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Hosts Tell All: Part 3
February 1, 2012

Breaking into hosting can be challenging and at times even downright frustrating. I'm sure you've all experienced it at one time or another and if you haven't yet felt that way, you will. It's all part of the process. In Part Three of 'Hosts Tell All' Jeannie Mai, Brian Corsetti and Lance Smith give aspiring hosts some more career advice and a little extra inspiration to keep handy on the journey to becoming a successful host.

Did you ever consider giving up hosting?
Jeannie and Brian say there hasn't ever been a time they considered giving up hosting completely. They may go into other areas of hosting, but the love of hosting will always be there for them.

Have you ever made any mistakes along the way?
As well all know and hopefully come to accept - mistakes are inevitable. Any aspiring host will stumble on their journey. Lance even goes as far to say he has made every mistake there is to make. (Good to know!) However, both Lance and Brian believe the key to rebounding from a mistake is to learn from it. Lance feels the two biggest mistakes you can make as a host are to pigeonhole yourself and to get involved in a project that you don't know enough about. He tells hosts to always make sure you know your product.

What sort of advice do you have for aspiring hosts?
First and foremost, Jeannie, Lance and Brian make it extremely clear that to be a successful host one has to remember is not always about them. A host is the reflection of everyone's hard work and dedication to a project. Jeannie believes most everyone out there is working for themselves, so one way you can stand out as a host is to work for other people by offering them your services. Ask yourself, "How can I add my own zest to make this show better than the network imagined?" The perfect attitude in Jeannie's opinion is one that reflects your selflessness, while at the same time showing that you are going to grow together as a team. Jeannie has a unique and positive motto... "if you're stressed, find someone else to bless." She feels that focusing your negative energy into a shelter, your community or even into a friend will help you grow as a person and as a host.

In this journey, it is essential to listen and be open to opportunities as they arise. Brian believes everyone has an opportunity, while Lance reminds us that you never know where you career is going to take you. However, most importantly Jeannie, Lance and Brian emphasize that the most crucial thing to remember about hosting is that "there is no other you." They all celebrate the fact that no one, no matter how hard they try, can speak like you or look like you, so in the words of Jeannie, "Own that!" Lance is spot on by telling aspiring hosts that you'll never be the next Ryan Seacrest or Giuliana Rancic, but instead you'll be the first YOU. So, like Brian says jump in and go for it. If you want to be a host, don't do it haphazardly. Hustle, know your craft, be a professional and above all else, be nice!

Many thanks to all three for this great advice.

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