Brian Dunkelman steps Behind The Rope. Yes, that Brian Dunkleman. You have heard, read and imagined so much about his “story”, but today Brian is here to chat about the full trajectory of his career before hosting American Idol during its break out first season alongside that other host we have all gotten to know so well. Brian discusses how he got the Idol co-host gig, what he liked best / least, working alongside Ryan Seacrest - there we said his name, judges Paula Abdul, Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, Kelly Clarkson, and the true circumstances surrounding his departure. Brian opens up about going from a stand up comedy career to the height of fame almost overnight, with over thirty million people watching each week, back into being “unknown”, for lack of a better word. We break down the psyche behind that, the highs and lows of life - the lows were low, the concept of fame and just how addicting it can be, the public’s perception of him as making “THE colossal mistake”, and the ins and outs of real life challenges and highs he faced along the way. Brian analyzes current singing show competitions and addresses whether they work anymore, whether he is “in” on “the joke”, and the viral headline when TMZ reported he was an Uber Driver. Finally, we discuss his brilliant new documentary “Dunkleman” where he urges people to comedically “Google His Name”, the biggest misconceptions about him, and what we will all be shocked to learn from this new film! @thebriandunkelman @behindvelvetrope @davidyontef Bonus & Ad Free Episodes Available at - https://www.patreon.com/behindthevelvetrope Brought to you by TENTREE - https://www.tentree.com (15% Off First Order - Use Code “Velvet”) Brought to you by THIRDLOVE - http://www.thirdlove.com/velvet (20% Off First Purchase) Brought to you by QUIP - https://www.getquip.com/velvet (First Refill Free) Brought to you by CALIBRATE - https://www.joincalibrate.com ($50 off First Year - Use Code “Velvet”) Brought to you by BETTER HELP - https://www.betterhelp.com/velvetrope (10% Off First Month - Use Code "velvet rope") Merch Available at - https://www.teepublic.com/stores/behind-the-velvet-rope?ref_id=13198 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices