Looking for a great way to start your morning? You’re in luck: former 98 Degrees member and veteran actor Nick Lachey is the new host of Big Morning Buzz Live, VH1’s morning news and pop culture show that’s on every weekday morning. Even better? Her Campus had the opportunity to chat with Lachey about his hosting gig and all of the valuable lessons he’s picked up in the entertainment industry. Check out what he had to say!
Her Campus: What does your current job as host of Big Morning Buzz Live entail?
Nick Lachey: Well, first of all, it entails getting up way too early in the morning! But past that, it’s about doing a little bit of homework. Having been on a ton of shows over the course of my career, it’s always nice when people know what you did and what you’re about so that they’re a little educated about why you’re there [on the show]. So I always try to make sure I do my homework and that I know the people who are coming on the show first and foremost, and then I figure out what they’re there to promote and want they want to talk about.
HC: Is there such a thing as a typical day on set?
NL: There’s a typical structure to the show in terms of how it’s supposed to run [laughs], but that’s kind of the beauty of live TV: you never truly know what’s going to happen and what’s going to go wrong. So there’s a real adrenaline rush of just having to roll with the punches as they come.
HC: What have been some of the most memorable moments on the show?
NL: Oh gosh, I got the chance to sing with John Oates from [the band] Hall & Oates, so that was an incredibly cool thing since I grew up a Hall & Oates fan. Neon Trees was on not long ago, and they were awesome. I had a chance to sing with Regis Philbin, the king of television. There have been a lot of great moments. Every show is different and every guest is different, so there have been a lot of incredible shows.
HC: What are your tips for being a great TV host?
NL: The best thing you can do is to be yourself; that’s what I try to do. I don’t know if I’m a great TV host by any stretch [laughs], but at the end of the day, you’ve got to be yourself and be true to your personality. Don’t try and be something you’re not, because that definitely reads through. So I always try to do my thing and be me.
HC: What’s one thing you wish you knew about the entertainment industry when you first started out that you know now?
NL: Good question! I’ve been fortunate to work in a whole lot of facets of the entertainment industry from music to television, and it’s changed a lot since the time I started. Music specifically has changed quite a bit as far as downloading now. I mean, when I started out, there were still record stores!
I wish I’d known early on to diversify as much as I could. I’ve been lucky enough to have a diverse career that’s allowed me to do a lot of things from acting to singing to hosting, but I think that one opportunity leads to another, and the more you do, the better off you’ll be.
HC: What has been the most surreal moment of your career so far?
NL: It’s a moment that happened pretty early in my career; it was doing a duet with Stevie Wonder when I was part of 98 Degrees. To be able to do a collaboration with one of the true legends of music ever was an incredible experience. That happened very early on, probably 1998, but it’s still the highlight and most surreal moment of my career.
HC: Who would be your dream celebrity to interview?
NL: It’s George Clooney, probably. He and I are both from Cincinnati, and there’s a lot of hometown pride. Aside from the fact that he’s so successful, he’s a great human being. He’s done so much for human rights, specifically Darfur. I just think he’s a very interesting person and genuinely good guy who’s had a great career. And he’s taken his influence from his career and tried to do really good things with it. I have so much respect for him and think he’d be a cool interview.
HC: What advice do you have for a 20-something looking to go into the entertainment industry?
NL: It seems a lot more glamorous from the outside than it really is, but at the same time, going to work every day and doing what I truly love to do is amazing. But it is hard work, and the best advice I could give is to be ready to work harder than you have in your entire life. And you never truly “make it.” You never get to relax. It requires a lot of work in the beginning and a lot of hard work all the way through; there’s always someone coming up who’s talented and hungry. You always need to remember that.
Tune into Nick Lachey on Big Morning Buzz Live on weekdays at 10 a.m. ET/9 a.m. CT!