instantly. So I think as you are building a company and as you are producing those shows or are a part of those shows, you've got to be conscious of that. 011915 TM: So give me an example of the kinds of pop culture you're company wants to produce. 011920 RS: Right now, I produce the pre-shows for the Grammy's, the Oscars, the Emmy's, the SAG awards and the Golden Globes. Love to do the main shows someday. Right now I produce a couple reality series; I would love to do more of that. Right now I produce the radio programs. Will radio at some point or those shows be available for in real time video form online? Perhaps that's something that is going to happen soon. All those things I'm thinking about every day and all those different components are interesting and will eventually be profitable. 011958 TM: And you have ownership in them? 011920 RS: And you'd have ownership. 012001 TM: And that is the player? 012003 RS: That's the work. That's the plan. 012010 TM: It seems that. I'm going to say something with a little bit of an edge. It sounds like a constructed life. Like a life less lived than built. 012022 RS: It is constructive. It is. That's okay. That's okay. 012031 TM: You don't feel like you're missing anything in the realm of spontaneity, accident, happen-stance? 012037 RS: Well I think within each compartment of a day, there's the opportunity to jump on spontaneity. But then when that's over, you've got to get to the next event. But that's alright, but that's fine. And that discipline and that tight schedule is good for me. It keeps you focused. Sure you don't get to have dinner past 8 o'clock, but there's Friday night and Saturday night. And then Sunday I'm back in bed at 6:30 or 7. It's okay. I like it. 012111 TM: Do you get lonely at all? 012113 RS: I get lonely, but there are four of me. So I spend time with the rest of me's. and we talk about our day. 012122 TM: That's a good line, I don't understand it. 012124 RS: That's really how I get it all done. I'm just one of the guys. I'm just the guy that does Idol. There's a different guy tomorrow, you'll see. But sure, you get lonely. I have a great group of friends that I've known for a long time. My old roommate who was a teacher and now is a pharmaceutical sales guy. He's a good buddy of mine. And he and his girlfriend and I we still hang out like old times. We talk about when we used to just eat cereal three meals a day. And how we thought that was so good for us until we realized that it was all puffy food. We talk about those good old times. The reward and the fulfillment far outweighs the fatigue and the loneliness. 012206 TM: Who is your competition? 012209 RS: My competition? I don't know who my competition is. I don't really frame what I'm trying to accomplish by looking at the competition or thinking about the competition. I'm happy for anyone who's in this world and who's successful. Because I didn't come out here knowing anyone or anything. I shared a one bedroom apartment when I first moved to LA, in Burbank not far from the Tonight Show. And one of the first show's I went to go see what Jay and I sat in the audience and I watched him. And at that point it was, "wow I would love to see him one day". And then you get to sit on the couch and he's asking you questions. And those moments are still very, for a guy from Atlanta, those moments are still very surreal and very powerful for me. 012255 TM: Do you still get to bright lights in the eyes? 012258 RS: I still do. I still drive onto a studio lot and I remember watching TV shows when I was kid, seeing these lots and wondering what it would be like to be on them. I think back to when I watched different strokes that TV show and I remember when they came to Hollywood for one episode and I thought oh my gosh look that. That's Universal back lot. I want to go there sometime on the tram. And when I came to LA, I want to see the Hollywood sign. All of those things. Until I was almost finished with high school I had never seen before. And now this is my home and I love it here. 012334 TM: Larry King has said that when he retires, if he retires, he would like you as his successor. That's another job you might do? 012345 RS: Very, very flattering. When I heard that, I called Larry and said, "Did you make a mistake?" And he said, "no, goodbye." I met Larry in an airport and the short story is, I said, "you're my idol" and he said, "Carry my bag" And so I did. And I'm walking with Larry and his wife and myself and we look like the happy King family. And eventually he said to me, "you should come on my show" and I did. And the first commercial break he said, "Why don't you host my show someday. And a week later he said, fill in for me and I did. And they call still now for me to come sit in while he's away. He's become a good friend and he's become obviously someone I look up to and a mentor. And he does a radio program on TV. That's what he does. That's what he started doing. And so we've bonded over that. 012439 TM: What have you learned from Larry King. 012440 RS: I think you learn that it is okay to ask questions, to not know everything, its okay to sit in front of somebody and really be inquisitive without knowing what they are going to say. When you first start broadcasting, interviewing people, many times you're told to get the answers so know where you are going to go and what's going to happen. That's not fun and that's not always the best approach. Many times it's not. And I learned that from him. I learned from him that you can, that you don't just have to talk to one type of person from one genre of the world. You can talk about entertainment, you can talk to politicians, you can talk to anybody and when you are interested and when you are an inquisitive person, hopefully that comes off as very natural when you are on the air. 012632 TM: You've studied the great broadcasters it seems. It seems that you've actually made a study of Merv Griffin, Dick Clark, Regis Philbin, Larry King. 012542 RS: I have. Dick Clark I know that when I listen to his cadence when he speaks on TV it makes me feel comfortable. He's seamless about it. Even if he doesn't know where he's going, you feel like he does. With Larry, he'll sit and ask questions not knowing where he's going to go. Not knowing where the guest is going to go. That's great. That's a massive security on the air. That's fantastic. You feel that confidence from him. Merv Griffin did something really amazing. And I still I just admire this so much. He would make every person on his show shine. He didn't want them to come off poorly, he didn't want them to come off and complain about anything. He wanted them to be the star, to shine and come off well and he did that with every guest he had on. And you don't have to be extreme and you don't have to be controversial and you don't have to be obnoxious and rude to make it work. You don't have to do that. You can be a nice guy and ask some honest questions. And have someone shake your hand at the end of the interview and say, "Thank you. I can't wait to come back." And that's one of the things I try and do. 012652 TM: That's a very close observation. (End of tape)

RYAN SEACREST NIGHTLINE: INTERVIEW A CAMERA Ryan Seacrest Verbate 11/01/07 Tape 1 010135 TM: I'm going to start on a random spot. Because we just had Halloween, it occurred to me, what did Ryan Seacrest go as on Halloween as a kid? What were your favorite costumes? 014021 RS: I was King Tut one year; I was Spiderman---anything that cam in an Under-roo package I would dress up as. I was Batman, Spiderman, Incredible Hulk one year. It was pretty easy. I didn't actually go out this year trick or treating, I've given up trick or treating and I didn't smash any pumpkins either this year. 010157 TM: Can we read anything into those costume choices? 010159 RS: No, they were easy. I was a fan of the comics I guess. But they were simple and you could get them for like $19.99 and they were simple to put on at the store. 010210 TM: Now the reason I ask is serious. I think the basic question people ask is, how did you get here? From an early age when you wanted to be here to, how did that happen? 010216 RS: I just, I guess in my head, I always really, truly envisioned it. When I was 10, 11, 12 years old, I would study the disc jockeys on the radio in Atlanta. Listen to every single aspect of their shows. I would almost; I would examine how they did a simple radio program. It was almost strange that I wouldn't want to go out and play in the woods or the creek; I'd rather sit in my room and listen to these local DJ's. 010252 TM: It wasn't almost strange-it sounds a little obsessive. 010255 RS: It was, it was. Instead of filling my canteen and playing in the woods, I would pretend to be on the radio at 12 years old in my bedroom. And I went to radio shack and bought a mixer and these big ugly headphones that look like pilots headphones and I would literally broadcast to cassette tapes in my bedroom. And I would give them to my parents and when they went on trips they would play these tapes of me introducing songs. So it's all I thought about, so from the time I was a little kid to the time I was in high school and college and I started working in radio when I was in high school. 010326 TM: What's the source of that? 010328 RS: It's interesting because I remember my father is an attorney and I used to say to him, "Dad, you work too many hours, you just work too hard. I don't ever want to do that. I mean I go to school at 8 in the morning and I'm done at 3. I want that lifestyle when I get a job." Well, that didn't happen, but I was one of those kids who always did a little bit of everything. Believe it or not, I grew up as a part of the student government; I played football in the pop warner league in junior high and high school. 010359 TM: What did you play? 010400 RS: I played strong safety. And my life was school and football and student government. So I did a little bit of everything when I was a kid and that has become sort of become the motto of my business now, doing a little bit of everything. 010413 TM: You like it that way? 010414 RS: I do. I like it that way. I'm not great if I have one thing to do. If I had one show a day or if I had one task to accomplish, I'm not good at it. I'm literally better when I can show up and walk on air. 010430 TM: Restless? 010431 RS: Yeah. I think, fearful, I have plenty of insecurities. I don't want anyone to get up earlier than I do or work harder than I do. When I moved to LA, I was intimidated by the city because I didn't know anyone. And it's a big town. And I would almost get depressed that I wasn't doing what I wanted to do. And I would get up every morning and I would try to figure out ways to get my foot in the door. And I'd have to start from the beginning. You know I worked in radio in Atlanta. And then when I got to LA I started in radio again here. And I drove the van and I worked the all-night shift and I did almost every job until I got to where I am. (Break to fix cameras and sweating on Ryan Seacrest's face) 010632 TM: But I want to pick up on that struggle. We good? Because that fights the image. The image that you've left a totally charmed life, you're feet have never touched the ground. No hard knocks. Is that true. 010651 RS: Oh I think hard knock is relatively speaking. I definitely had this vision and I wanted it to happen now. And that's the problem. I want the immediate return. I always want it to happen now. I don't want to wait until next week. I don't want to wait until the sunsets. I want it to happen today. And that was tough for me because when you move to LA and you're not an actor, what are you? And how do you get those jobs? Well I'm a radio personality, I want to be a host, I want to be a producer. I want to be in the world of pop culture. Okay, well how do you try out for that and where do you go? So I would go out for auditions and I would never go in. and I would drive up and I would see everyone else lined up and I would be intimidated and I would turn around and get back in my car. I didn't like the auditions and I never really was good at them. But I know if I was able to be, or if I was in a live situation, then I could shine. I just love being on live television and on live radio. 