Who knew? When DJ Ryan Seacrest joined Brian Dunkleman as co-host on the first season of American Idol back in 2002 no one really thought he would go much farther than that. Fact is, many people thought it was Dunkleman who would go on to bigger and brighter things. Yet here we are, six years later, and Dunkleman is nowhere to be found while Seacrest has become a media mogul and one of the busiest personalities in the world of television. That presence will continue well into the next decade.

Seacrest has just inked a new deal with Comcast Entertainment Group that will keep him connected with their networks through 2012. This means he will remain the anchor and managing editor of E! News Daily and executive director of E!'s Live From the Red Carpet Specials. In addition to that, Comcast will get first-look rights to all of Ryan Seacrest Production's projects for not only E!, but G4, Versus, Style and The Golf Channel. The agreement also includes increased advertising for Seacrest's radio properties.

While there are those who feel that Seacrest fell into this string of good luck, I think there is much more to him than we see on the exterior. Behind those good looks and gentle joshing between himself and Simon Cowell on American Idol, Seacrest looks to be a shrewd business person who is on the road to become the next Dick Clark. Considering he has all but taken over the New Year's Eve mantel from Dick Clark, that road may be very short.

You've heard of Ryan Seacrest, right? Well, one of the most reliable news source in the world, The Globe, tells us now that the folks behind Live are courting Ryan Seacrest to replace Regis Philbin on their morning staple. It makes perfect sense. Consider that Regis, who turns 176 this year, has racked up more hours on television than anyone in history, but now has announced he'll be cutting back his television work to three days a week. Then we have Ryan, who can be seen and heard everywhere from his work on E! to American Idol to New Year's Rockin' Eve to his radio show to American Top 40. Maybe he'd give up his morning radio gig for a morning TV gig. Or maybe record one during the commercial breaks of the other.

I almost missed this story, though, because that same issue of The Globe promised to show me how to win the Lottery and I'm busy spending all the money I'm gonna win! So for now, we'll say the rumor's unsubstantiated but if the Weekly World News or The Onion picks it up, then it's official!

[via AOL]