Scott Evanswas readying for the NAACP Image Awards on a summerlike Thursday morning in Southern California.
The "Access Hollywood" host, with freshly bleached blonde hair, sat down virtually from his Los Angeles pad to discuss his hit podcast "House Guest" and his pair of nominations in the celebration of Black American achievement.
The red-carpet reporter, 39, was up for the popular audio series filmed at his home. "I want to win," Evans told USA TODAY on Feb. 26, adding that he loved thinking about "what it would do to all of those people out there who have like an idea or a dream."
Since his self-funded show launched in June 2024, Evans has aired revealing talks for his fan base of "neighbors" with a revolving roster of VIPs, including Destiny's Child memberKelly Rowland, comedian Chelsea Handler, "Saturday Night Live" alum Leslie Jones andBeyoncé'smom, businesswoman Tina Knowles.
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But his most notable get came in September when he sat down with formerVice President Kamala Harris– and shared salty slices of her favorite, anchovy pizza, prepared by Evans – during a taping of "House Guest."
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The interview featured Harris seemingly at her most candid, marrying the worlds of pop culture and politics. The former VP expressed her thoughts aboutPresident Donald Trump, dished about her marriage to former second gentleman Doug Emhoff, and kicked off her fall press tour for the bestselling campaign memoir "107 Days."
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Evans, a New Jersey native, took the long road to podcasting stardom. He spent the bulk of his childhood in Indianapolis.According to a Mr. Feelgood essay from 2021, Evans received a full scholarship to Purdue University and started his undergrad in Indiana, but dropped out to pursue Hollywood dreams.
Evans remembered his namesake uncle talking to him as he packed a car to leave Indiana for Los Angeles.
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"He was watching, he said to me, 'So if this don't work out, what's the backup plan?' I said, 'Man, there is no backup plan.'" Evans' career began at 19, as the youngest person in history to emcee the Indiana Pacers' NBA games and the WNBA's Indiana Fever home matchups.
In 2012, Evans began anchoring the national broadcast "Channel One News," which counts among its alumni CNN's Anderson Cooper, Fox's Brian Kilmeade, former E! News star Maria Menounos and sisters Lisa and Laura Ling.
'I want to see someone in a way I've never seen them'
A big break arrived in 2015 when Evans'first "Access" interviewfeatured pop superstarTaylor Swiftduring her "1989" era. "The interview was supposed to be a seven-minute interview," he recalled. "It ended up being like a 22-minute interview." He officially joined "Access" as East Coast correspondent, and, as his star rose at the network, he hosted the NBC competition "World of Dance" and the entrepreneurial contest "America's Big Deal."Evans eventually signed a talent and development deal with parent company NBCUniversalin 2021.
Evans now co-hosts "Access" along with Mario Lopez, Kit Hoover and Zuri Hall. He also independently launched "House Guest" in 2024 with production partner Dale Wilkinson and theirSummer Break Studios.
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"I want to experience someone in a way I've never experienced them, and so the best way to do that is to invite them to your home," Evans said of the homebound concept. Episodes are released every other Friday at 8 PM ET.
"House Guest" became an instant hit, scoring buzzy appearances, beginning with his first invitee, "Wicked" star Cynthia Erivo. The idea, he said, was to offer a different entry point for celebrity interviews: "It was like, 'OK, so we can also keep doing this rat race, or we can give up that race altogether and nurture this, our garden," Evans said.
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Other visitors include actor Taye Diggs, R&B songstress Muni Long, actress Meagan Good, multihyphenates Andra Day and Keke Palmer, plus the other Scott Evans – a friend of Evans – who was cast in Greta Gerwig's "Barbie."
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The most special guest in his view arrived at Evans' home on Sept. 13, 2025. Harris' team called and said she wanted one of her first public interviews after leaving the vice presidency tobe on "House Guest."
She brought a large bag of nacho cheese Doritos, a beloved Harris fare, for Evans' celebrated chip drawer and a scented candle featuring her own signature aroma with hints of jasmine fromLos Angeles-based candle company Voyage et Cie. Evans thought it was "cool" that Harris was in tune with the show's themes.
In a white blazer, a matching T-shirt and blue jeans, Harris told Evans he needed his own signature scent, declaring his flavor profile "woodsy." Evans cooked an anchovy pizza in an oven bought for the occasion and the pair spilt the tea over French fries.
Opening up to Evans about writing "107 Days," Harris told the host that "it's probably more candid than I have been in a long time." She went on to say, "I shared more than I normally have." She shared more than usual during her "House Guest" appearance, too.
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Referring to a viral video comedian Wanda Sykes released after the 2024 debate between Trump and Harris, in which she sympathized with the vice president, Harris seemingly agreed that she did want to call Trump an expletive in that moment. "You saw it, right? When she did that?" she asked Evans, who replied in part, "I can't imagine that's actually where you were in that moment on that stage." Harris pursed her lips, looking directly at the "House Guest" host.
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"Okay, I could be corrected!" he proclaimed. The casual video went viral on social media. In other interviews about "107 Days," Harris was more buttoned up.
Evans walked the red carpet at the NAACP Image Awards on Feb. 26, almost exactly six months after the Harris episode dropped on Sept. 25 of last year. He lost the award for best host to former CNN star Don Lemon and Jennifer Hudson won the trophy for best talk show.
But the following week, Evans returned to the red carpet to interview celebrities at The Actor Awards, formerly the Screen Actors Guild Awards, with Bravo breakout starPaige DeSorbo. NBC cancelled "Access" on Friday, March 13, according toThe Hollywood Reporter."House Guest" willhead out on a live tour– taking his home setup to listeners' hometowns – in New York on April 1, Atlanta on April 12, and a May 3 stop in Chicago.
While backing up his car all those years ago, Evans told his Uncle Scott he had no backup plan. And now his neighborhood reaches all around the world.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Scott Evans of 'Access' put Kamala Harris at ease on 'House Guest'