010754 TM: I sense a little insecurity, still. 010757 RS: A lot of insecurity. A lot of insecurity. 010800 TM: In spite of the grand success you've had? 010802 RS: I still don't feel. I feel like I've had very, very blessed and charmed path and I feel grateful for the success but I still am driven to get up very early every morning and work as many hours as I can. 010819 TM: With the goal being what? Fame? fortune? All of the above? 010823 RS: I think the goal is peace, fulfillment. And to be good and be known as good at what I do. And being a part of pop culture, in other the words the conduit to a lot of pop culture is a goal. American Idol is a major television event. That is a fantastic vehicle for me. I'm going to be the host for the Super Bowl this year; it's a big pop culture event. New Year's Eve, pop culture event. The radio shows, the American top 40, all of those allow me to be conduit for fans and those stars and that's the guy I want to be. 010905 TM: And when you were growing up, you saw that guy among others, Dick Clark and you saw that as something that you wanted to do? 010914 RS: Yeah I did, I saw Dick Clark and I thought he was my best friend. I felt comfortable when I watched him. I thought Merv Griffin was my best friend. I felt safe when I watched these guys and I thought to be that person would be the ultimate goal. To be that guy who made other people comfortable would be the perfect job. 010938 TM: That's fascinating. Because they probably started out doing something else and became that conduit into pop culture. And you patterned your career from childhood on doing that. 010950 RS: Initially, I would hear Kasey Kasem and I would hear Dick Clark and I would see Merv Griffin and I really felt like these guys were a part of my family. I would feel like--- you get this connection when you are listening to them or when you are watching them and they made people happy and gave people information and they made them laugh and smile and above all they did it seamlessly and I watched what they did and I thought if I work at it I can do that. And then of course I learned that they were tremendously successful with their business models and that becomes the next step. 011023 TM: Because the business side is very important to you as well. 011026 RS: It is. Hosting is fun and hosting is something that I've had the opportunity to do, but as you know, longevity becomes the question when you are in front of the camera. So for me, having ownership and equity is very, very important and that becomes the focus for the next few years. 011044 TM: To take control of, or part control of what it is you are doing on air? 011048 RS: Yeah, Dick Clark for example built a massive empire by being a host. He used those relationships that he had and those opportunities that he had, to further his goal of owning television shows. I guess today you would take owning content, because, what is it? Internet? Is it radio? Is it TV? Does it matter? It's content and there's several platforms. And to be an equity partner and player in that content is now the goal. 011117 TM: A player? 011117 RS: The player. 011118 TM: The player? 011119 RS: No, the player. 011120 TM: You said the. Okay then, what's you're talent? Ryan Seacrest is really good at? 011131 RS: Making people feel comfortable. I hope that's what I do. When we start American Idol this year. And when we're live in American Idol. We try to create a fantastic, entertainment television show that is good for all ages and that is comfortable for a 12 year old and a 40 year old father to watch. That's comfortable for a grandmother and their baby or granddaughter to watch. That's what we try and do and we're conscious of that. And we try our best to do it. And it's the same when I'm talking on the radio. I know in my head that the scope of age I'm talking too. And it's here at a 12 year old and it's also at a 49 year old or above. A 54 year old. And I'm thinking about that constantly with everything that I say. And with every person I book and with every interview question that I ask. 011224 TM: Radio, what do you like? (Break to fix Ryan's makeup) 011428 TM: I was going to ask about radio. Radio has been in your life since you were 15. What do you like about it? 011435 RS: It's live, it's day in day. It's interactive. You can throw a topic out and get instant feedback. You can talk about anything in the world and get every different opinion just like that. I will go on the air and talk about a television show and I'll say one thing about it and people will disagree and people will agree. I'll talk about a text message that I got that I think is a strange text message and people will call and say I got that same one. I will talk about. I mean you can literally come up with anything and you'll find somebody that can relate to it. It's a freeing medium as well. In other words, when you go on the air you have 5 hours everyday to create something and to really interact with the people you are talking to. It's a little different on TV. On TV you're not talking with those people who are watching, in my jobs and in radio I am, and I love that about it. 011533 TM: We're going to see you do that tomorrow. I just remembered something that I read or heard about your childhood. Here you are, you're a very trim guy, you went running today, but as a kid you were a little heavy? 011546 RS: Yeah, as a kid I was. As a kid I was the guy that would not want spring break to come. That every summer would not want to go to the beach because I would wear a t-shirt to the pool. I would wear these t-shirts to the pool because I was insecure about my weight. And I know why. I used to come home from school and I would eat pan of nachos and I would watch television in the afternoon. And even though I was active, I was eating more than I was active. And so I still remember how that felt and I remember being teased about it a little bit and I never want to be that guy again. And so when I get up everyday, its something I think about and its one of the reasons that I motivated to build some sort of exercise into my schedule during the week. 011638 TM: You're very disciplined. 011638 RS: I have a very, very tight, minute-by-minute schedule every day, with a.. I left my house today and I forgot my blackberry. And I was 5 minutes from my house. 5 up and 5 back, that will make me late and I can't go back and get it. I had to have someone go get my blackberry. I mean, that's how tight my day is. 011703 TM: Is that enjoyable? 011703 RS: Love it. Love it. I want to do three things at once. Multi-tasking. Absolutely love it. 011710 TM: You never take a break just to reflect. To sit on the beach? 011714 RS: Lets me honest, Thanksgiving is coming up. I'll have a break, I'll have some turkey and stuffing. I'll lie on the floor because I feel fat and stretch it all out. I'll spend time with my family. Sure I'll take a long weekend and I'll take a break. And when I do, I can relax and I can stop. But after a few days I'm ready to go again. And I'll keep that pace and I'll do that as long as I'm enthused and excited about it. Just like anybody else. Some days that alarm goes off and it's almost the middle of the night and I want to throw that clock across the room but once I get in the car and get to work and a sip of coffee I'm okay. 011747 TM: It's fulfilling? 011748 RS: It is. It is fulfilling. And you don't get bored. I'm never bored. There is always something new. Everyday looks different, looks different. And is different. And everyday starts with a morning radio show where there are a few million people listening. And by the time you've worked through 4 or 5 hours of it, you've covered so many bases and you know everything that is going on in the world at that point. And you can start your day. 011818 TM: Let's go back. The other side of the camera, the other side of the microphone. What's the business plan for Ryan Seacrest? 011822 RS: The plan is to produce pop culture. If something big is happening in pop culture, my company wants to be a part of it. Wants to be a part of delivering that content to the audience. And that really is the goal each and every day when I sit at my desk. Working our way each and every day towards that, but that is the goal. And with today's audience, they're getting content instantly. It's not necessarily conventional media. It's not lets wait until a certain time at night to watch TV, I mean I was driving the other day and two 17 year old girls pulled up to me at a stop light and they put down their window and they said, we're just reading this interview that you did with Britney Spears right now on our wireless device. So they can get instantly. So I think as you are building a company and as you are producing those shows or are a part of those shows, you've got to be conscious of that. 011915 TM: So give me an example of the kinds of pop culture you're company wants to produce. 011920 RS: Right now, I produce the pre-shows for the Grammy's, the Oscars, the Emmy's, the SAG awards and the Golden Globes. Love to do the main shows someday. Right now I produce a couple reality series; I would love to do more of that. Right now I produce the radio programs. Will radio at some point or those shows be available for in real time video form online? Perhaps that's something that is going to happen soon. All those things I'm thinking about every day and all those different components are interesting and will eventually be profitable. 011958 TM: And you have ownership in them? 011920 RS: And you'd have ownership. 012001 TM: And that is the player? 012003 RS: That's the work. That's the plan. 012010 TM: It seems that. I'm going to say something with a little bit of an edge. It sounds like a constructed life. Like a life less lived than built. 012022 RS: It is constructive. It is. That's okay. That's okay. 012031 TM: You don't feel like you're missing anything in the realm of spontaneity, accident, happen-stance? 