What Happened to Brian Dunkleman on ‘American Idol’?
Twenty-one years ago, Brian Dunkleman co-hosted his first season and only season of American Idol alongside Ryan Seacrest. He quit after the inaugural season ended, unaware that Idol would be one of the biggest singing competitions for years to come. Here’s a look back at why Dunkleman quit American Idol and how the decision affected him. Plus, find out what Dunkleman is up to today.
Why Brian Dunkleman quit ‘American Idol’
American Idol enlisted Seacrest and Dunkleman to audition for the show’s co-hosting gig in 2002. At the time, Seacrest already had some TV hosting experience, having worked on shows like Radical Outdoor Challenge and Ultimate Revenge. Meanwhile, Dunkleman’s experience was in acting and stand-up comedy. He told GQ in 2019 that he wasn’t really interested in any hosting gigs at the time, but he auditioned because someone from Fox wanted him to.
Dunkleman’s lack of interest in the Idol gig was only one factor in his decision to quit. He revealed on an Oprah: Where Are They Now? segment, seen below, that he knew he wanted to quit from the start because he felt uncomfortable with the audition process for contestants. He said he witnessed several people exit the audition room “bawling.”
“I had never seen anything like that,” he said.
Is Brian Dunkleman friends with Ryan Seacrest?
Another reason for Dunkleman’s departure from Idol was likely his relationship with Seacrest. The two appeared friendly and shared lighthearted banter on-camera, but their off-screen relationship was apparently very different. Dunkleman has said that he didn’t get along with Seacrest. He even once revealed on the Behind The Velvet Rope podcast that he almost physically fought Seacrest over a disagreement about their on-stage banter.
“When that show ended, my manager and my best friend who was there to pick me up … they had to hold me back from going after him,” he said.
Brian Dunkleman said he was ‘crippled with depression’ after he left ‘American Idol’
Dunkleman left American Idol to pursue other projects after the first season. He has often joked about how big of a mistake it was to leave, considering how successful the show and Seacrest became. However, for a while, the decision had a harsh impact on his mental health. Dunkleman told TMZ last year that he was “suicide adjacent” and severely depressed.
“I was crippled with depression, I thought I made the biggest mistake that anybody’s ever made in history. I couldn’t get out of bed,” Dunkleman said.
Dunkleman added that he leaned heavily on drugs and drinking to cope with his depression. In 2016, however, he reached a turning point — and it was because of his return to Idol. Dunkleman co-hosted the farewell finale of American Idol in season 15. There, he learned from producers that he was going to be fired after season 1.
“I was told by one of my old bosses that it came down to whether to keep both of us or go with one host. They decided to go with one, and obviously I wasn’t the one. They told me that I quit before they could deliver the news,” Dunkleman told GQ. “But still, to tell you that I gained closure is an understatement. All those years where I’m walking around as the biggest mistake in the history of show business, it turns out that’s not what happened. That’s going to allow me to die peacefully someday. It’s changed my whole outlook on everything.”
Where is Brian Dunkleman today?
After American Idol, Dunkleman continued his acting career with guest roles on several shows. That included 3-South, Miss Match, Family Guy, NYPD Blue, My Name Is Earl, and more. He also appeared on other reality TV shows, including Celebrity Fit Club Season 6, which he won with his teammates.
Dunkleman made headlines in 2019 when TMZ reported that he was driving for Uber to earn money amid his divorce and custody battle with his ex-wife, Kalea Nassif. He took to Twitter to declare that he wasn’t ashamed at all.
“I chose to stop doing stand-up comedy and started driving an Uber so I could be there for my son as much as he needed after our life as we knew it was destroyed. Print that,” he wrote.
Dunkleman has since returned to stand-up comedy. He also hosts a podcast called DunkleVision. In 2022, he released a self-titled documentary, Dunkleman, about his life, including his journey from American Idol to driving for Uber. It’s available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.
How to get help: In the U.S., call the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988 or 1-800-273-8255. Or text HOME to 741-741 to speak with a trained crisis counselor at the free Crisis Text Line.
How to get help: In the U.S., contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration helpline at 1-800-662-4357.
