Why Terry Crews Wants to Be a Millionaire

Terry Crews is keeping plenty busy. The former pro footballer — who plays Sgt. Jeffords on Fox'sBrooklyn Nine-Nine, stars in The Expendables 3 (out August 15) and is Old Spice's commercial spokesman — can now add game-show host to his résumé. The actor will emcee 170 episodes of the syndicated Who Wants to Be a Millionairenext season. Crews explains how he's juggling his moonlighting gig.

TV Guide Magazine: On top of all your other projects, how did you find time to start hosting a game show?

Terry Crews: Here's what I found out: You have time. You just have to prioritize. I've done 75 episodes already of Millionaire. One thing I discovered is that most actors want to work that hard. As long as I really want to do it, things get done. I like being busy.

TV Guide Magazine: How were you allowed to do this? Brooklyn Nine-Nine comes from Universal TV and airs on Fox, and you're hosting Millionaire for Disney.

Crews: The miracle was that Universal, Fox and Disney all approved it. That doesn't happen! That's when I knew it was for me. This was my destiny.

TV Guide Magazine: How does the Millionaire schedule work?

Crews: We tape five episodes at a time. It's not scripted. It's in real time; you're playing a real game with people. So it's not that bad. I do it on hiatus weeks.

TV Guide Magazine: What is it about Millionaire that made you jump at the opportunity to host it?

Crews: It was a chance to show myself, to be me. But also a chance to change daytime [television]. And it's a nice thing. You're giving money away. Daytime is all slutty and pretty nasty: "You are not the father!" It's a seedy world. I wanted to be a bright spot. I like to see myself as a big, 240-pound Oprah giving away money. You get to connect with real people and a live audience. I don't get that [on Brooklyn Nine-Nine]. It's that live factor when you say a joke and everyone's laughing. I need it.

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