012037 RS: Well I think within each compartment of a day, there's the opportunity to jump on spontaneity. But then when that's over, you've got to get to the next event. But that's alright, but that's fine. And that discipline and that tight schedule is good for me. It keeps you focused. Sure you don't get to have dinner past 8 o'clock, but there's Friday night and Saturday night. And then Sunday I'm back in bed at 6:30 or 7. It's okay. I like it. 012111 TM: Do you get lonely at all? 012113 RS: I get lonely, but there are four of me. So I spend time with the rest of me's. and we talk about our day. 012122 TM: That's a good line, I don't understand it. 012124 RS: That's really how I get it all done. I'm just one of the guys. I'm just the guy that does Idol. There's a different guy tomorrow, you'll see. But sure, you get lonely. I have a great group of friends that I've known for a long time. My old roommate who was a teacher and now is a pharmaceutical sales guy. He's a good buddy of mine. And he and his girlfriend and I we still hang out like old times. We talk about when we used to just eat cereal three meals a day. And how we thought that was so good for us until we realized that it was all puffy food. We talk about those good old times. The reward and the fulfillment far outweighs the fatigue and the loneliness. 012206 TM: Who is your competition? 012209 RS: My competition? I don't know who my competition is. I don't really frame what I'm trying to accomplish by looking at the competition or thinking about the competition. I'm happy for anyone who's in this world and who's successful. Because I didn't come out here knowing anyone or anything. I shared a one bedroom apartment when I first moved to LA, in Burbank not far from the Tonight Show. And one of the first show's I went to go see what Jay and I sat in the audience and I watched him. And at that point it was, "wow I would love to see him one day". And then you get to sit on the couch and he's asking you questions. And those moments are still very, for a guy from Atlanta, those moments are still very surreal and very powerful for me. 012255 TM: Do you still get to bright lights in the eyes? 012258 RS: I still do. I still drive onto a studio lot and I remember watching TV shows when I was kid, seeing these lots and wondering what it would be like to be on them. I think back to when I watched different strokes that TV show and I remember when they came to Hollywood for one episode and I thought oh my gosh look that. That's Universal back lot. I want to go there sometime on the tram. And when I came to LA, I want to see the Hollywood sign. All of those things. Until I was almost finished with high school I had never seen before. And now this is my home and I love it here. 012334 TM: Larry King has said that when he retires, if he retires, he would like you as his successor. That's another job you might do? 012345 RS: Very, very flattering. When I heard that, I called Larry and said, "Did you make a mistake?" And he said, "no, goodbye." I met Larry in an airport and the short story is, I said, "you're my idol" and he said, "Carry my bag" And so I did. And I'm walking with Larry and his wife and myself and we look like the happy King family. And eventually he said to me, "you should come on my show" and I did. And the first commercial break he said, "Why don't you host my show someday. And a week later he said, fill in for me and I did. And they call still now for me to come sit in while he's away. He's become a good friend and he's become obviously someone I look up to and a mentor. And he does a radio program on TV. That's what he does. That's what he started doing. And so we've bonded over that. 012439 TM: What have you learned from Larry King. 012440 RS: I think you learn that it is okay to ask questions, to not know everything, its okay to sit in front of somebody and really be inquisitive without knowing what they are going to say. When you first start broadcasting, interviewing people, many times you're told to get the answers so know where you are going to go and what's going to happen. That's not fun and that's not always the best approach. Many times it's not. And I learned that from him. I learned from him that you can, that you don't just have to talk to one type of person from one genre of the world. You can talk about entertainment, you can talk to politicians, you can talk to anybody and when you are interested and when you are an inquisitive person, hopefully that comes off as very natural when you are on the air. 012632 TM: You've studied the great broadcasters it seems. It seems that you've actually made a study of Merv Griffin, Dick Clark, Regis Philbin, Larry King. 012542 RS: I have. Dick Clark I know that when I listen to his cadence when he speaks on TV it makes me feel comfortable. He's seamless about it. Even if he doesn't know where he's going, you feel like he does. With Larry, he'll sit and ask questions not knowing where he's going to go. Not knowing where the guest is going to go. That's great. That's a massive security on the air. That's fantastic. You feel that confidence from him. Merv Griffin did something really amazing. And I still I just admire this so much. He would make every person on his show shine. He didn't want them to come off poorly, he didn't want them to come off and complain about anything. He wanted them to be the star, to shine and come off well and he did that with every guest he had on. And you don't have to be extreme and you don't have to be controversial and you don't have to be obnoxious and rude to make it work. You don't have to do that. You can be a nice guy and ask some honest questions. And have someone shake your hand at the end of the interview and say, "Thank you. I can't wait to come back." And that's one of the things I try and do. 012652 TM: That's a very close observation. (End of tape)

RYAN SEACREST NIGHTLINE: INTERVIEW A CAMERA Ryan Seacrest Verbate 11/01/07 Tape 1 010135 TM: I'm going to start on a random spot. Because we just had Halloween, it occurred to me, what did Ryan Seacrest go as on Halloween as a kid? What were your favorite costumes? 014021 RS: I was King Tut one year; I was Spiderman---anything that cam in an Under-roo package I would dress up as. I was Batman, Spiderman, Incredible Hulk one year. It was pretty easy. I didn't actually go out this year trick or treating, I've given up trick or treating and I didn't smash any pumpkins either this year. 010157 TM: Can we read anything into those costume choices? 010159 RS: No, they were easy. I was a fan of the comics I guess. But they were simple and you could get them for like $19.99 and they were simple to put on at the store. 010210 TM: Now the reason I ask is serious. I think the basic question people ask is, how did you get here? From an early age when you wanted to be here to, how did that happen? 010216 RS: I just, I guess in my head, I always really, truly envisioned it. When I was 10, 11, 12 years old, I would study the disc jockeys on the radio in Atlanta. Listen to every single aspect of their shows. I would almost; I would examine how they did a simple radio program. It was almost strange that I wouldn't want to go out and play in the woods or the creek; I'd rather sit in my room and listen to these local DJ's. 010252 TM: It wasn't almost strange-it sounds a little obsessive. 010255 RS: It was, it was. Instead of filling my canteen and playing in the woods, I would pretend to be on the radio at 12 years old in my bedroom. And I went to radio shack and bought a mixer and these big ugly headphones that look like pilots headphones and I would literally broadcast to cassette tapes in my bedroom. And I would give them to my parents and when they went on trips they would play these tapes of me introducing songs. So it's all I thought about, so from the time I was a little kid to the time I was in high school and college and I started working in radio when I was in high school. 010326 TM: What's the source of that? 010328 RS: It's interesting because I remember my father is an attorney and I used to say to him, "Dad, you work too many hours, you just work too hard. I don't ever want to do that. I mean I go to school at 8 in the morning and I'm done at 3. I want that lifestyle when I get a job." Well, that didn't happen, but I was one of those kids who always did a little bit of everything. Believe it or not, I grew up as a part of the student government; I played football in the pop warner league in junior high and high school. 010359 TM: What did you play? 010400 RS: I played strong safety. And my life was school and football and student government. So I did a little bit of everything when I was a kid and that has become sort of become the motto of my business now, doing a little bit of everything. 010413 TM: You like it that way? 010414 RS: I do. I like it that way. I'm not great if I have one thing to do. If I had one show a day or if I had one task to accomplish, I'm not good at it. I'm literally better when I can show up and walk on air. 010430 TM: Restless? 010431 RS: Yeah. I think, fearful, I have plenty of insecurities. I don't want anyone to get up earlier than I do or work harder than I do. When I moved to LA, I was intimidated by the city because I didn't know anyone. And it's a big town. And I would almost get depressed that I wasn't doing what I wanted to do. And I would get up every morning and I would try to figure out ways to get my foot in the door. And I'd have to start from the beginning. You know I worked in radio in Atlanta. And then when I got to LA I started in radio again here. And I drove the van and I worked the all-night shift and I did almost every job until I got to where I am. (Break to fix cameras and sweating on Ryan Seacrest's face) 010632 TM: But I want to pick up on that struggle. We good? Because that fights the image. The image that you've left a totally charmed life, you're feet have never touched the ground. No hard knocks. Is that true. 010651 RS: Oh I think hard knock is relatively speaking. I definitely had this vision and I wanted it to happen now. And that's the problem. I want the immediate return. I always want it to happen now. I don't want to wait until next week. I don't want to wait until the sunsets. I want it to happen today. And that was tough for me because when you move to LA and you're not an actor, what are you? And how do you get those jobs? Well I'm a radio personality, I want to be a host, I want to be a producer. I want to be in the world of pop culture. Okay, well how do you try out for that and where do you go? So I would go out for auditions and I would never go in. and I would drive up and I would see everyone else lined up and I would be intimidated and I would turn around and get back in my car. I didn't like the auditions and I never really was good at them. But I know if I was able to be, or if I was in a live situation, then I could shine. I just love being on live television and on live radio. 010754 TM: I sense a little insecurity, still. 010757 RS: A lot of insecurity. A lot of insecurity. 010800 TM: In spite of the grand success you've had? 010802 RS: I still don't feel. I feel like I've had very, very blessed and charmed path and I feel grateful for the success but I still am driven to get up very early every morning and work as many hours as I can. 010819 TM: With the goal being what? Fame? fortune? All of the above? 