Can They Do American Idol Without Seacrest?

Charlie Toft January 5, 2012

We know now that it’s possible to do American Idol without Simon Cowell, but can the show make it without host Ryan Seacrest? We may be only a year away from finding that out.

The current Hollywood Reporter features a story that notes Seacrest is now in the final year of a three-year, $45 million contract to host Idol, and that Fox is unlikely to be in the mood to offer him a similar deal. The show is still the most popular in primetime, but the thinking might be that since it survived the departure of Cowell with virtually no damage, Seacrest could likewise be replaceable – especially since talent costs have been going up elsewhere on Idol lately, with big-money deals for judges Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler.

Stories like this are par for the course at the start of a negotiation, but Seacrest holds some cards too. He’s easy to joke about, but keeping a live show on track is a real skill – witness how tense Steve Jones often seemed to be at the helm of The X Factor. And Seacrest is very much in demand, something Fox is certainly aware of. His radio deal with Clear Channel is actually more lucrative than his Idol contract. He has a major presence on E! as a producer and hosting red carpet coverage. And NBC is looking to use him in some capacity on Today.

The mostly negative reviews for Jones – the rumors that he is on his way out at The X Factor are still simmering – could be the key to Seacrest’s argument for avoiding a salary cut. Outside of Randy Jackson, who nobody much cares about, he represents continuity on Idol. Letting him walk just after Cowell left would be a significant risk. But while Seacrest could depart Idol with virtually no hit to his bank account in the short run, there’s something to be said for appearing on the biggest show there is, and Fox won’t be shy about reminding him of this – and of what became of the last host who thought there was life after Idol, Brian “Human Punchline” Dunkleman.

While it’s probably still smart to bet on Seacrest and Fox finding a way to stay in business together, this is a situation that could be getting very interesting very quickly.