Saturday, March 3, 2007

Who Is Brian Dunkleman?

Some of you are seeing the first season of “Idol” for the very first time thanks to “American Idol Rewind.”

Then no doubt you’re wondering, just who is Brian Dunkleman?

I hope you’re also gaining a newfound respect for Ryan Seacrest, because if you think Dunkleman’s been condescending so far, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet…

Dunkleman was a stand-up comic/actor that FOX enlisted to co-host its new reality show with Seacrest, a popular LA DJ. As Simon Cowell tells us in his book, “I Don’t Mean to Be Rude, But…,” the two hosts were a copy of the British “Pop Idol” formula. But unlike those hosts, Dunkleman and Seacrest were “polar opposites.” Ryan was “enthusiastic,” while Brian was a cynic who “didn’t seem as if he wanted to be doing the show.”

As you’ve no doubt noticed if you’ve been watching “Rewind” (or you saw it the first time), Ryan and Brian had zero chemistry as Ryan was forced to smile at Dunkleman’s snide remarks. Brian’s outward disdain for the show and his awkwardness with the product promotions continued to get worse. By the end of the season, he was introducing himself with “I am Dunkleman” (which was ruthlessly mocked by Jimmy Fallon and many others).

In a recent “New York Post” interview, Ryan said he can’t watch “Rewind” because he’s embarrassed by those early shows. He says he’s embarrassed by his clothes and hair (and if you saw last week, you know he has reason to be) and how they had no idea what they were doing. But I’ve got to believe that watching Dunkleman make a fool of him couldn’t make it any easier…

Thankfully, in October 2002, it was announced that Dunkleman would not return for the second season. His agent had been talking to FOX about a new deal, but he backed out so he could “pursue other opportunities in the world of TV and feature film.” I have to believe that the people at FOX were ecstatic and I can’t believe they even bothered.

Simon, as usual, put it a little more strongly in his book, calling Dunkleman “an idiot.” Simon says the way he acted during that first season “will go down in history as one of the great blown opportunities in entertainment history.” Simon even tried to talk to Dunkleman, telling him he needed to have more fun and he needed to spend more time with Ryan since it looked like he hated him. But Simon says Brian was more concerned about looking like a sell out than he was with getting along with anyone.

Dunkleman resurfaced last year when he became the host of an Internet fantasy game on idolgohome.com (which has since been shut down for legal reasons). He admitted in an interview with the Associated Press that he was more interested in being a performer than introducing performers and that it may have not been the right choice. He says that he agonized over the decision, but he was having “a very difficult time with how cruel the show was.”

Yeah, right…

Apparently, he’s made his peace with the show now as he is providing new voiceovers for “Rewind.”

It may have been the worst decision Brian Dunkleman has ever made for his career, but it was quite possibly the best decision ever made for “Idol.” I’m not sure it would have been as successful with him still there…

“American Idol Rewind” airs nationally Sundays at 8 p.m. on WGN and in the Huntington area on WVAH FOX 11 Saturdays at 7 p.m. Check your local listings for the day and time in your area…