- Here now with Ryan Seacrest, host of American Idol 21st season right now. Good morning. - Good to see you, George. GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Good to see you. I want to talk about the season. But first, you had a big announcement a couple of weeks ago. You're finally going to have your mornings back. - Yes. I will tell you what it's like. I'm looking forward to it. I will miss being with Kelly every morning, and of course, having a cup of coffee with the audience. It's such a fun show. And grateful for the six years I was able to do it here in New York. GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: And you're going to have a cup of coffee with my wife this morning. - Yes. Ali is going to be co-hosting, filling in for Kelly. So she will-- I'm sure, endlessly tell me things about you that happen behind the scenes, George. GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Well, you know, I always-- I usually work out after my show. - Obviously. - Right. Yeah, right? And I'm usually-- I don't always see it. But my phone starts to buzz because I know she's told some story about me-- - After-hour stories, George. That's what she likes, the after-hour stories. GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: She does. We'll see what she comes up with today. Let's talk about American Idol. Hollywood Week this Sunday. - You know, the judges who you're going to see here in just a minute have done such a fantastic job every season finding this great talent that comes from small towns. Many people thought, will I ever have the chance to audition? And every year, they just get better and better. They are now, George, at eight and nine years old rehearsing for American Idol because they know it's such a great way to launch a career. GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: And we'll see some familiar faces this Sunday. - Yeah, we'll see some of the former idols come back in Mentor. We also have seen an idol who was on the show from the beginning, their child auditions. So it's become a generational program after all these years. - Did you know this was going to be such a phenomenon? - Yes, George, I did from the get go. I knew this was going to take over the world and America. Nobody would listen to me. Actually, I remember after that first season, we were just crossing our fingers we would get a pickup for a second season. And then, of course, all these years later-- and the show has evolved with the times, which I think is such a beautiful thing. - And you transformed so many lives. - So many lives, and so many different personalities, and so many, now, genres of music. It used to be just a very specific pop competition. Now it's all kinds of music, which is-- and songwriters who come in too, which is wonderful. - Any favorites so far this season? - I talked to the judges about that. I have to stand next to them live, so I don't know that I want to pick anybody out right now. - But we do have a judge who has a question, I think, right? [LAUGHTER] - Ryan. Ryan. Ryan. RYAN SEACREST: Hi, guys. You know, there is a front door. - Ryan. [LAUGHTER] - I made it through. - Ryan. - Hi. - What? What? What? We're coming this way. - It's a live show. Hurry up. GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Yeah, come on over. [INDISTINCT CHATTER] - We're crashing. - Hurry up. - And here they are. - There's no you without us. And there's no us without you. - Everybody's got a unique personality. Wisdom, if you want to catch your dinner, you go with him. And if you want to critique about anything or levity, It's Katy. Honesty. Honesty and levity. - Yeah, if you want to know if there's something in your teeth, I will tell you. [LAUGHTER] - She said to me earlier, what's that-- what's that speck on your nose? I said it's a mole. - I said it's a sun spot, and you should get a laser. - Do you see? GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: I see this. - So I have to get Fraxel today now. - Oh. Well, this is why everybody loves the show. - Oh, thanks, George. GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: Together, we're gonna have a lot more with Katy, Lionel, and Luke. - All right, I have to go to work. You guys take over. GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: That's coming up.