010823 RS: I think the goal is peace, fulfillment. And to be good and be known as good at what I do. And being a part of pop culture, in other the words the conduit to a lot of pop culture is a goal. American Idol is a major television event. That is a fantastic vehicle for me. I'm going to be the host for the Super Bowl this year; it's a big pop culture event. New Year's Eve, pop culture event. The radio shows, the American top 40, all of those allow me to be conduit for fans and those stars and that's the guy I want to be. 010905 TM: And when you were growing up, you saw that guy among others, Dick Clark and you saw that as something that you wanted to do? 010914 RS: Yeah I did, I saw Dick Clark and I thought he was my best friend. I felt comfortable when I watched him. I thought Merv Griffin was my best friend. I felt safe when I watched these guys and I thought to be that person would be the ultimate goal. To be that guy who made other people comfortable would be the perfect job. 010938 TM: That's fascinating. Because they probably started out doing something else and became that conduit into pop culture. And you patterned your career from childhood on doing that. 010950 RS: Initially, I would hear Kasey Kasem and I would hear Dick Clark and I would see Merv Griffin and I really felt like these guys were a part of my family. I would feel like--- you get this connection when you are listening to them or when you are watching them and they made people happy and gave people information and they made them laugh and smile and above all they did it seamlessly and I watched what they did and I thought if I work at it I can do that. And then of course I learned that they were tremendously successful with their business models and that becomes the next step. 011023 TM: Because the business side is very important to you as well. 011026 RS: It is. Hosting is fun and hosting is something that I've had the opportunity to do, but as you know, longevity becomes the question when you are in front of the camera. So for me, having ownership and equity is very, very important and that becomes the focus for the next few years. 011044 TM: To take control of, or part control of what it is you are doing on air? 011048 RS: Yeah, Dick Clark for example built a massive empire by being a host. He used those relationships that he had and those opportunities that he had, to further his goal of owning television shows. I guess today you would take owning content, because, what is it? Internet? Is it radio? Is it TV? Does it matter? It's content and there's several platforms. And to be an equity partner and player in that content is now the goal. 011117 TM: A player? 011117 RS: The player. 011118 TM: The player? 011119 RS: No, the player. 011120 TM: You said the. Okay then, what's you're talent? Ryan Seacrest is really good at? 011131 RS: Making people feel comfortable. I hope that's what I do. When we start American Idol this year. And when we're live in American Idol. We try to create a fantastic, entertainment television show that is good for all ages and that is comfortable for a 12 year old and a 40 year old father to watch. That's comfortable for a grandmother and their baby or granddaughter to watch. That's what we try and do and we're conscious of that. And we try our best to do it. And it's the same when I'm talking on the radio. I know in my head that the scope of age I'm talking too. And it's here at a 12 year old and it's also at a 49 year old or above. A 54 year old. And I'm thinking about that constantly with everything that I say. And with every person I book and with every interview question that I ask. 011224 TM: Radio, what do you like? (Break to fix Ryan's makeup) 011428 TM: I was going to ask about radio. Radio has been in your life since you were 15. What do you like about it? 011435 RS: It's live, it's day in day. It's interactive. You can throw a topic out and get instant feedback. You can talk about anything in the world and get every different opinion just like that. I will go on the air and talk about a television show and I'll say one thing about it and people will disagree and people will agree. I'll talk about a text message that I got that I think is a strange text message and people will call and say I got that same one. I will talk about. I mean you can literally come up with anything and you'll find somebody that can relate to it. It's a freeing medium as well. In other words, when you go on the air you have 5 hours everyday to create something and to really interact with the people you are talking to. It's a little different on TV. On TV you're not talking with those people who are watching, in my jobs and in radio I am, and I love that about it. 011533 TM: We're going to see you do that tomorrow. I just remembered something that I read or heard about your childhood. Here you are, you're a very trim guy, you went running today, but as a kid you were a little heavy? 011546 RS: Yeah, as a kid I was. As a kid I was the guy that would not want spring break to come. That every summer would not want to go to the beach because I would wear a t-shirt to the pool. I would wear these t-shirts to the pool because I was insecure about my weight. And I know why. I used to come home from school and I would eat pan of nachos and I would watch television in the afternoon. And even though I was active, I was eating more than I was active. And so I still remember how that felt and I remember being teased about it a little bit and I never want to be that guy again. And so when I get up everyday, its something I think about and its one of the reasons that I motivated to build some sort of exercise into my schedule during the week. 011638 TM: You're very disciplined. 011638 RS: I have a very, very tight, minute-by-minute schedule every day, with a.. I left my house today and I forgot my blackberry. And I was 5 minutes from my house. 5 up and 5 back, that will make me late and I can't go back and get it. I had to have someone go get my blackberry. I mean, that's how tight my day is. 011703 TM: Is that enjoyable? 011703 RS: Love it. Love it. I want to do three things at once. Multi-tasking. Absolutely love it. 011710 TM: You never take a break just to reflect. To sit on the beach? 011714 RS: Lets me honest, Thanksgiving is coming up. I'll have a break, I'll have some turkey and stuffing. I'll lie on the floor because I feel fat and stretch it all out. I'll spend time with my family. Sure I'll take a long weekend and I'll take a break. And when I do, I can relax and I can stop. But after a few days I'm ready to go again. And I'll keep that pace and I'll do that as long as I'm enthused and excited about it. Just like anybody else. Some days that alarm goes off and it's almost the middle of the night and I want to throw that clock across the room but once I get in the car and get to work and a sip of coffee I'm okay. 011747 TM: It's fulfilling? 011748 RS: It is. It is fulfilling. And you don't get bored. I'm never bored. There is always something new. Everyday looks different, looks different. And is different. And everyday starts with a morning radio show where there are a few million people listening. And by the time you've worked through 4 or 5 hours of it, you've covered so many bases and you know everything that is going on in the world at that point. And you can start your day. 011818 TM: Let's go back. The other side of the camera, the other side of the microphone. What's the business plan for Ryan Seacrest? 011822 RS: The plan is to produce pop culture. If something big is happening in pop culture, my company wants to be a part of it. Wants to be a part of delivering that content to the audience. And that really is the goal each and every day when I sit at my desk. Working our way each and every day towards that, but that is the goal. And with today's audience, they're getting content instantly. It's not necessarily conventional media. It's not lets wait until a certain time at night to watch TV, I mean I was driving the other day and two 17 year old girls pulled up to me at a stop light and they put down their window and they said, we're just reading this interview that you did with Britney Spears right now on our wireless device. So they can get instantly. So I think as you are building a company and as you are producing those shows or are a part of those shows, you've got to be conscious of that. 011915 TM: So give me an example of the kinds of pop culture you're company wants to produce. 011920 RS: Right now, I produce the pre-shows for the Grammy's, the Oscars, the Emmy's, the SAG awards and the Golden Globes. Love to do the main shows someday. Right now I produce a couple reality series; I would love to do more of that. Right now I produce the radio programs. Will radio at some point or those shows be available for in real time video form online? Perhaps that's something that is going to happen soon. All those things I'm thinking about every day and all those different components are interesting and will eventually be profitable. 011958 TM: And you have ownership in them? 011920 RS: And you'd have ownership. 012001 TM: And that is the player? 012003 RS: That's the work. That's the plan. 012010 TM: It seems that. I'm going to say something with a little bit of an edge. It sounds like a constructed life. Like a life less lived than built. 012022 RS: It is constructive. It is. That's okay. That's okay. 012031 TM: You don't feel like you're missing anything in the realm of spontaneity, accident, happen-stance? 012037 RS: Well I think within each compartment of a day, there's the opportunity to jump on spontaneity. But then when that's over, you've got to get to the next event. But that's alright, but that's fine. And that discipline and that tight schedule is good for me. It keeps you focused. Sure you don't get to have dinner past 8 o'clock, but there's Friday night and Saturday night. And then Sunday I'm back in bed at 6:30 or 7. It's okay. I like it. 012111 TM: Do you get lonely at all? 012113 RS: I get lonely, but there are four of me. So I spend time with the rest of me's. and we talk about our day. 012122 TM: That's a good line, I don't understand it. 012124 RS: That's really how I get it all done. I'm just one of the guys. I'm just the guy that does Idol. There's a different guy tomorrow, you'll see. But sure, you get lonely. I have a great group of friends that I've known for a long time. My old roommate who was a teacher and now is a pharmaceutical sales guy. He's a good buddy of mine. And he and his girlfriend and I we still hang out like old times. We talk about when we used to just eat cereal three meals a day. And how we thought that was so good for us until we realized that it was all puffy food. We talk about those good old times. The reward and the fulfillment far outweighs the fatigue and the loneliness. 012206 TM: Who is your competition? 