We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Steven Rosso a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Steven , thanks for joining us today. Too often the media represents innovation as something magical that only high-flying tech billionaires and upstarts engage in – but the truth is almost every business owner has to regularly innovate in small and big ways in order for their businesses to survive and thrive. Can you share a story that highlights something innovative you’ve done over the course of your career?

Working in a creative field, whether you’re behind the camera, on stage, or writing a script in an office, requires you to always stay ahead of the game. It’s essential to think outside the box at every turn and, most importantly, to follow through with your creative ideas to the fullest extent. Even if an idea seems too costly or time-consuming, you must persist and find a way to make it work. Where there’s a creative will, there’s a way, especially if it’s an idea you wholeheartedly believe in.
The first part of my career was primarily in entertainment news, working on Entertainment Tonight and its sister show, The Insider. Over a decade later, I was fortunate enough to transition to a talk show, a rare opportunity in the industry for which I was truly grateful. I became an Associate Producer for the inaugural season of Rachael Ray’s daytime talk show. I knew I had to stand out among other producers who already had extensive talk show experience. Having secured several big exclusive stories for Entertainment Tonight, I was no stranger to big, out-of-the-box creative ideas. Now, I wanted to make my mark in the talk show space.
In April 2006, we were in pre-production for the new talk show, which hadn’t aired yet—we hadn’t even started taping. The show was still being put together, creating story segments, booking celebrities, and laying out all the recipes as they would appear in each episode. One morning before work, as I was in the shower getting ready (yes, it happened in the shower), I thought to myself: I wonder if any celebrity chef has ever had their recipes freeze-dried and flown into outer space on the Space Shuttle. Would my executive producer think I was nuts pitching her the idea? Would NASA even pick up my call, considering I didn’t know anyone there?
That morning, I went into our offices and walked into my executive producer’s office. We had a built a great relationship having worked together for over a decade at Entertainment Tonight, and she was instrumental in bringing me onboard at Rachael. I pitched her the idea of putting Rachael’s meals into outer space and got the go-ahead to see if I could make it happen. I mean it was worth a try, right? I don’t know if either one of us, at that moment thought it would actually be possible, but why not try. So, I searched the internet for a number at NASA, got transferred around a bit, but eventually got on the phone with their publicist. I knew the Shuttle’s next launch was in December 2006, and we would be in our third month on the air by then. It could be a huge opportunity for both Rachael and our show, but the real question was whether such a short turnaround would work for NASA. Plus, I had no idea what type of approvals would be needed for such a huge government organization and whether they would even allow this idea to happen.
After some emails, calls, and working with NASA personnel to get the appropriate approvals, it was a go. I worked with Rachael and her longtime producer, Emily Rieger, to select the three recipes she wanted to go up on the space mission. We got a crew together and headed down with Rachael to Houston to shoot B-roll and the behind-the-scenes process of freeze-drying Rachael’s meals as they prepped them for outer space. On December 9, 2006, at 8:47 PM EST, three of Rachael Ray’s meals launched on the Space Shuttle Discovery, making her the only celebrity chef to ever achieve that honor.
I never imagined it was possible, but a creative idea sparked in my mind while I was showering and getting ready for work. Creativity can strike at any moment, whether big, like outer space, or small. Where there’s a creative will, there’s always a way!

