Ryan Seacrest's new look at Times Square New Year's Eve ball drop raises eyebrows

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: TV host Ryan Seacrest was seen hosting the New Year's Eve ball drop at Times Square on Wednesday, December 31, in New York.

However, what gathered viewers' attention was the way Ryan looked as his appearance was quite different from usual, and several people thought that his look was not natural and believed he might have gone under the knife.

Ryan Seacrest hosts Times Square's dazzling New Year’s Eve ball drop

Anchoring for Channel 7, Ryan Seacrest was seen wearing a red coat while he interacted with New Yorkers. People soon noticed the change in his appearance as his face looked sharper, but not something the internet was amused for.

Following this, people on the internet started trolling the news anchor, and some even suggested that his plastic surgeon did a bad job. 

The famous New Year’s Eve ball drop rings in 2026 with a dazzling new ball — the largest in the history of an event that started in 1907.

The Constellation Ball is the ninth ball to have ushered in the new year at the famous Midtown Manhattan intersection. It measured 12.5 feet in diameter and weighed just over 12,000 pounds.

The ball featured 5,280 circular Waterford crystals in three different sizes,1.5-inch, 3-inch, and 4-inch, as well as LED light pucks. The shape of the crystals is a departure from the triangular ones seen on earlier balls since 1999.

According to CNN, a statement from the event’s organizers One Times Square read, "Each new crystal size features a unique design that celebrates the Ball’s spirit of eternal positivity."

Michael Phillips, president of Jamestown, the firm that owns and operates One Times Square, mentioned that the ball "is meant to represent interconnectedness, wholeness, and the cyclical nature of tradition, celebrating the eternal relationship between the past, present, and future."

The ball drop is a crucial part of New Year’s Eve celebrations for those who gather in Times Square, and for people watching on television.

The Times Square ball first dropped in 1907, and it started because of Jacob Starr, a Ukranian immigrant and metalworker, and the former New York Times publisher, Adolph Ochs.

Internet trolls Ryan Seacrest over new look

Several internet users trolled Ryan Seacrest as his appearance looked different than usual while hosting the New Year's Eve ball drop at Times Square.

A user wrote on X, "I honestly didn’t know Ryan Seacrest was still alive," while one added, "Ryan Seacrest’s face looks like it’s glued on in pieces."

A person also stated, "Is this Ryan Seacrest? What has he done to himself he looks completely different #NewYear2026," whereas one mentioned, "Ryan Seacrest looks terrible."

A user also wrote, "Ryan Seacrest is AI. That mf is not real," while one commented, "Ryan Seacrest please see some other plastic surgeon/aesthetic crew bc yours is doin a terrible job."

A person further mentioned, "That Ryan Seacrest ain't a real human. That's 1000% a robot," whereas one added, "When did Ryan Seacrest stop looking like Ryan Seacrest?"

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.