012209 RS: My competition? I don't know who my competition is. I don't really frame what I'm trying to accomplish by looking at the competition or thinking about the competition. I'm happy for anyone who's in this world and who's successful. Because I didn't come out here knowing anyone or anything. I shared a one bedroom apartment when I first moved to LA, in Burbank not far from the Tonight Show. And one of the first show's I went to go see what Jay and I sat in the audience and I watched him. And at that point it was, "wow I would love to see him one day". And then you get to sit on the couch and he's asking you questions. And those moments are still very, for a guy from Atlanta, those moments are still very surreal and very powerful for me. 012255 TM: Do you still get to bright lights in the eyes? 012258 RS: I still do. I still drive onto a studio lot and I remember watching TV shows when I was kid, seeing these lots and wondering what it would be like to be on them. I think back to when I watched different strokes that TV show and I remember when they came to Hollywood for one episode and I thought oh my gosh look that. That's Universal back lot. I want to go there sometime on the tram. And when I came to LA, I want to see the Hollywood sign. All of those things. Until I was almost finished with high school I had never seen before. And now this is my home and I love it here. 012334 TM: Larry King has said that when he retires, if he retires, he would like you as his successor. That's another job you might do? 012345 RS: Very, very flattering. When I heard that, I called Larry and said, "Did you make a mistake?" And he said, "no, goodbye." I met Larry in an airport and the short story is, I said, "you're my idol" and he said, "Carry my bag" And so I did. And I'm walking with Larry and his wife and myself and we look like the happy King family. And eventually he said to me, "you should come on my show" and I did. And the first commercial break he said, "Why don't you host my show someday. And a week later he said, fill in for me and I did. And they call still now for me to come sit in while he's away. He's become a good friend and he's become obviously someone I look up to and a mentor. And he does a radio program on TV. That's what he does. That's what he started doing. And so we've bonded over that. 012439 TM: What have you learned from Larry King. 012440 RS: I think you learn that it is okay to ask questions, to not know everything, its okay to sit in front of somebody and really be inquisitive without knowing what they are going to say. When you first start broadcasting, interviewing people, many times you're told to get the answers so know where you are going to go and what's going to happen. That's not fun and that's not always the best approach. Many times it's not. And I learned that from him. I learned from him that you can, that you don't just have to talk to one type of person from one genre of the world. You can talk about entertainment, you can talk to politicians, you can talk to anybody and when you are interested and when you are an inquisitive person, hopefully that comes off as very natural when you are on the air. 012632 TM: You've studied the great broadcasters it seems. It seems that you've actually made a study of Merv Griffin, Dick Clark, Regis Philbin, Larry King. 012542 RS: I have. Dick Clark I know that when I listen to his cadence when he speaks on TV it makes me feel comfortable. He's seamless about it. Even if he doesn't know where he's going, you feel like he does. With Larry, he'll sit and ask questions not knowing where he's going to go. Not knowing where the guest is going to go. That's great. That's a massive security on the air. That's fantastic. You feel that confidence from him. Merv Griffin did something really amazing. And I still I just admire this so much. He would make every person on his show shine. He didn't want them to come off poorly, he didn't want them to come off and complain about anything. He wanted them to be the star, to shine and come off well and he did that with every guest he had on. And you don't have to be extreme and you don't have to be controversial and you don't have to be obnoxious and rude to make it work. You don't have to do that. You can be a nice guy and ask some honest questions. And have someone shake your hand at the end of the interview and say, "Thank you. I can't wait to come back." And that's one of the things I try and do. 012652 TM: That's a very close observation. (End of tape)

RYAN SEACREST NIGHTLINE: INTERVIEW A CAMERA Ryan Seacrest Verbate 11/01/07 Tape 1 010135 TM: I'm going to start on a random spot. Because we just had Halloween, it occurred to me, what did Ryan Seacrest go as on Halloween as a kid? What were your favorite costumes? 014021 RS: I was King Tut one year; I was Spiderman---anything that cam in an Under-roo package I would dress up as. I was Batman, Spiderman, Incredible Hulk one year. It was pretty easy. I didn't actually go out this year trick or treating, I've given up trick or treating and I didn't smash any pumpkins either this year. 010157 TM: Can we read anything into those costume choices? 010159 RS: No, they were easy. I was a fan of the comics I guess. But they were simple and you could get them for like $19.99 and they were simple to put on at the store. 010210 TM: Now the reason I ask is serious. I think the basic question people ask is, how did you get here? From an early age when you wanted to be here to, how did that happen? 010216 RS: I just, I guess in my head, I always really, truly envisioned it. When I was 10, 11, 12 years old, I would study the disc jockeys on the radio in Atlanta. Listen to every single aspect of their shows. I would almost; I would examine how they did a simple radio program. It was almost strange that I wouldn't want to go out and play in the woods or the creek; I'd rather sit in my room and listen to these local DJ's. 010252 TM: It wasn't almost strange-it sounds a little obsessive. 010255 RS: It was, it was. Instead of filling my canteen and playing in the woods, I would pretend to be on the radio at 12 years old in my bedroom. And I went to radio shack and bought a mixer and these big ugly headphones that look like pilots headphones and I would literally broadcast to cassette tapes in my bedroom. And I would give them to my parents and when they went on trips they would play these tapes of me introducing songs. So it's all I thought about, so from the time I was a little kid to the time I was in high school and college and I started working in radio when I was in high school. 010326 TM: What's the source of that? 010328 RS: It's interesting because I remember my father is an attorney and I used to say to him, "Dad, you work too many hours, you just work too hard. I don't ever want to do that. I mean I go to school at 8 in the morning and I'm done at 3. I want that lifestyle when I get a job." Well, that didn't happen, but I was one of those kids who always did a little bit of everything. Believe it or not, I grew up as a part of the student government; I played football in the pop warner league in junior high and high school. 010359 TM: What did you play? 010400 RS: I played strong safety. And my life was school and football and student government. So I did a little bit of everything when I was a kid and that has become sort of become the motto of my business now, doing a little bit of everything. 010413 TM: You like it that way? 010414 RS: I do. I like it that way. I'm not great if I have one thing to do. If I had one show a day or if I had one task to accomplish, I'm not good at it. I'm literally better when I can show up and walk on air. 010430 TM: Restless? 010431 RS: Yeah. I think, fearful, I have plenty of insecurities. I don't want anyone to get up earlier than I do or work harder than I do. When I moved to LA, I was intimidated by the city because I didn't know anyone. And it's a big town. And I would almost get depressed that I wasn't doing what I wanted to do. And I would get up every morning and I would try to figure out ways to get my foot in the door. And I'd have to start from the beginning. You know I worked in radio in Atlanta. And then when I got to LA I started in radio again here. And I drove the van and I worked the all-night shift and I did almost every job until I got to where I am. (Break to fix cameras and sweating on Ryan Seacrest's face) 010632 TM: But I want to pick up on that struggle. We good? Because that fights the image. The image that you've left a totally charmed life, you're feet have never touched the ground. No hard knocks. Is that true. 010651 RS: Oh I think hard knock is relatively speaking. I definitely had this vision and I wanted it to happen now. And that's the problem. I want the immediate return. I always want it to happen now. I don't want to wait until next week. I don't want to wait until the sunsets. I want it to happen today. And that was tough for me because when you move to LA and you're not an actor, what are you? And how do you get those jobs? Well I'm a radio personality, I want to be a host, I want to be a producer. I want to be in the world of pop culture. Okay, well how do you try out for that and where do you go? So I would go out for auditions and I would never go in. and I would drive up and I would see everyone else lined up and I would be intimidated and I would turn around and get back in my car. I didn't like the auditions and I never really was good at them. But I know if I was able to be, or if I was in a live situation, then I could shine. I just love being on live television and on live radio. 010754 TM: I sense a little insecurity, still. 010757 RS: A lot of insecurity. A lot of insecurity. 010800 TM: In spite of the grand success you've had? 010802 RS: I still don't feel. I feel like I've had very, very blessed and charmed path and I feel grateful for the success but I still am driven to get up very early every morning and work as many hours as I can. 010819 TM: With the goal being what? Fame? fortune? All of the above? 010823 RS: I think the goal is peace, fulfillment. And to be good and be known as good at what I do. And being a part of pop culture, in other the words the conduit to a lot of pop culture is a goal. American Idol is a major television event. That is a fantastic vehicle for me. I'm going to be the host for the Super Bowl this year; it's a big pop culture event. New Year's Eve, pop culture event. The radio shows, the American top 40, all of those allow me to be conduit for fans and those stars and that's the guy I want to be. 010905 TM: And when you were growing up, you saw that guy among others, Dick Clark and you saw that as something that you wanted to do? 010914 RS: Yeah I did, I saw Dick Clark and I thought he was my best friend. I felt comfortable when I watched him. I thought Merv Griffin was my best friend. I felt safe when I watched these guys and I thought to be that person would be the ultimate goal. To be that guy who made other people comfortable would be the perfect job. 010938 TM: That's fascinating. Because they probably started out doing something else and became that conduit into pop culture. And you patterned your career from childhood on doing that. 010950 RS: Initially, I would hear Kasey Kasem and I would hear Dick Clark and I would see Merv Griffin and I really felt like these guys were a part of my family. I would feel like--- you get this connection when you are listening to them or when you are watching them and they made people happy and gave people information and they made them laugh and smile and above all they did it seamlessly and I watched what they did and I thought if I work at it I can do that. And then of course I learned that they were tremendously successful with their business models and that becomes the next step. 011023 TM: Because the business side is very important to you as well. 011026 RS: It is. Hosting is fun and hosting is something that I've had the opportunity to do, but as you know, longevity becomes the question when you are in front of the camera. So for me, having ownership and equity is very, very important and that becomes the focus for the next few years. 