You might know him from The Morning Blend, but he’s worked on the Jerry Springer Show, Bravo’s reality programs, and is one of the foremost film critics in the country. Today on WTMJ Conversations, Ryan Jay shares behind the scenes stories from the world of entertainment with WTMJ’s Libby Collins. He discusses creating a new radio show from the ground up, becoming a world-renowned Oz historian, being recognized by celebrities, and so much more. It’s all ahead on this dramatic edition of WTMJ Conversations! Listen in the player above.
A partial transcript is provided below, courtesy of eCourt Reporters.
RYAN JAY: I got a job at Jerry Springer through a friend who was working there as an associate producer in Chicago, and it was when the Springer show first started to beat Oprah in the ratings and rose to the ranks as the No. 1 show in daytime television. And the fights were real, I will just stop you before you even ask the question. That’s the first question everybody asks; the fights were real.
LIBBY COLLINS: What sort of things went on behind the scenes?
RYAN JAY: Well, I did sign a nondisclosure agreement, and I will say —
LIBBY COLLINS: Is that still in effect?
RYAN JAY: Yes, so I don’t like to talk too much. But if you look at any product, it’s a result of the people working on it. And so, in order to create a certain type of product and the product that was and became known as trash television, what it took behind the scenes to create that kind of programming, you can then connect the dots to what the environment might have been like behind the scenes.
LIBBY COLLINS: You mentioned red carpets, and you’ve covered quite a few. What’s it like behind the scenes?
RYAN JAY: So, red carpets, I’ll tell you one of the first — it might have been the first time I was attending the Critic’s Choice Awards, and I had the privilege of covering the red carpet while interviewing some of the stars as they’re entering and walking down the red carpet. And there’s a very short turnaround to throw my equipment in the car and run into the awards show and get in my seat for the start of the show. And one of those times while I was very quickly rushing in, I don’t know why, by the grace of God in a place like Hollywood, when I was hearing the crowd — because at the time, they had stands, you know, risers with crowd, they don’t do that as much anymore — shouting celebrity’s names as they were walking in. And I heard everybody yelling “Ryan, Ryan, Ryan,” and I don’t know, like, I got swept up in the moment of it, and I turned around and nosedived into the chest of Ryan Gosling and fell back, and all I could think of to say was, “My name is Ryan, too.”
