‘American Ninja Warrior’ Hosts Pick Which Celebs They Want on the Show
American Ninja Warrior hosts Akbar Gbajabiamila and Matt Iseman got real about which celebrities that they’d love to see compete on the show. “[Harry Styles] is going to bring some watermelon sugar. Listen, I would love to see him compete just because I know the fan base would go through the roof with [him],” Iseman, 52, exclusively told Us Weekly on Monday, September 11. Gbajabiamila, however, argued that Styles, 29, would not “hit a buzz,” — or buzzer — at the end of the course. Styles is not the only Harry they think would take on the competition— the duo also believe Prince Harry would fair quite well. “I actually have a friend who lives in Montecito and he said the most distinguishing thing about Prince Harry is he has calves like Popeye’s forearms. So I think the guy is secretly a tremendous athlete,” Iseman explained. “Lot of lower body power. I think that could carry him a long way.” Elizabeth Morris/NBCGbajabiamila, 44, agreed while also noting that the Invictus Games founder
American Ninja Warrior hosts Akbar Gbajabiamila and Matt Iseman got real about which celebrities that they’d love to see compete on the show.
“[Harry Styles] is going to bring some watermelon sugar. Listen, I would love to see him compete just because I know the fan base would go through the roof with [him],” Iseman, 52, exclusively told Us Weekly on Monday, September 11. Gbajabiamila, however, argued that Styles, 29, would not “hit a buzz,” — or buzzer — at the end of the course.
Styles is not the only Harry they think would take on the competition— the duo also believe Prince Harry would fair quite well.
“I actually have a friend who lives in Montecito and he said the most distinguishing thing about Prince Harry is he has calves like Popeye’s forearms. So I think the guy is secretly a tremendous athlete,” Iseman explained. “Lot of lower body power. I think that could carry him a long way.”
Gbajabiamila, 44, agreed while also noting that the Invictus Games founder would be “hot on the course” and “charming.”
While both Harry’s might make an impression, the pair seemed to think that Jennifer Lopez would be the real champion on American Ninja Warrior.
“But just on name alone, she’s doing it. You never doubt Jennifer Lopez. She’s got so many haters. She can sing, she can act. She’s an athlete. She’s a mama. You know what? Hell yes for Jennifer Lopez,” Gbajabiamila gushed. “Yeah she can do Ninja Warrior. In fact, she doesn’t even need to run the course. We’ll give her a pass.”
Iseman said that Lopez, 54, keeps getting “better with age.”
“And I think Ben Affleck does a lot of physical training. And so I think J-Lo’s big booty’s hitting a buzzer,” he joked.
American Ninja Warrior — which premiered in December 2009 — showcases contestants competing on various obstacle courses to win a cash prize of one million dollars. Season 15 of the reality series premiered earlier this summer.
While the hosts covered what stars they’d love to see out on the course, they also told Us which celebrities probably wouldn’t be able to handle being on the show.
“[Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is] too heavy. Although he said he’d kick my ass up and down the course. So, he says he can do it, but I don’t think he [can.] He’s a weight room warrior,” Gbajabiamila shared with Us.
Aside from Johnson 51, the TV personalities doubted Timothée Chalamet could survive the course without the help of Kylie Jenner.
“I think his girlfriend [Kylie] would help. Jenner, there’s some athletic DNA in there,” Iseman clarified, referencing Kylie’s parent Caitlyn Jenner, who won the gold medal in the men’s decathlon at the 1976 Olympics. “Yes for Kylie [but not] Timothée.”
After debating which celebrities they think would be best on the course, Iseman and Gbajabiamila also opened up about how season 15 has been different from previous years.
“We added head to head racing. And it’s such a different dynamic when these ninjas go against each other because you’re trying to run your own race, but there’s someone going a little bit faster,” Iseman explained.
Gbajabiamila went on to say that the ninjas are “just getting better,” especially because of more access to gyms.
“Ninja Warrior got hot and these ninja gyms started popping up everything so we had to challenge ourselves, not us as hosts, but the design team. They had to really come up with obstacles that were really going to challenge these ninjas,” he added.
Fans can watch a winner be crowned at the American Ninja Warrior National Finals, which takes place in Las Vegas on Monday, September 11.
“It’s just unbelievable seeing this build on this season and feeling like we throw more challenges at them and seeing how they’ve risen to it,” Iseman shared about the finale. “It’s unexpected. You’re going to watch the episode and think you know what happens and then you’re going to get a curveball and it was so amazing getting to be there.”
The American Ninja Warrior finale airs on NBC at 8 p.m EST.
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