011044 TM: To take control of, or part control of what it is you are doing on air? 011048 RS: Yeah, Dick Clark for example built a massive empire by being a host. He used those relationships that he had and those opportunities that he had, to further his goal of owning television shows. I guess today you would take owning content, because, what is it? Internet? Is it radio? Is it TV? Does it matter? It's content and there's several platforms. And to be an equity partner and player in that content is now the goal. 011117 TM: A player? 011117 RS: The player. 011118 TM: The player? 011119 RS: No, the player. 011120 TM: You said the. Okay then, what's you're talent? Ryan Seacrest is really good at? 011131 RS: Making people feel comfortable. I hope that's what I do. When we start American Idol this year. And when we're live in American Idol. We try to create a fantastic, entertainment television show that is good for all ages and that is comfortable for a 12 year old and a 40 year old father to watch. That's comfortable for a grandmother and their baby or granddaughter to watch. That's what we try and do and we're conscious of that. And we try our best to do it. And it's the same when I'm talking on the radio. I know in my head that the scope of age I'm talking too. And it's here at a 12 year old and it's also at a 49 year old or above. A 54 year old. And I'm thinking about that constantly with everything that I say. And with every person I book and with every interview question that I ask. 011224 TM: Radio, what do you like? (Break to fix Ryan's makeup) 011428 TM: I was going to ask about radio. Radio has been in your life since you were 15. What do you like about it? 011435 RS: It's live, it's day in day. It's interactive. You can throw a topic out and get instant feedback. You can talk about anything in the world and get every different opinion just like that. I will go on the air and talk about a television show and I'll say one thing about it and people will disagree and people will agree. I'll talk about a text message that I got that I think is a strange text message and people will call and say I got that same one. I will talk about. I mean you can literally come up with anything and you'll find somebody that can relate to it. It's a freeing medium as well. In other words, when you go on the air you have 5 hours everyday to create something and to really interact with the people you are talking to. It's a little different on TV. On TV you're not talking with those people who are watching, in my jobs and in radio I am, and I love that about it. 011533 TM: We're going to see you do that tomorrow. I just remembered something that I read or heard about your childhood. Here you are, you're a very trim guy, you went running today, but as a kid you were a little heavy? 011546 RS: Yeah, as a kid I was. As a kid I was the guy that would not want spring break to come. That every summer would not want to go to the beach because I would wear a t-shirt to the pool. I would wear these t-shirts to the pool because I was insecure about my weight. And I know why. I used to come home from school and I would eat pan of nachos and I would watch television in the afternoon. And even though I was active, I was eating more than I was active. And so I still remember how that felt and I remember being teased about it a little bit and I never want to be that guy again. And so when I get up everyday, its something I think about and its one of the reasons that I motivated to build some sort of exercise into my schedule during the week. 011638 TM: You're very disciplined. 011638 RS: I have a very, very tight, minute-by-minute schedule every day, with a.. I left my house today and I forgot my blackberry. And I was 5 minutes from my house. 5 up and 5 back, that will make me late and I can't go back and get it. I had to have someone go get my blackberry. I mean, that's how tight my day is. 011703 TM: Is that enjoyable? 011703 RS: Love it. Love it. I want to do three things at once. Multi-tasking. Absolutely love it. 011710 TM: You never take a break just to reflect. To sit on the beach? 011714 RS: Lets me honest, Thanksgiving is coming up. I'll have a break, I'll have some turkey and stuffing. I'll lie on the floor because I feel fat and stretch it all out. I'll spend time with my family. Sure I'll take a long weekend and I'll take a break. And when I do, I can relax and I can stop. But after a few days I'm ready to go again. And I'll keep that pace and I'll do that as long as I'm enthused and excited about it. Just like anybody else. Some days that alarm goes off and it's almost the middle of the night and I want to throw that clock across the room but once I get in the car and get to work and a sip of coffee I'm okay. 011747 TM: It's fulfilling? 011748 RS: It is. It is fulfilling. And you don't get bored. I'm never bored. There is always something new. Everyday looks different, looks different. And is different. And everyday starts with a morning radio show where there are a few million people listening. And by the time you've worked through 4 or 5 hours of it, you've covered so many bases and you know everything that is going on in the world at that point. And you can start your day. 011818 TM: Let's go back. The other side of the camera, the other side of the microphone. What's the business plan for Ryan Seacrest? 011822 RS: The plan is to produce pop culture. If something big is happening in pop culture, my company wants to be a part of it. Wants to be a part of delivering that content to the audience. And that really is the goal each and every day when I sit at my desk. Working our way each and every day towards that, but that is the goal. And with today's audience, they're getting content instantly. It's not necessarily conventional media. It's not lets wait until a certain time at night to watch TV, I mean I was driving the other day and two 17 year old girls pulled up to me at a stop light and they put down their window and they said, we're just reading this interview that you did with Britney Spears right now on our wireless device. So they can get instantly. So I think as you are building a company and as you are producing those shows or are a part of those shows, you've got to be conscious of that. 011915 TM: So give me an example of the kinds of pop culture you're company wants to produce. 011920 RS: Right now, I produce the pre-shows for the Grammy's, the Oscars, the Emmy's, the SAG awards and the Golden Globes. Love to do the main shows someday. Right now I produce a couple reality series; I would love to do more of that. Right now I produce the radio programs. Will radio at some point or those shows be available for in real time video form online? Perhaps that's something that is going to happen soon. All those things I'm thinking about every day and all those different components are interesting and will eventually be profitable. 011958 TM: And you have ownership in them? 011920 RS: And you'd have ownership. 012001 TM: And that is the player? 012003 RS: That's the work. That's the plan. 012010 TM: It seems that. I'm going to say something with a little bit of an edge. It sounds like a constructed life. Like a life less lived than built. 012022 RS: It is constructive. It is. That's okay. That's okay. 012031 TM: You don't feel like you're missing anything in the realm of spontaneity, accident, happen-stance? 012037 RS: Well I think within each compartment of a day, there's the opportunity to jump on spontaneity. But then when that's over, you've got to get to the next event. But that's alright, but that's fine. And that discipline and that tight schedule is good for me. It keeps you focused. Sure you don't get to have dinner past 8 o'clock, but there's Friday night and Saturday night. And then Sunday I'm back in bed at 6:30 or 7. It's okay. I like it. 012111 TM: Do you get lonely at all? 012113 RS: I get lonely, but there are four of me. So I spend time with the rest of me's. and we talk about our day. 012122 TM: That's a good line, I don't understand it. 012124 RS: That's really how I get it all done. I'm just one of the guys. I'm just the guy that does Idol. There's a different guy tomorrow, you'll see. But sure, you get lonely. I have a great group of friends that I've known for a long time. My old roommate who was a teacher and now is a pharmaceutical sales guy. He's a good buddy of mine. And he and his girlfriend and I we still hang out like old times. We talk about when we used to just eat cereal three meals a day. And how we thought that was so good for us until we realized that it was all puffy food. We talk about those good old times. The reward and the fulfillment far outweighs the fatigue and the loneliness. 012206 TM: Who is your competition? 012209 RS: My competition? I don't know who my competition is. I don't really frame what I'm trying to accomplish by looking at the competition or thinking about the competition. I'm happy for anyone who's in this world and who's successful. Because I didn't come out here knowing anyone or anything. I shared a one bedroom apartment when I first moved to LA, in Burbank not far from the Tonight Show. And one of the first show's I went to go see what Jay and I sat in the audience and I watched him. And at that point it was, "wow I would love to see him one day". And then you get to sit on the couch and he's asking you questions. And those moments are still very, for a guy from Atlanta, those moments are still very surreal and very powerful for me. 012255 TM: Do you still get to bright lights in the eyes? 012258 RS: I still do. I still drive onto a studio lot and I remember watching TV shows when I was kid, seeing these lots and wondering what it would be like to be on them. I think back to when I watched different strokes that TV show and I remember when they came to Hollywood for one episode and I thought oh my gosh look that. That's Universal back lot. I want to go there sometime on the tram. And when I came to LA, I want to see the Hollywood sign. All of those things. Until I was almost finished with high school I had never seen before. And now this is my home and I love it here. 012334 TM: Larry King has said that when he retires, if he retires, he would like you as his successor. That's another job you might do? 012345 RS: Very, very flattering. When I heard that, I called Larry and said, "Did you make a mistake?" And he said, "no, goodbye." I met Larry in an airport and the short story is, I said, "you're my idol" and he said, "Carry my bag" And so I did. And I'm walking with Larry and his wife and myself and we look like the happy King family. And eventually he said to me, "you should come on my show" and I did. And the first commercial break he said, "Why don't you host my show someday. And a week later he said, fill in for me and I did. And they call still now for me to come sit in while he's away. He's become a good friend and he's become obviously someone I look up to and a mentor. And he does a radio program on TV. That's what he does. That's what he started doing. And so we've bonded over that. 012439 TM: What have you learned from Larry King. 012440 RS: I think you learn that it is okay to ask questions, to not know everything, its okay to sit in front of somebody and really be inquisitive without knowing what they are going to say. When you first start broadcasting, interviewing people, many times you're told to get the answers so know where you are going to go and what's going to