‘American Idol’ emcee riding high on hit show

He's the calming force on the hit TV show, "American Idol." For a guy who doesn't consider himself "that talented," Ryan Seacrest sure has a lot going on. “Today” host Katie Couric reports.

“American Idol” emcee Ryan Seacrest is the man in the middle. While Simon and Paula go at it, Seacrest plays the consummate host — even giving in to a crazy request when "Today" went behind the scenes.

Ryan Seacrest: I'm not that talented, I can't sing.

Katie Couric: Go ahead. Try it.

Seacrest [singing]: “I want to know what love is” … “when a man” … [clears throat, then begins rapping] “get shot down cause you're over zealous. Playing hard to get females be jealous. Okay smarty, go to a party.”

Couric: You sounded like a girl. [Laughing] Sorry.

Seacrest: Man. Do you understand why I host the show and not perform on the show?

Couric: Try it one more [time].

Seacrest clears throat and starts again.

Seacrest: "When a man loves a woman."

Katie shows him how it's done

Couric: "When a man loves a woman..."

Seacrest: If you like to vote for Katie Couric please dial….

Katie holds up four fingers

Couric: I hate when they do that. I find that so annoying.

Seacrest is riding a wave and he knows it. Now into a fourth season of "American Idol" and hosting two successful radio shows, Seacrest also has his own TV production company and part ownership in several restaurants. It's a full plate, but Seacrest is living out his dreams.

“I just love being on the radio. It's something I do five days a week and then on the weekends, not because I have to, but I just love doing it. This show has allowed all of those other things, I think, to be more successful and hopefully continue that way for a long time,” says Seacrest.

Couric: You drive some members of the public crazy with your slow, torturous delivery at times.

Seacrest: Yeah.

Couric: Why do you do that? It just drives people crazy.

Seacrest: It is.

Couric: A power thing Ryan?

FREE VIDEO Idol in the middle March 8: "American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest talks with "Today" host Katie Couric about moderating between judges Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell. Today show

Seacrest: It is not a power thing. It is what I've been asked to do by the powers that be.

Couric: Seriously? Because it's so funny because it’s like, “just say it already!”

Here's another Seacrest secret. Even with three nights together, he can't get enough of his "Idol" co-stars.

Couric: Thursday nights you go out with the boys.

Seacrest: Right.

Couric: But you don't invite Paula? I don't think that's very nice, Ryan.

Seacrest: I always want to bring Paula but Randy and Simon continue to shut her out. I don't know why. I go shopping with Paula on Sundays to make up for it. Thursday nights we get together and we gossip like a bunch of women.

Couric: Ex-squeeze me?

Seacrest: Ex-squeeze you. Like a bunch of … okay I shouldn't say that. We do gossip though like my mother gossips with her friends – that's more of what I mean. We get together on Thursday nights and we go to a restaurant and we talk about everything in our personal lives. If you could be a fly on the wall you would only know half of it by watching the show. There's a whole other show that happens off “Idol.”

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