Ryan Seacrest Refutes Mariah Carey's New Year's Rockin' Eve Criticisms

Ryan Seacrest is not interested in Mariah Carey's NYE complaints.

The television personality opened up about the diva's disastrous New Year's Rockin' Eve performance during his Thursday, Sept. 21, 2017 appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. Seacrest had been hosting the show in Times Square when the singer, 47, was busted lip syncing on live television just before the ball dropped at midnight to ring in 2017.

"What was going through my head [in that moment] was and is: That crew, that team, that staff is the best in the business," Seacrest, 42, told the host in defense of his production team (via Page Six). "They put on the biggest live music events and they know what they're doing, and I know how good they are at their jobs. So my reaction was, she was working with the best — I find it hard to believe they made big mistakes that night."

However, Seacrest, who recently announced his return as host of the upcoming American Idol reboot, did make one concession: Similarly to Carey, he had a difficult time understanding what was going on among the celebratory hustle and bustle. 

"When it was happening, it was hard for me to see and hear because we're in Times Square and there's a lot going on," the Live with Kelly & Ryan co-host said. "I had to be told that something was going on and then try and find a monitor to react to, so I wasn't quite sure what was happening, actually."

As Nicki Swift previously reported, Carey told Rolling Stone in February 2017 that the performance was a "total chaotic mess." She began pointing fingers, claiming that her monitors weren't working and that her dancers should have pulled her off the stage. Her manager, Stella Bulochniko, also claimed via email that the show's producers had attempted to "sabotage" the singer for ratings.

While we wait for Mariah Carey's team to respond to the media mogul, read up on the untold truth of Ryan Seacrest.