happen. That's not fun and that's not always the best approach. Many times it's not. And I learned that from him. I learned from him that you can, that you don't just have to talk to one type of person from one genre of the world. You can talk about entertainment, you can talk to politicians, you can talk to anybody and when you are interested and when you are an inquisitive person, hopefully that comes off as very natural when you are on the air. 012632 TM: You've studied the great broadcasters it seems. It seems that you've actually made a study of Merv Griffin, Dick Clark, Regis Philbin, Larry King. 012542 RS: I have. Dick Clark I know that when I listen to his cadence when he speaks on TV it makes me feel comfortable. He's seamless about it. Even if he doesn't know where he's going, you feel like he does. With Larry, he'll sit and ask questions not knowing where he's going to go. Not knowing where the guest is going to go. That's great. That's a massive security on the air. That's fantastic. You feel that confidence from him. Merv Griffin did something really amazing. And I still I just admire this so much. He would make every person on his show shine. He didn't want them to come off poorly, he didn't want them to come off and complain about anything. He wanted them to be the star, to shine and come off well and he did that with every guest he had on. And you don't have to be extreme and you don't have to be controversial and you don't have to be obnoxious and rude to make it work. You don't have to do that. You can be a nice guy and ask some honest questions. And have someone shake your hand at the end of the interview and say, "Thank you. I can't wait to come back." And that's one of the things I try and do. 012652 TM: That's a very close observation. (End of tape)

RYAN SEACREST NIGHTLINE: INTERVIEW A CAMERA Ryan Seacrest Verbate 11/01/07 Tape 1 010135 TM: I'm going to start on a random spot. Because we just had Halloween, it occurred to me, what did Ryan Seacrest go as on Halloween as a kid? What were your favorite costumes? 014021 RS: I was King Tut one year; I was Spiderman---anything that cam in an Under-roo package I would dress up as. I was Batman, Spiderman, Incredible Hulk one year. It was pretty easy. I didn't actually go out this year trick or treating, I've given up trick or treating and I didn't smash any pumpkins either this year. 010157 TM: Can we read anything into those costume choices? 010159 RS: No, they were easy. I was a fan of the comics I guess. But they were simple and you could get them for like $19.99 and they were simple to put on at the store. 010210 TM: Now the reason I ask is serious. I think the basic question people ask is, how did you get here? From an early age when you wanted to be here to, how did that happen? 010216 RS: I just, I guess in my head, I always really, truly envisioned it. When I was 10, 11, 12 years old, I would study the disc jockeys on the radio in Atlanta. Listen to every single aspect of their shows. I would almost; I would examine how they did a simple radio program. It was almost strange that I wouldn't want to go out and play in the woods or the creek; I'd rather sit in my room and listen to these local DJ's. 010252 TM: It wasn't almost strange-it sounds a little obsessive. 010255 RS: It was, it was. Instead of filling my canteen and playing in the woods, I would pretend to be on the radio at 12 years old in my bedroom. And I went to radio shack and bought a mixer and these big ugly headphones that look like pilots headphones and I would literally broadcast to cassette tapes in my bedroom. And I would give them to my parents and when they went on trips they would play these tapes of me introducing songs. So it's all I thought about, so from the time I was a little kid to the time I was in high school and college and I started working in radio when I was in high school. 010326 TM: What's the source of that? 010328 RS: It's interesting because I remember my father is an attorney and I used to say to him, "Dad, you work too many hours, you just work too hard. I don't ever want to do that. I mean I go to school at 8 in the morning and I'm done at 3. I want that lifestyle when I get a job." Well, that didn't happen, but I was one of those kids who always did a little bit of everything. Believe it or not, I grew up as a part of the student government; I played football in the pop warner league in junior high and high school. 010359 TM: What did you play? 010400 RS: I played strong safety. And my life was school and football and student government. So I did a little bit of everything when I was a kid and that has become sort of become the motto of my business now, doing a little bit of everything. 010413 TM: You like it that way? 010414 RS: I do. I like it that way. I'm not great if I have one thing to do. If I had one show a day or if I had one task to accomplish, I'm not good at it. I'm literally better when I can show up and walk on air. 010430 TM: Restless? 010431 RS: Yeah. I think, fearful, I have plenty of insecurities. I don't want anyone to get up earlier than I do or work harder than I do. When I moved to LA, I was intimidated by the city because I didn't know anyone. And it's a big town. And I would almost get depressed that I wasn't doing what I wanted to do. And I would get up every morning and I would try to figure out ways to get my foot in the door. And I'd have to start from the beginning. You know I worked in radio in Atlanta. And then when I got to LA I started in radio again here. And I drove the van and I worked the all-night shift and I did almost every job until I got to where I am. (Break to fix cameras and sweating on Ryan Seacrest's face) 010632 TM: But I want to pick up on that struggle. We good? Because that fights the image. The image that you've left a totally charmed life, you're feet have never touched the ground. No hard knocks. Is that true. 010651 RS: Oh I think hard knock is relatively speaking. I definitely had this vision and I wanted it to happen now. And that's the problem. I want the immediate return. I always want it to happen now. I don't want to wait until next week. I don't want to wait until the sunsets. I want it to happen today. And that was tough for me because when you move to LA and you're not an actor, what are you? And how do you get those jobs? Well I'm a radio personality, I want to be a host, I want to be a producer. I want to be in the world of pop culture. Okay, well how do you try out for that and where do you go? So I would go out for auditions and I would never go in. and I would drive up and I would see everyone else lined up and I would be intimidated and I would turn around and get back in my car. I didn't like the auditions and I never really was good at them. But I know if I was able to be, or if I was in a live situation, then I could shine. I just love being on live television and on live radio. 010754 TM: I sense a little insecurity, still. 010757 RS: A lot of insecurity. A lot of insecurity. 010800 TM: In spite of the grand success you've had? 010802 RS: I still don't feel. I feel like I've had very, very blessed and charmed path and I feel grateful for the success but I still am driven to get up very early every morning and work as many hours as I can. 010819 TM: With the goal being what? Fame? fortune? All of the above? 010823 RS: I think the goal is peace, fulfillment. And to be good and be known as good at what I do. And being a part of pop culture, in other the words the conduit to a lot of pop culture is a goal. American Idol is a major television event. That is a fantastic vehicle for me. I'm going to be the host for the Super Bowl this year; it's a big pop culture event. New Year's Eve, pop culture event. The radio shows, the American top 40, all of those allow me to be conduit for fans and those stars and that's the guy I want to be. 010905 TM: And when you were growing up, you saw that guy among others, Dick Clark and you saw that as something that you wanted to do? 010914 RS: Yeah I did, I saw Dick Clark and I thought he was my best friend. I felt comfortable when I watched him. I thought Merv Griffin was my best friend. I felt safe when I watched these guys and I thought to be that person would be the ultimate goal. To be that guy who made other people comfortable would be the perfect job. 010938 TM: That's fascinating. Because they probably started out doing something else and became that conduit into pop culture. And you patterned your career from childhood on doing that. 010950 RS: Initially, I would hear Kasey Kasem and I would hear Dick Clark and I would see Merv Griffin and I really felt like these guys were a part of my family. I would feel like--- you get this connection when you are listening to them or when you are watching them and they made people happy and gave people information and they made them laugh and smile and above all they did it seamlessly and I watched what they did and I thought if I work at it I can do that. And then of course I learned that they were tremendously successful with their business models and that becomes the next step. 011023 TM: Because the business side is very important to you as well. 011026 RS: It is. Hosting is fun and hosting is something that I've had the opportunity to do, but as you know, longevity becomes the question when you are in front of the camera. So for me, having ownership and equity is very, very important and that becomes the focus for the next few years. 011044 TM: To take control of, or part control of what it is you are doing on air? 011048 RS: Yeah, Dick Clark for example built a massive empire by being a host. He used those relationships that he had and those opportunities that he had, to further his goal of owning television shows. I guess today you would take owning content, because, what is it? Internet? Is it radio? Is it TV? Does it matter? It's content and there's several platforms. And to be an equity partner and player in that content is now the goal. 011117 TM: A player? 011117 RS: The player. 011118 TM: The player? 011119 RS: No, the player. 011120 TM: You said the. Okay then, what's you're talent? Ryan Seacrest is really good at? 011131 RS: Making people feel comfortable. I hope that's what I do. When we start American Idol this year. And when we're live in American Idol. We try to create a fantastic, entertainment television show that is good for all ages and that is comfortable for a 12 year old and a 40 year old father to watch. That's comfortable for a grandmother and their baby or granddaughter to watch. That's what we try and do and we're conscious of that. And we try our best to do it. And it's the same when I'm talking on the radio. I know in my head that the scope of age I'm talking too. And it's here at a 12 year old and it's also at a 49 year old or above. A 54 year old. And I'm thinking about that constantly with everything that I say. And with every person I book and with every interview question that I ask. 011224 TM: Radio, what do you like? (Break to fix Ryan's makeup) 011428 TM: I was going to ask about radio. Radio has been in your life since you were 15. What do you like about it? 011435 RS: It's live, it's day in day. It's interactive. You can throw a topic out and get instant feedback. You can talk about anything in the world and get every different opinion just like that. I will go on the air and talk about a television show and I'll say one thing about it and people will disagree and people will agree. I'll talk about a text message that I got that I think is a strange text message and people will call and say I got that same one. I will talk about. I mean you can literally come up with anything and you'll find somebody that can relate to it. It's a freeing medium as well. In other words, when you go on the air you have 5 hours everyday to create something and to really interact with the people you are talking to. It's a little different on TV. On TV you're not talking with those people who are watching, in my jobs and in radio I am, and I love that about it. 011533 TM: We're going to see you do that tomorrow. I just remembered something that I read or heard about your childhood. Here you are, you're a very trim guy, you went running today, but as a kid you were a little heavy? 