Hilarious Unearthed Ad Features Ryan Seacrest Years Before His ‘Idol’ Debut

Though Ryan Seacrest’s about to kick off his 23rd season on “American Idol,” a California ski resort has just reminded fans that the radio and TV superstar wasn’t always the savvy host he is today.

On February 20, 2025, the Instagram account for Mountain High Resorts in Southern California posted a 1994 TV commercial starring Seacrest and the late actor Christian Oliver. The “Throwback Thursday” clip includes outtakes as Seacrest and Oliver chuckle while trying to nail their lines. They then hit the slopes, showcasing their skills (or lack thereof) in a perfectly cheesy video montage.

Ryan Seacrest Wore Jeans to Show Off His Skiing Skills in 1994 Ad

Seacrest, born and raised in Georgia, was just 19 or 20 when he appeared in the commercial for Mountain High, located within the Angeles National Forest. The resort is celebrating its 100th anniversary by sharing archived videos, including the ad he starred in as he was getting his start in Hollywood.

After awkwardly ad-libbing lines and introducing the resort owner’s son, Seacrest and Oliver hit the slopes in the posted video. Oliver, who was starring in “Saved By the Bell: Next Class” at the time, was decked out in ski gear, including a North Face parka and snow pants. Seacrest, meanwhile, sported faded jeans as he skied — a fashion choice many fans pointed out.

Skiing website Powder.com criticized Seacrest’s form in the montage, noting that with “hands low and sitting in the backseat,” his turns didn’t have much “fluidity.”

“Here’s hoping he’s improved over the last 30 years,” the outlet wrote.

Ryan Seacrest Was a Young Game Show Host When He Filmed Mountain High Commercial

In the clip that Mountain High Resort shared, Seacrest introduced himself as being from “Gladiators 2000,” a kid-friendly spinoff of “American Gladiators” that aired in 1994 and 1995. In 2021, Seacrest shared an online clip of himself hosting the show and joked that “the best part was the free LA Gear sneakers and ‘puttin’ on the hips.'”

Incredibly, it was already the second show Seacrest had hosted and a precursor to him taking over for Pat Sajak in 2024 as host of “Wheel of Fortune,” one of the most iconic game shows in American TV history.

Though Seacrest briefly attended college at the University of Georgia, per Us Weekly, he quit school and headed to Hollywood at 19, landing his first game show hosting gig in 1993 on ESPN’s “Radical Outdoor Challenge.”

But Seacrest considered landing his brief gig as host of the game show “Click” as his big break, since it was produced by game show guru Merv Griffin, also the innovator behind “Wheel of Fortune.” Griffin took the aspiring host under his wing and remained friends with Seacrest after he landed his most life-changing gig in 2002, hosting “American Idol.”

When Griffin died in 2007, Seacrest told People in a statement, “Merv was a dear friend, a mentor and my idol. He gave me my first break into show business, and for that I will forever be grateful. Merv is a true legend and will continue to be an inspiration.”