Ryan Seacrest Launches His Own ‘Voice’

Multi-hyphenate unveils in-hospital entertainment system for child patients that just so happens to have the same as the NBC talent series he competes with

 

Multi-media host, producer Ryan Seacrest, along with his charitble foundation, opened “The Voice,” a special closed-circuit broadcast media center inside the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Friday. 

Bringing Selena Gomez and Joe Jonas with him, Seacrest hosted the first closed-circuit broadcast to go out across the hospital to provide creative interactive entertainment to child patients. The Foundation is building these media centers in multiple children’s pediatric hospitals.

Despite the eyebrow-raising name for the project — identical to NBC’s vocal competition that’s challenging Seacrest’s “American Idol” flagship — the only connection runs through NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke.

Burke serves on the Philadelphia hospital’s Board of Trustees (and oversees Seacrest’s daytime home, E!).  “Ryan Seacrest and The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia are two of our favorite things,” said Burke.

At the ribbon cutting, Dr. Steven Altschuler of the hospital, Gomez, patient Mary Wilt, Seacrest, and his team of foundation executives: Gary Seacrest, Connie Seacrest, and Meredith Seacrest.

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On the day the “The Office” received four Emmy nominations, it was something of an office-party in Culver City.

Before Carmageddon hit, there was no hesitation in making a trip to the Sony Lot for premiere of Freestyle Releasing and Secret Handshake’s Jenna Fischer film “A Little Help” on Thursday. Fischer's "Office" co-stars  Rainn Wilson, Ellie Kemper, Kate Flannery and Angela Kinsey were among the supporters.

“The Office” continues its track record of having cast members return from summer break as movie stars. (See Steve Carell’s leap forward in the “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” and Ed Helms’ 2009 turn in “The Hangover”, pictured right with Fischer at Thursday’s premiere.)

As a recent analog to the trend from CBS, Kevin James also made the premiere of the Fischer’s spin as a dental hygienist going through a life crisis in post-9/11 Long Island. (Photo by Todd Williamson.)

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Earlier in the week, ESPY parties stretched out over four nights before and after the show.

Serena Williams returned to ESPY event hosting, leading Hennessy’s official bash with ESPN at Spot 5750.  (Estelle performed inside the former “Hollywood Billiards” venue, now revamped since its days hosting many lower-budgeted industry wrap parties.) 

Super Bowl MVP Aaron Rodgers and other locked-out athletes picked up a $34,000 freebie watch and other goodies at ESPN The Magazine’s Style Studio at the W in Hollywood, perhaps getting some insurance before this weekend’s seemingly swift resolution of the NFL Labor agreement.

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