011546 RS: Yeah, as a kid I was. As a kid I was the guy that would not want spring break to come. That every summer would not want to go to the beach because I would wear a t-shirt to the pool. I would wear these t-shirts to the pool because I was insecure about my weight. And I know why. I used to come home from school and I would eat pan of nachos and I would watch television in the afternoon. And even though I was active, I was eating more than I was active. And so I still remember how that felt and I remember being teased about it a little bit and I never want to be that guy again. And so when I get up everyday, its something I think about and its one of the reasons that I motivated to build some sort of exercise into my schedule during the week. 011638 TM: You're very disciplined. 011638 RS: I have a very, very tight, minute-by-minute schedule every day, with a.. I left my house today and I forgot my blackberry. And I was 5 minutes from my house. 5 up and 5 back, that will make me late and I can't go back and get it. I had to have someone go get my blackberry. I mean, that's how tight my day is. 011703 TM: Is that enjoyable? 011703 RS: Love it. Love it. I want to do three things at once. Multi-tasking. Absolutely love it. 011710 TM: You never take a break just to reflect. To sit on the beach? 011714 RS: Lets me honest, Thanksgiving is coming up. I'll have a break, I'll have some turkey and stuffing. I'll lie on the floor because I feel fat and stretch it all out. I'll spend time with my family. Sure I'll take a long weekend and I'll take a break. And when I do, I can relax and I can stop. But after a few days I'm ready to go again. And I'll keep that pace and I'll do that as long as I'm enthused and excited about it. Just like anybody else. Some days that alarm goes off and it's almost the middle of the night and I want to throw that clock across the room but once I get in the car and get to work and a sip of coffee I'm okay. 011747 TM: It's fulfilling? 011748 RS: It is. It is fulfilling. And you don't get bored. I'm never bored. There is always something new. Everyday looks different, looks different. And is different. And everyday starts with a morning radio show where there are a few million people listening. And by the time you've worked through 4 or 5 hours of it, you've covered so many bases and you know everything that is going on in the world at that point. And you can start your day. 011818 TM: Let's go back. The other side of the camera, the other side of the microphone. What's the business plan for Ryan Seacrest? 011822 RS: The plan is to produce pop culture. If something big is happening in pop culture, my company wants to be a part of it. Wants to be a part of delivering that content to the audience. And that really is the goal each and every day when I sit at my desk. Working our way each and every day towards that, but that is the goal. And with today's audience, they're getting content instantly. It's not necessarily conventional media. It's not lets wait until a certain time at night to watch TV, I mean I was driving the other day and two 17 year old girls pulled up to me at a stop light and they put down their window and they said, we're just reading this interview that you did with Britney Spears right now on our wireless device. So they can get instantly. So I think as you are building a company and as you are producing those shows or are a part of those shows, you've got to be conscious of that. 011915 TM: So give me an example of the kinds of pop culture you're company wants to produce. 011920 RS: Right now, I produce the pre-shows for the Grammy's, the Oscars, the Emmy's, the SAG awards and the Golden Globes. Love to do the main shows someday. Right now I produce a couple reality series; I would love to do more of that. Right now I produce the radio programs. Will radio at some point or those shows be available for in real time video form online? Perhaps that's something that is going to happen soon. All those things I'm thinking about every day and all those different components are interesting and will eventually be profitable. 011958 TM: And you have ownership in them? 011920 RS: And you'd have ownership. 012001 TM: And that is the player? 012003 RS: That's the work. That's the plan. 012010 TM: It seems that. I'm going to say something with a little bit of an edge. It sounds like a constructed life. Like a life less lived than built. 012022 RS: It is constructive. It is. That's okay. That's okay. 012031 TM: You don't feel like you're missing anything in the realm of spontaneity, accident, happen-stance? 012037 RS: Well I think within each compartment of a day, there's the opportunity to jump on spontaneity. But then when that's over, you've got to get to the next event. But that's alright, but that's fine. And that discipline and that tight schedule is good for me. It keeps you focused. Sure you don't get to have dinner past 8 o'clock, but there's Friday night and Saturday night. And then Sunday I'm back in bed at 6:30 or 7. It's okay. I like it. 012111 TM: Do you get lonely at all? 012113 RS: I get lonely, but there are four of me. So I spend time with the rest of me's. and we talk about our day. 012122 TM: That's a good line, I don't understand it. 012124 RS: That's really how I get it all done. I'm just one of the guys. I'm just the guy that does Idol. There's a different guy tomorrow, you'll see. But sure, you get lonely. I have a great group of friends that I've known for a long time. My old roommate who was a teacher and now is a pharmaceutical sales guy. He's a good buddy of mine. And he and his girlfriend and I we still hang out like old times. We talk about when we used to just eat cereal three meals a day. And how we thought that was so good for us until we realized that it was all puffy food. We talk about those good old times. The reward and the fulfillment far outweighs the fatigue and the loneliness. 012206 TM: Who is your competition? 012209 RS: My competition? I don't know who my competition is. I don't really frame what I'm trying to accomplish by looking at the competition or thinking about the competition. I'm happy for anyone who's in this world and who's successful. Because I didn't come out here knowing anyone or anything. I shared a one bedroom apartment when I first moved to LA, in Burbank not far from the Tonight Show. And one of the first show's I went to go see what Jay and I sat in the audience and I watched him. And at that point it was, "wow I would love to see him one day". And then you get to sit on the couch and he's asking you questions. And those moments are still very, for a guy from Atlanta, those moments are still very surreal and very powerful for me. 012255 TM: Do you still get to bright lights in the eyes? 012258 RS: I still do. I still drive onto a studio lot and I remember watching TV shows when I was kid, seeing these lots and wondering what it would be like to be on them. I think back to when I watched different strokes that TV show and I remember when they came to Hollywood for one episode and I thought oh my gosh look that. That's Universal back lot. I want to go there sometime on the tram. And when I came to LA, I want to see the Hollywood sign. All of those things. Until I was almost finished with high school I had never seen before. And now this is my home and I love it here. 012334 TM: Larry King has said that when he retires, if he retires, he would like you as his successor. That's another job you might do? 012345 RS: Very, very flattering. When I heard that, I called Larry and said, "Did you make a mistake?" And he said, "no, goodbye." I met Larry in an airport and the short story is, I said, "you're my idol" and he said, "Carry my bag" And so I did. And I'm walking with Larry and his wife and myself and we look like the happy King family. And eventually he said to me, "you should come on my show" and I did. And the first commercial break he said, "Why don't you host my show someday. And a week later he said, fill in for me and I did. And they call still now for me to come sit in while he's away. He's become a good friend and he's become obviously someone I look up to and a mentor. And he does a radio program on TV. That's what he does. That's what he started doing. And so we've bonded over that. 012439 TM: What have you learned from Larry King. 012440 RS: I think you learn that it is okay to ask questions, to not know everything, its okay to sit in front of somebody and really be inquisitive without knowing what they are going to say. When you first start broadcasting, interviewing people, many times you're told to get the answers so know where you are going to go and what's going to happen. That's not fun and that's not always the best approach. Many times it's not. And I learned that from him. I learned from him that you can, that you don't just have to talk to one type of person from one genre of the world. You can talk about entertainment, you can talk to politicians, you can talk to anybody and when you are interested and when you are an inquisitive person, hopefully that comes off as very natural when you are on the air. 012632 TM: You've studied the great broadcasters it seems. It seems that you've actually made a study of Merv Griffin, Dick Clark, Regis Philbin, Larry King. 012542 RS: I have. Dick Clark I know that when I listen to his cadence when he speaks on TV it makes me feel comfortable. He's seamless about it. Even if he doesn't know where he's going, you feel like he does. With Larry, he'll sit and ask questions not knowing where he's going to go. Not knowing where the guest is going to go. That's great. That's a massive security on the air. That's fantastic. You feel that confidence from him. Merv Griffin did something really amazing. And I still I just admire this so much. He would make every person on his show shine. He didn't want them to come off poorly, he didn't want them to come off and complain about anything. He wanted them to be the star, to shine and come off well and he did that with every guest he had on. And you don't have to be extreme and you don't have to be controversial and you don't have to be obnoxious and rude to make it work. You don't have to do that. You can be a nice guy and ask some honest questions. And have someone shake your hand at the end of the interview and say, "Thank you. I can't wait to come back." And that's one of the things I try and do. 012652 TM: That's a very close observation. (End of tape)