Whereas there are many good TV hosts on the market, solely a restricted group makes it look like it was a genetic inevitability. I believe it’s protected to say that checklist would come with each American Idol’s longtime frontman Ryan Seacrest and Double Dare icon Marc Summers, as every has confirmed to be attention-grabbing in methods each skilled and non in a slew of various capacities. So it most likely makes some type of cosmic sense that Summers not solely suffered a busy, cross-country filming schedule properly earlier than Seacrest did, however he was additionally the morning present co-host’s former boss.
For the very first panel for the era-celebrating ‘90s Con 2023 in Hartford, CT, Marc Summers took the stage for a shock Q&A that delivered as many jolts of nostalgic pleasure as any ‘80s infants may hope for. Inarguably the biggest Nickelodeon host of all time, Summers landed the Double Dare job in 1986 forward of its manufacturing in Philadelphia, whereas sustaining his facet job as a warm-up comic for broadcast reveals filming in Los Angeles, which required flying forwards and backwards. Nevertheless it was when he took on internet hosting duties for the short-lived sport present Sofa Potatoes in 1989 that his schedule went haywire. Right here’s how he defined it:
I used to be doing warmups on reveals; Star Search, Alice, Webster, What’s Occurring. That is how I used to be making my dwelling. So when Double Dare occurred, I used to be a real believer that that factor wasn’t going to final very lengthy, so I requested folks on our journal if I may maintain my warm-up job, go shoot the episodes, and after I got here again, would my warm-up job nonetheless be there? They mentioned, ‘Sure.’ Nicely, I used to be flying forwards and backwards, after which I obtained a present known as Sofa Potatoes that was about TV trivia. So I might do six reveals per week; Friday evening, I might fly to Los Angeles, get there at midnight. I might do 5 Sofa Potatoes on Saturday, 5 on Sunday, and take a midnight flight again to Philadelphia. , I used to be younger, I may do it again in these days. I could not do it now, however I did then.
From his perspective — for example: as somebody guiding kids to search out flags inside pretend snot and different goopy substances — I can see why he may not have instantly figured Double Dare would assist flip Nickelodeon right into a slime-covered Eden for youthful audiences all through the Nineteen Nineties. Plus, Summers shared that Sofa Potatoes was the primary TV gig that he didn’t even must audition for to ebook it, arising partly from his Double Dare success, so it was one thing of a no brainer to make that decision.
However the fixed forwards and backwards touring every weekend took its psychological toll, with Marc Summers sharing a particular story the place he referenced Sofa Potatoes whereas filming a bodily problem on Double Dare, after which defensively didn’t consider the director who known as out the error. Solely to then have it identified to him within the footage. Fatigue isn’t any joke.
Which brings us again to Ryan Seacrest, who introduced in February that he’ll be leaving Stay with Kelly and Ryan (with discussions reportedly having began final summer season. The exit stems considerably from bouts with exhaustion resulting from filming each the morning present and a number of nights of American Idol since its revived kind debuted on ABC, to not point out having no lack {of professional} duties elsewhere. When the ‘90s Con panel moderator introduced up Seacrest’s title after Marc Summers’ story, the latter shared some sort phrases for the Kardashians producer whereas revealing their shared skilled previous.
I helped begin Ryan’s profession. He labored for me on a present known as Final Revenge that we did on Spike, and we have been buddies ever since. I’ve recognized him since he was 19 years outdated. He is a great man. He is lastly taking somewhat relaxation. He is leaving the discuss present, and kinda concentrating on Idol and all the cash he is made. [Laughs.]
For many who may not keep in mind, Final Revenge was a 2001 collection that, wildly sufficient, aired on the Spike-predating channel “The New TNN.” The collection centered on households and buddies pulling elaborate pranks on these they sought vengeance towards, with Seacrest internet hosting it only one 12 months earlier than occurring to cement his superstardom as host of American Idol reverse one-and-done co-host Brian Dunkleman.
Not that Final Revenge was Seacrest’s first TV gig, and he was properly past 19 years outdated on the time. However one can assume that Summers met him after he’d moved to L.A. from Atlanta in 1993, after which later labored with him, thus sparking their friendship. I am undecided how a lot “profession begin assist” credt the Idol stalwart would give, however I might have an interest. Additionally, how superior wouldn’t it be to see them staff up once more on one thing sooner or later? Perhaps a model of American Idol with impediment programs? Somebody make a remark.
Double Dare episodes, each from the basic model and the 2018 reboot, could be streamed in full with a Paramount+ subscription. And remember to keep tuned for updates for the subsequent chapter of ‘90s Con 2023, which shall be held in Florida in September.
