Ryan Seacrest Turned Down This Popular Television Game Show To Audition For 'American Idol' In 2002

Popular reality show host, Ryan Seacrest has been associated with the American Idol for over two decades. However, in 2002 he was poised to join the Family Feud game show as a host. Seacrest made the startling revelation on his radio show On Air With Ryan Seacrest in September 2022. "20 years ago I auditioned to host Family Feud," Seacrest shared on-air. "I got offered the job and I passed because I had an audition the next week for a singing show and If I did the Feud, I couldn’t host the singing show, and the singing show was called American Idol.” The Kardashians producer turned down the million-dollar offer over American Idol host auditions, reports The Things. 

Seacrest also confessed about joining the reality singing contest as a judge initially, speaking to American Idol season one winner, Kelly Clarkson on her show - The Kelly Clarkson Show, he had revealed the actual reason for entering the American Idol show as a host - “Yeah, originally when the producers - Nigel Lythgoe and Ken Warwick - were setting up the show, they had heard me on the radio here in Los Angeles and they thought that I might fit the panel to be up there with whoever else was already on. I guess Simon Cowell was already on board, and I don’t know who else at that point. And I was like, ‘Well, wait a minute. I would love to audition to be the host.’ And so I auditioned eventually to be the host. And I got the job. So I’m happy to still have the job."

He continued to explain why he made a better host than a judge - "See, the problem is I’m like in auto-host mode all the time. So I don’t know that I’d be able to sit behind the desk and just give feedback. I’d want to do that, then toss it to commercial. 'Welcome back. How are you?' You know, and that would be too much." According to Movie Web, Seacrest went on to co-host American Idol in 2002 alongside Brian Dunkleman, and by the next year, he was hosting the show solo. Seacrest held the coveted spot till 2016 on Fox and moved on to ABC in 2018 while continuing to host the show for all 21 seasons. 

Seacrest's estimated net worth is a whopping $450 million, and a major part of the earnings came from hosting the American Idol. In July 2009, he made a staggering $45 million making him the highest-paid reality television host at that time. In April 2012, he signed a two-year contract of $30 million to continue as host on the show. Between June 2017 and June 2018, Seacrest took home a whopping $74 million paycheck. From June 2018 to June 2019, he earned approximately $72 million. In 2020, he earned $60 million.