One thing that can be said about this gorgeous femme fatale from Buffalo, NY is that she has become one of television’s most fearless and edgy talk show hosts. Her impressive resume of interviews include seeing Jerry Springer strip down to his skivvies to dying and going to boy band heaven when she had both Boyz II Men and 98 Degrees on her show. Needless to say, that fearless and edgy attitude not only is prominent in her on-camera persona, but also in the way she carries herself off-camera as if you were talking to a close friend. Bello Mag got the chance to sit down and talk shop with her to learn more about this stunner.
How did you end up in TV Hosting?
I got into hosting thanks to my business partner, Kourosh Taj. We started a company together called No Good Entertainment, which became my launch into showbiz at ngtv.com. We needed someone to be the face to go out and do interviews and he said, “You know what, you should be the one.” I said, “Hell no!” I had no interest in being on camera. The whole thing scared the crap out of me and I thought I would be better doing behind-the-scene producing. He ended up scheduling an interview with Lemmy [Kilmister] from Motorhead, and he knew I was such a big fan of music, and a fan of hard rock especially. He knew that was the carrot he could dangle in front of me that would make me say yes. Unfortunately, that interview never happened, but at that point I had already said yes to a bunch of other scheduled interviews that I couldn’t get out of, and that started my career in being on camera. It was a happy accident.
What was racing through your mind when you started filming your first episode on VH1 Big Morning Buzz Live?
The exact phrase that was in my mind was, “Don’t fuck it up!” (laughs) There was a lot riding on my shoulders at that point, but I was stepping into something that was incredibly cool and I was well supported by everyone around me. I literally…right before we went live, I said out loud to everyone, “Hey everybody, don’t fuck it up!” Everyone started laughing and it took away the stress of the moment and we just carried on. It was crazy those first couple of weeks because VH1 never really had a daily live show. Then, over the course of three years, we grew into this little engine that could and moved into the old TRL (Total Request Live) stage and we were overlooking Times Square. It was a dream come true for me that I am going to cherish for the rest of my life.
Where do you find yourself at your most comfortable: program hosting, acting in movies or modeling?
I love being behind the scenes because it is a different kind of pressure and it requires a lot less hair and makeup. I love being on camera as well because I get to be “in the moment” and I can orchestrate what happens in those few minutes. As for modeling, when I did this shoot for Bello Mag, I even had to take a second and just say, “Wow, this is really nice to not have to talk!” It’s all about having the fierce eyes and smiles and sucking in your gut. It’s like working a different muscle.
What hobbies do you have that you would like to share with us?
Well, I could tell you about my porn watching habit, but that’s not going to happen. (laughs). I do like to do Muay Thai boxing. Since being back in Los Angeles, I have discovered a new love for hiking. I found a love for baking that I didn’t know I had. And whenever I have time, I love watching horror movies. Even the bad ones.
What are some of the values that you put out there in the universe that mold and shape who Carrie Keagan is?
Humility, joy and laughter. I think that encompasses everything that I am.
What advice do you have to give for those who are pursuing the hosting and producing profession?
The most important thing is to figure out who you are and then just be yourself. I know it is easier said than done, but that’s the hardest thing to do in this business because people pull you in so many different directions. Don’t ever take yourself too seriously because it’s easy to get caught up in the madness. This industry can be shallow and scary, but at the end of the day, this business is entertainment. I’ve learned to take what you are doing seriously, but remember that it is still entertainment.
So what is the next chapter of your life after BIG MORNING BUZZ LIVE? Where will we see you next?
No Good Entertainment has a bunch of shows in development at the moment, which we are really excited about. We have some reality shows, a game show (one in particular that I would be hosting), and that one is going to be a Comic-Con type of genre show. We have a talk show pilot with VH1 that we are working on that I am producing.
PHOTOGRAPHY JSQUARED PHOTOGRAPHY (WWW.JSQUAREDPHOTOGRAPHY.COM)
STYLING QUENTIN OWENS
MAKEUP JESSICA HOFFMAN (WWW.JESSICAHOFFMAN.NET)
HAIR SIENREE AT CELESTINE AGENCY USING ORIBE
Production Bello Media Group