Carson Daly lets the ball drop

The Big Career Switch: From VJ to Mr. New Year's Eve

By Karen Tina Harrison | Special to amNewYork

December 31, 2007

Who Pulled It Off: Carson Daly, 34

What He Does: He is the host "NBC's New Year's Eve with Carson Daly."

What He Used To Do: Every other weeknight, Daly presides over "Last Call with Carson Daly" on NBC. Previously, he was a VJ on MTV and a radio DJ in Los Angeles.

Why He Switched: "New Year's Eve in Times Square is the greatest party anywhere. So doing this show was a no-brainer for me."

How He Did It: "I hosted MTV's New Year's Eve for five years before this. My first year with 'Last Call,' I asked NBC to do a special. And here we are in year four of Times Square on December 31st. The ratings keep growing, and we get bigger guests. I love doing NBC's New Year's Eve."

What Mr. New Year's Eve Does: "I try to keep everything sane on an otherwise insane night. It's my job to take the madness and energy of Times Square on New Year's Eve and put it right into viewers' living rooms...minus the peep shows."

Who Makes A Good Mr. New Year's Eve? "You need to be able to communicate all the excitement of the moment. And to do a live show with an outdoor stage, you have to make quick decisions on your feet, because you never know what's gonna happen out there. You do not drink on the air."

How's The Dough: "I get the actor's union minimum."

Are There Perks? "Perks? What perks? Does Ryan Seacrest get perks?"

What Else You Should Know: "New Year's Eve in Times Square is the world's biggest celebration, and there's no place I'd rather be tonight."