EXCLUSIVE! Dan Cortese's Weight Loss Show, Family Life

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Dan Cortese talks family life and going "Money Hungry"!

It's been a decade and a half since we first developed crushes on -- oops!, learned about -- Dan Cortese. Back then he was the cute, cool host of "MTV Sports" before landing gigs on major series like "Seinfeld" and "What I Like About You." Today Dan Cortese is a family man, a TV staple (how much did we love him on "Castle"?!) and host of VH1's weight loss reality series, "Money Hungry."

Dan Cortese chatted exclusively with LimeLife on the inspiration behind shedding pounds, raising a down-to-earth family in Hollywood, and, yes readers, we heard your requests: what it means to be a fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

LimeLife: Dan, you're busy!

Dan Cortese: Yes! It's a good thing!

LimeLife: It's a really good thing! So we asked readers what they wanted us to ask you, and since I'm from Western Pennsylvania, instantly we had a lot of Steelers questions. You're from Pittsburgh too, right?

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Dan Cortese: Yeah, it's funny, I've lived in L.A. for 20 years and I met a guy at a party a couple months ago and he says, "Oh, you're from Pittsburgh?"

And I said, "Yeah."

He goes, "Oh, you a Steelers fan?"

And I said, "Yes."

He said, "Die-hard?"

And I said, "There's no other kind."

There's not a "by-day" Steeler fan. If you're a Steeler fan, you're a die-hard. And the irony is, I'm taking my kids back to see my parents next weekend, and of course I check: Steelers pre-season game? They're away. The Pirates had just ended a nine-game homestand. I promised my kids I would take them to see a football game or a baseball game, but it looks like we might have to wait until we get back to Los Angeles (laughs).

LimeLife: Dan, what I love about you is that all these years, you've been known as the dude's-dude, but you actually represent the male population really well. You just seem like a genuine guy.

Dan Cortese: Well thank you. I try to be.

LimeLife: Is that a conscious effort for you?

Dan Cortese: Maybe to a certain extent, but also I probably should give some credit to my parents. It's just the way I was raised. I was the youngest of four kids, and growing up in Western Pennsylvania -- it wasn't a lavish lifestyle. I started working at the age of 12 shining shoes at Sewickley Heights Country Club and then caddying, and then once I got old enough started parking cars there. But you know, if you treat people with dignity and respect, you usually get that in return. Again, I think it's the Pennsylvania upbringing: what you see is what you get. If I like you, I'm gonna tell you I like you. If I love you, I'm gonna give you a kiss. You don't want to come across to anybody in any derogatory manner.

LimeLife: What about your wife Didi, does she help you stay grounded?

Dan Cortese: That's very important, you know, we've been together since my senior year of college. Everybody always asks, "So, is your wife in the business?" and I say, "No, thank god." She's an artist, she paints portraits -- she's a really talented painter. But the fact that she knew me before I achieved any amount of success, I think definitely helps to keep me grounded as well.

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LimeLife: And you have kids, right?

Dan Cortese: I have two kids, I have a son who's nine and a daughter who's six.

LimeLife: So if work's not busy enough for you, home definitely is! But let's talk about "Money Hungry," how did your hosting that come about?

Dan Cortese: [At first] I kinda thought, Well, weight loss shows, they seem to have been done. But they told the concept of the show where that these people would actually have to pay $10,000 of their own money to be in the competition, with the winning team taking everyone else's money and getting $100,000. So that to me was obviously something I've never heard of.

LimeLife: True, it's totally different.

Dan Cortese: So, I said to [the producers], "I have two questions -- One: is it actually their money, or are you guys going to give them 10 grand and say it's their money; and Two: are they wealthy people?"

They said, "No, it's their money, and it's real people who will feel a hit losing $10,000."

So I said, "We may actually get to see some reality in reality TV with this concept. After the first episode when people realize, 'I'm not gonna get my 10 grand back,' you're gonna see some people get more determined because they have something vested in this."

LimeLife: Has there been a moment on the show that's really moved you?

Dan Cortese: All of these people who were in this competition, the initial 24, were all inspiring because they were there and wanted to make a difference in their lives. But if I had to single out one, it's kinda tough, but there's one team on there call The Regulators -- Dave and Po. Po was a Samoan guy, and Dave was a big guy, six-foot-six, he weighed 440 pounds. And he was 25 years old. And obviously when you have these shows, you get people who just want to be on television. And, we had some of those. But Dave was talking early in the show about why he was there and how he raised the money -- he's a bouncer at a bar, super nice guy. He just said, "I'm 25, and I want to be a better husband for my wife. We want to start a family, and I want to do this for her." He was the only person who was doing it to be a better man. It's very touching.

LimeLife: And what do you prefer, hosting or acting?

Dan Cortese: You know, it really all depends. I moved to Los Angeles when I graduated from college to become an actor, but then I had this idea for the show MTV Sports and became a host first. I'm always intrigued, and I'll always try anything new that I haven't done before. But I thoroughly enjoy both and I really feel blessed that I've been able to make a living for 20 years doing one or the other. It's a dream come true when you're able to do what you love for a living.

No wonder we still love him! "Money Hungry" airs Mondays at 9/8c. Love the latest in onscreen news? Hit the links below. Come back to LimeLife this weekend for Dan Cortese's favorite salad recipe that's a must-try for Labor Day!