“They Had to Hold Me Back from Going after Him”: American Idol’s Brian Dunkleman Almost Beat the SH*T Out of Co-host Ryan Seacrest
Brian Dunkleman and Ryan Seacrest almost looked like friends as they co-hosted the first-ever season of American Idol in 2002. But then, things took a turn when the duo got into a real duel, which almost came to physical blows during heated arguments. At one point, Brian Dunkelman confessed that the team had to stop him from going after Seacrest. Now, more than a decade has passed, and a lot changed. Seacrest’s got a lot of gearing up, including the upcoming season of American Idol, but it’s worth recalling his feud with another talented host.
Ryan Seacrest & Brian Dunkelman Couldn’t Stand Each Other Off-Camera
Ryan Seacrest may have bid farewell to Kelly Ripa’s Live!, but he’s still got a lot of gearing up on the professional front. American Idol Season 21 is set to hit our screens this winter, and Seacrest is all geared up to take over the familiar stage once again. The Emmy Award-winning artist remains the oldest face of this talent show since he hosted the first-ever season, alongside comedian Brian Dunkleman.
While things looked decent on camera, the two hated each other to the core. It would only be fair to say that the two couldn’t stand each other off-camera, and sometimes, heated arguments almost turned into physical blows. During a podcast, Behind the Velvet Rope, Dunkleman who quit the hit series in 2002, famously declared that tension between him and Seacrest almost resorted to physical blows. He said:
“At one point, I just looked at (Ryan), and he said, ‘Say something, Dunk.’ And I said, ‘What do you want me to say, Ryan?’ He said, ‘How about we’ll be right back with more American Idol? Cut. Are you going to say one f****** thing that’s on the teleprompter tonight?’”
Also Read: Ryan Seacrest’s ‘Live’ Salary is Peanuts Compared to What He Made from American Idol
After the above incident, Dunkleman wanted to fight Ryan, but his manager, who was also his pal, stopped him from going after his co-host. Dunkleman expressed, “They threw me in an elevator just to get me away from him and away from everybody.” Brian Dunkleman left the show in 2002, while Ryan Seacrest remained an integral part of the singing show.
Brian Dunkelman Struggled With Depression And Anger
It is often said about American Idol that the show may have tapped out all the great talent. Fans continued to wonder that Dunkelman made a huge mistake when he left the show in 2002. While he left, Ryan Seacrest became a household name and remained the face of American Idol. But still, fans wondered about Dunkleman’s fate after leaving the show.
The comedian found some success with his dream, making appearances in FRIENDS, Ghost Whisperer, Two Guys and a Girl, and NYPD Blue. But again, the comedian couldn’t really match Seacrest’s achievements. In a previous interview, Dunkleman revealed that he felt relieved that the decision to quit the show wasn’t entirely his. Rumors aired that American Idol was going to fire its first host.
Since his departure, Dunkleman suffered from depression and anger, but he finally found closure. However, some critics continued to remind him of Seacrest’s success and wealth following his time on American Idol, but again it doesn’t bother him anymore. Well, Dunkelman dreamt of being a comedian and an actor, not a host. Ryan Seacrest, on the other hand, just bid farewell to Kelly Ripa’s Live!
Source: Screen Rant
