E! correspondent Giuliana Rancic will be co-hosting a herculean number of live television hours prior to and after the Golden Globes this Sunday, so she seemed to be the perfect person to talk to about what it takes to get ready for the big day. Here’s a tic-toc of what it takes for her to get ready, and what really goes through her mind -- and the mind of co-host Ryan Seacrest -- once the cameras start rolling.
6 a.m.
This is when Rancic’s alarm will go off. “I’ll probably go for a run. About five miles, probably. One year I didn’t exercise the morning of the awards and I felt awful all day, so now it’s a routine,” she said. (For more on Rancic's exercise routine, check out her new lifestyle site, Fab Fit Fun.)
8 a.m.
Time to get the hair done. Rancic goes to celeb hairdresser Byron Williams. “I didn’t make the appointment until the other day, so I have to be his first client of the morning. That dictates so much! Now it means I have to do an updo, because my hair down won’t survive the day.”
9:30-11:30 a.m.
Head to the awards site, the Beverly Hilton, for makeup and prep work.
“Cat Connelly does my makeup, and while she’s doing that, I’m going over questions for the celebs,” Rancic said. “At this point, we’ve already had a roundtable to generate questions for the celebs, and at this point, Ryan and I have thrown out a bunch of questions and added a bunch.”
Rancic tends to avoid questions about the stars’ films. “At this stage, I don’t care what it’s like working with the director. I care about diet secrets and fashion tips, and I think that’s what viewers want too. They want a takeaway they can use in their own life,” she explained. “They might not be going on a red carpet soon, but they might be going to a wedding and want some tips. And Ryan isn’t so hot on asking the ‘who are you wearing questions.’ He’s a straight guy, he doesn’t care.”
11:45 a.m.
“I have to be in position (on the red carpet) this year, in my 5-inch heels really early.” (And yes, she keeps those heels on for the duration of the day and night.)
1-2 p.m.
She co-hosts the E! red-carpet fashion pre-show.
2-2:13 p.m.
Rancic has 13 minutes to run back inside the Beverly Hilton, change out of her pre-show dress and put on a fresh one for the live broadcast with Seacrest. “Same hair, makeup and shoes,” she said. “Just need to get the dress off without drama. And there will be drama (when there's so little time to change).”
2:15-5 p.m.
Rancic will be in position alongside Seacrest. (She said that contrary to rumors, “It doesn’t take Ryan longer to get ready than me. I only know this because I’ve seen his schedule.”)
Who will she be most excited to see? Natalie Portman, for starters. “I loved ‘Black Swan,’ I thought she was incredible,” Rancic said. “And she’s pregnant, and we always get excited to see young, beautiful pregnant nominees. She’s going to look gorgeous.”
As for the men: “(George) Clooney if he shows up. I always convince myself that if I weren’t married, we’d date, even though I know that’s not true. And the Facebook guys. I’m really excited to talk to them.”
No matter how well prepared Rancic and Seacrest are, they’re ready for a difficult situation. (Remember Angelina Jolie’s cold answers to Seacrest a few years back when he asked what she had for breakfast?). “We know who’s going to play ball or not,” Rancic said. “You kind of see it, if the person is in the mood or not. We’ll try to get them to open up and have fun. And I welcome trainwrecks. I welcome awkward moments. It’s what people talk about the next day.”
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