How Carson Daly Got His Start In Showbiz

Carson Daly has become one of the familiar faces on television since the late '90s. It's hard to forget the time when he used to show his impeccable skills as a video jockey on MTV's "Total Request Live," a stint that made him a household name. Although Daly has been gracing the small screen for decades now, his entry into the world of showbiz was anything but expected. For many years, fans have been following the personality for his impressive hosting skills, but there was a time when he had different aspirations and wanted to do something really astonishing.

Daly's rise to fame started when he joined MTV in the late '90s. It didn't take much time for him to become the face of the network because of his charismatic personality and his ability to connect with the viewers. Since then, he has been a force to be reckoned with in the industry and made his way to the top. However, things would have been different if he had abandoned his passion for music to become a Catholic priest. Yes, you heard it right. While speaking during a "Today" segment in 2019, co-anchor Daly confessed he thought about becoming a priest before joining the media industry. 

Thankfully, his love for music never faded and he decided to drop out of college to work at a radio station in Los Angeles. Daly quickly realized he was meant to be a part of showbiz and did all the hard work to become one of the most popular faces in the world of television. "I literally was OK with having nothing," Daly added.

People might think that Carson Daly just had to make a simple transition from becoming a priest to being a successful television personality. However, it's exactly the opposite. Daly started his professional journey from the bottom and began working as an intern at KROQ. In 1997, he started working part-time for MTV to earn some extra money. But little did he know that his life was about to be changed. Soon, he decided to quit the KROQ job and began working full-time for MTV. During his time at MTV, Daly interviewed several high-profile celebrities and earned a good amount of money. But at the start of his career, he never made money his top priority. At the time, he just wanted to work and be around music.

His hard work finally started paying off and apart from earning good money, he became popular for his unique hosting skills and taste in music. As time passed, Daly began associating with other big networks such as NBC to boost his career. In 2011, the television personality played an important role in bringing the popular reality singing competition, "The Voice," to life. Apart from producing the show, Daly has been the host of the reality TV series since its inaugural season. In 2013, Daly joined "Today" and continues to be a part of the network's core team. Daly's journey serves as a reminder that people should not lose hope if they are confused about what they should pursue and continue to do what drives their passion.