Filed under: Professional Profiles, Celebrity News
Their co-host on 'The T.Ocho Show,' Kevin Frazier of 'Entertainment Tonight,' took some time to talk to Black Voices about this exciting new merger of athletics and entertainment - and to discuss how he himself made it in the television biz.
Tell us about your television career, Kevin, and how you came to find yourself as the co-host of 'The T. Ocho Show' on Versus.
While my main job is working for 'Entertainment Tonight,' I've always been a sports anchor. When people ask me what I do, I'll tell ya - I'm a sports guy. I got into 'Entertainment Tonight' as a surprise even to me. But from Fox Sports to ESPN, I've always been a sports guy. When the opportunity was presented to me to do 'The T.Ocho Show,' I thought "these two guys are very different from your average NFL player." I thought it presented a really unique opportunity to do something very different and special. It crossed both of my worlds. Entertainment and sports - it was the perfect synergy.
How would recommend that someone who is interesting in working as a television host get started in such a career?
What's interesting is, I got started by becoming a camera man in Charleston, South Carolina. I started in Charleston shooting fires and murders, and editing. I did it because I loved it. I worked in local TV for a long time before I did anything national. If you really love TV, you'll love doing the work in the trenches. At heart - and my agent always gets mad when I say it - I'm just a camera man who really overachieved. And it's great because I learned how the news works and about how pictures and words have to come together [to make a story]. If there's anybody out there that wants to get into it, I think you have to be willing to start at the beginning and learn the fundamentals of it. I think many times people just think: "I wanna be on TV!" But it's not just about being on TV. It's about learning the craft and making great stories.
Now onto your new show, 'The T. Ocho Show' on Versus. What have Terrell Owens and Chad OchoCinco been like to work with? Have there been any rivalries between them or other antics?
You know, I have kind of known Terrell for six, seven years. I think there is a rivalry in a sense, but healthy rivalry and respect. But here's what people have to understand about these two guys. They are athletes who are businessmen. And that's the important thing about these two guys. There's such a push on athletes these days that says, you know, "these guys can't do x, y or z, they can't do anything but play, and be in the middle of the sports world, and that's it." And that's wrong because, sports is entertainment is business. I think people need to understand that, and not be upset with guys who are trying to expand everything they do and expand who they are. And that's what I love about these two guys. I think that's what makes them great. That's what's different [about 'The T. Ocho Show']. When people out there are like, "oh, I hate when they do this and that," I'm like - come on now. There might be a little rivalry in their antics off the field, but as I said they're businessmen above all else.
And if you don't think every football player or athlete wants to cross over like this, then you're crazy. All of them want it. All of them can't though. All of them can't be Shaq, or Terrell, or Chad. If they could they would.
If you ever had a chance to sit there and watch us taping the show, you would see that these dudes do not get off Twitter. It's unbelievable. They expose their lives on Twitter. I think the reason that they love it so much is because it has now become one of those ways that an athlete or an entertainer has a direct connection to their fans. Everything in the past has been so filtered, and a lot of times, it runs through the media. Being a member of the media, I know it gets filtered. It gets run through our media filter and we decide what we want the story to be. [With Twitter] their message is just unfiltered. That is why they love Twitter and they love social media - because of the direct connection. It also changes our job as people in the media. Once upon a time, we controlled everything, and now it's different. It really has changed the way we work.
Both of these stars have had dramatic careers. How has this drama helped them both to achieve career success?
One, with Terrell - he has always been a guy that garners ratings. When I worked at 'Sports Center' we would lead the show with anything Terrell did, because it garnered ratings. That drama has gotten other people paid but never Terrell. And I always thought that was interesting. These guys do something, some sports show or news show leads with it, and everyone tunes in to see it. And whether they vilify him or turn him into a hero, these guys lose because they don't get any cut of it. Whereas now, it's different. They've got their own show. They're making their own money. Terrell is getting his own cut of it. And I think it's great for Chad too.
People call it drama, but it's what people love. It's why they watch them. From Chad dancing, to Terrell grabbing a pompom, people love it! They can't get enough of it. Terrell doing sit-ups in his driveway with the media around him - they love the drama.
Terrell Owens and Chad OchoCinco are both athletes and pop culture stars, so 'The T.Ocho Show' blends sports talk with pop culture dish. What do you all hope viewers will take away to from this new approach?
You know, it's funny because these guys are thrust into the middle of pop culture because of who they are, and some of the stuff that comes out of their mouths (laughs)... It's really funny and really informative. When it comes to football, they say some really insightful things. When they talk Kim Kardashian, there are some funny things. Or Jennifer Aniston, you know? There are some things, and you are just like, "Wow!" I think people will be really, really surprised at just how much these two really pay attention to.
Do you have any final words of wisdom or encouragement regarding reaching career success that you would like to share with the Black Voices audience?
Never let anybody tell you that you cannot achieve your dreams. You just have to work hard. It's really, really hard work. You have to be willing to chase your dreams and do whatever it takes. Nothing is coming to you for free. You have to be willing to go out there and chase it down.
'The T.Ocho Show' airs Tuesday nights at 10:30 p.m. ET on Versus.
Will you be watching? Leave your comments below!