Akbar Gbajabiamila and Matt Iseman Q&A: ‘American Ninja Warrior’
During our recent webcam chat (watch the exclusive video above), “American Ninja Warrior” host Matt Iseman was beyond excited for the show’s second consecutive Emmy nomination as Best Reality Competition Series. “It is the acknowledgement that this show has reached a certain level that people in the industry recognize,” he divulges. Now in its ninth season, the NBC series features contestants from around the globe navigating a wide variety of obstacle courses.
The veteran host of such shows as “Clean House” joined the series in its second season. Since season five, he has co-hosted alongside former NFL star Akbar Gbajabiamila. Prior to coming aboard, Gbajabiamila was fascinated by “the history with these athletes… Over the years, you’ve come to know their story, and you’ve seen their maturation.” He adds, “I think the fans can connect to that because there’s a good mix of the old stories and then new stories.”
“American Ninja Warrior” got its start on the now defunct cable station G4 before moving to NBC. It competes in this category against three-time winner “The Voice,” 10-time champ “The Amazing Race,” one-time victor “Top Chef,” 13-time nominee “Project Runway,” and first-time contender “RuPaul’s Drag Race.” Can it pull off a Herculean win over the other shows?
Article originally posted on Gold Derby