Steven , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’ve always been passionate about working in entertainment since I was a kid. When I was old enough to get a job, I started working at AMC Theaters. Coincidentally, the weekend I began, a little movie called “The Little Mermaid” (the original Disney animation) was released! Whoops, I just dated my self! Working at a movie theater in my hometown just outside of Philly was the closest I could get to Hollywood at the time.
When it came time for college, I majored in Radio-Television-Film. In my freshman year, I applied for the Walt Disney World College Program. Orlando was slowly becoming the next Hollywood with Disney and Universal opening up studios. My goal was to get as close to the productions as possible in hopes of landing a job on a show or film. I ended up working at Disney World for about four years in Attractions and Food and Beverage in the theme parks, all while trying to break into Production.
Unfortunately, Disney and Universal eventually closed down their soundstages and converted them into attractions. They were flying production teams in from LA to work in Orlando, but financially, it wasn’t working out for them. With the soundstages closed and productions moving back west, I knew where I had to go. I got in my car and drove across the country to Los Angeles. I had never been to LA, didn’t know anyone, and the only thing I knew about LA was what I saw in magazines and on TV.
I ended up living in a motel in West Hollywood for almost three months, mailing in resume after resume. Back in the ’90s, you couldn’t email resumes or apply online; you had to mail everything to the studios. I probably sent out about 150-200 resumes, no joke! I was doing everything I could. I got one postcard back from E! Entertainment Television saying they received my resume. My hopes were kind of falling apart as my bank account dwindled down to nothing.
In Hollywood, they say it’s all about who you know, so I made it a point to get out there and meet people. Being new in town, I also needed to make friends. I was fortunate to meet and become friends with Dan Glosser, who worked in the music clearance department at Paramount Pictures. Dan was incredibly gracious and personally handed my resume to the Page Department. He was the one who opened my first door in the entertainment industry—a huge door and I am forever grateful to him! What I did with that open door was up to me. A Page in the industry is a glorified tour guide, production assistant, and temp all rolled into one. The great thing about being a Page is that it gets you in the door, provides clear access and visibility, and is a huge jump starter for an entertainment career. I ended up interviewing with hundreds of applicants. They were only choosing eleven, and I was thrilled to be one of them. My struggling adventure in LA had just taken a major leap!
As a Paramount Pictures Page, you had to remain in the job for a minimum of six months but couldn’t keep it for longer than a year and a half. The goal of being a Page is to secure a job in the industry. After two weeks of training, I started giving tours and working on shows like Moesha, Frasier, Soul Train, and Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place (a Ryan Reynolds ’90s sitcom). My life had completely turned around; I was now in the middle of Hollywood. My next goal was to accelerate and move onto a show in any capacity I could.
Being a Page not only allows you to make connections but also gives you internal access to on-the-lot job availability. In my seventh month as a Page, Entertainment Tonight (ET) contacted the Page Department looking for a receptionist. I jumped at the chance! I interviewed and got the job. Seven months into my Page career, I was now in the end credits of a national television show! I couldn’t believe it. I had started to accrue my television credits eight months after everything seemed like it was falling apart. I just kept pushing and pushing, jumping at any chance that came my way, and it happened!
For a decade, I worked my way up the ladder at ET, from Receptionist to Photo Editor to Coordinating Producer. In the 90s, Entertainment Tonight was a relentless, around-the-clock powerhouse, constantly breaking the latest entertainment news! Working under the guidance of our Emmy winning, Executive Producer, Linda Bell Blue, and alongside the talented ET producing team was an invaluable learning experience. When Janet Annino, one of our Co-Executive Producers at ET, became the Executive Producer of Rachael Ray’s daytime talk show, I eagerly seized the opportunity to relocate to New York City in 2006 and join the team to help launch the show.
The entertainment industry is incredibly unpredictable; shows can be canceled or shift at any moment. It’s crucial to stay informed and be ready to pivot quickly to your next opportunity. Building and maintaining connections while working on a show is essential for staying active in the industry. And remember, never burn bridges—you’ll need every connection you can get in this business!

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

The entertainment industry has been in a bit of a tailspin ever since COVID. Over the past few years, I’ve had to pivot a couple of times. I will be honest, pivoting is not easy, especially when you are a creative and you’ve been working in the industry for a long time. It can be challenging, it can be a bit of an emotional rollercoaster. At first you feel like you are leaving something behind and that you might be missing out. I believe the key to pivoting, especially in entertainment, is to find a job that runs parallel to your career. This way, you can strengthen and expand your existing skills. For anyone in entertainment, pivoting is usually temporary. Once the opportunity arises to return to the industry, most creatives would jump right back int! Why not return with more knowledge than you had before? In my case, I worked in the Marketing and Promotions department of a top casino in Southern California. There, I created and marketed monthly events, VIP parties, and large events like New Year’s Eve. This role fulfilled my creative cravings while also helping me gain valuable marketing skills.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Taking a leap of faith and moving blindly to Los Angeles was definitely a pivotal moment for me. Driving across the country from Orlando, not knowing what lay ahead, was both terrifying and exhilarating. My parents didn’t understand why I needed to do this, and I think they were even more scared and nervous for me than I was! Living in LA without knowing anyone and having my family all the way across the country made me feel lonely at times. But I knew I had to persevere.
I used to drive 35 miles south to Disneyland, not because I could afford to enter the park, but to sit in the lobby of the Disneyland Hotel. The familiar scents in the lobby reminded me of the Walt Disney World Hotels, where I had worked for five years. Those smells always relaxed and comforted me. Once I landed the Page job at Paramount, my parents felt more at ease about my blind journey west, and I knew all my efforts had been worth it!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://pap215ent.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stevetvproducer/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/steven.rosso.3
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-rosso-45681377/
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/pap215entertainment/?hl=en (My Company Instagram)

Image Credits

My personal photo credit (sitting on the rock in boots) is…….. Eugene W. Coates | [email protected]

For my photo with the Emmy – I own the photo…..credit needed for the statue use is …… ©ATAS/NATAS