Today we’d like to introduce you to award winning TV host Dan Babic. Babic is in the top 1% of television hosts in the world. For the next 3 years, he will serve in the leading roles as host of The CW Television Network’s new series ‘The Unfiltered Experience’ along with ‘FACE IT’ and ‘FACE IT- Where are they now?’ on the Oprah Winfrey Network. Last year, Babic was awarded the highly coveted honor as ‘Hollywood’s #1 TV Host’ at the Fab TV Awards 2019.
Dan, before we jump into specific questions about your work, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Growing up in a small town in Australia, all I ever wanted to be was Oprah. Transfixed at just four years of age, I would watch The Oprah Winfrey every weekday at 1 pm with my grandmother. In each episode as Winfrey spoke about finding your calling in life, I knew I found mine. I too, was meant to be a TV host. So, after starting off in local news in my small town as a teenager, I ended up being a frequent guest co-host on some of Australia’s biggest morning shows.
In 2013, producers from The Ellen DeGeneres Show in Los Angeles got wind of my talents as they were preparing to look for top TV Host and Media Personalities to appear on a special edition of the Show that Ellen was shooting in Melbourne and Sydney. Immediately hitting it off with DeGeneres and her wife Portia De Rossi, they gave me a special segment on the show. Hollywood soon came calling where I covered all of the hottest red carpets in the world interviewing celebrities for media outlets such as Entertainment Tonight, The Hollywood Reporter and Fashion Television.
My interviews on Fashion Television garnered much attention and views which lead to the network giving me my own show ‘Design Genius’- a reality design competition similar to Project Runway but instead is shot all around the world and every week designers must use unconventional materials chosen by me to make their outfits. After three hit seasons, I wanted to be in LA, covering red carpets and lead hosting a fashion show in Hollywood- which ended up being ‘The Project Runway After Show.’
With over 23 million weekly downloads from over 150 countries, The Project Runway After Show airs on AfterBuzz TV- an online broadcast network created by E! host and the Emmy awarding Maria Menounos and producer Keven Undergaro. The Project Runway After Show follows my leading role as the show’s host breaking down each episode look with fashion experts each week. On each episode, I reveal never been told before, exclusive secrets about the behind the scenes of the Emmy award winning talk show, interviewing past and current contestants on the show.
While fashion is fun, I wanted to get back to the crux of who I truly was so I began auditioning with other networks for more serious shows to host. That’s when I managed to get into the casting room with the creators of Oprah- a full circle moment. It was an instant match made in heaven and they hired me to serve in the leading role as host Face Five- an original, unscripted millennial talk show.
In my leading role on the show, I offered my take on all things important to millennials from dating, heartbreak, pop culture, celebrity, trends, depression, money and social media to name a few. Because of the amazing success of Face Five’s first season in which I hosted all 65 episodes, I was signed to a three year exclusive contract with Noel Braham Entertainment, the Emmy nominated production company to do a follow up of the show. For my work on ‘Face Five’, I was awarded with the highly coveted honor of receiving ‘Hollywood’s #1 TV Host’ at The Fab TV awards 2019.
In 2021, I will serve in the leading role as host of the Face Five spinoff ‘FACE IT’- produced by Winfrey’s team. ‘FACE IT’ will take a super soulful look into eight special individual’s biggest life fears. I will help them face and overcome their biggest battles as the show’s star. I am also set to host the show’s follow up series ‘FACE IT- Where are they now?’. In this leading role, I will follow up with cast mates to see ‘where they are now’, 18 months after facing their biggest fears. I have additionally signed on as host of the new beauty show franchise ‘The Unfiltered Experience’ for three seasons that will air on the CW Network.
In the show’s three seasons, my leading role will see me travel across all parts of the United States to discover what beauty really means to women in America, visiting and interviewing celebrities and beauty icons along the way.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
While I’ve had the career of my dreams, it doesn’t necessarily mean I’ve had the life of my dreams. Three years ago, after doing Design Genius and traveling the world I realized what I was doing was really running from myself, and because I was doing so well in my work, I was using that a shield to hide what was really going on.
What was really going on, was the I didn’t feel I was enough so I manifested this larger than life, life in order to make myself feel worthy. While Design Genius was a successful show, I wasn’t being myself and was playing a character. I had to search within and remember why I got into the industry if the first place- Oprah. I realized my greatest gift in life, like everyone’s greatest gift, is to simply be myself. I reconnected to who I truly am and decided to not be anyone else other than myself- that’s when my story got really good.
Not only could I look myself in the mirror again, and see reflected back to me the true essence of ‘Daniel’, but my career also went down a much more fulfilling and authentic road.
I began talking about things of real meaning, inspiring others to truly be themselves and follow whatever it is they believe they are meant to do in life. This has been the greatest gift of my life, whether or not I am hosting a show from the creators of Oprah or not- simply inspiring others to see the best in themselves is my true life calling. How incredible I’ve got a television platform to do that.
Please tell us about your work.
The great connector, fun, liberating and what I was born to do.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
I don’t believe in luck. Good or bad. To quote Winfrey herself “I believe luck is preparation meeting opportunity. If you hadn’t been prepared when the opportunity came along, you wouldn’t have been lucky.” I’ll say that again, luck is nothing but preparation meeting a moment of opportunity.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.not-basic.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/danbabic
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