Tom Bergeron on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

What a blast to sit down again with the just honored inaugural recipient of The Sam Rubin Award from The Critics Choice Association and Emmy-Winner, Tom Bergeron. The humble humanitarian was as funny and feisty as ever regaling us with one show biz gold story after another and commanding us to Google what he deemed unworthy of repeating (why he left the “dancing show”). He actually scooped it on this very show almost two years ago to the day.

We started with Tom’s current FLiRT with COVID, other than some residual fatigue, in under two weeks, thankfully, it’s in the rear-view. His daily routine, well, most of it anyway, and how structure affords him freedom. We talked his and Lois’s favorite and current binges, Midsomer Murders and The Veil, for two, and favorite people. Carl Reiner, how they met, and how their friendship developed, likewise, Dick Van Dyke, and William Shatner… or Bill, as he calls him, with whom he has a show optioned - oh please let it get made so we get to be a fly on their snarky friendship wall! He told a great story about Mel Brooks and Bill Cullen.

We talked his early years - high school - as a DJ - interviewing Larry Fine and Moe Howard and surprising and delighting his classmates. His crush on “my nun,” and his surprise many years later. Getting a morning show, and then, a weekly children’s TV show, which ultimately led to…Hollywood Squares - fabulous stories about Whoopi, Simon, Gilbert! Sad sweetness about his America’s Funniest Home Videos compadre, Bob Saget, and losing John Ritter.

Tom mostly slid over “the dancing show” this go-‘round, other than his extreme gratitude and readiness after 15 years to be done with it. He said he’s done with hosting - but admits, you never know if the exact right thing were to come along… but, he’s enjoying retirement. For now. He’s writing, a novel… about 500 words a day, and he likes his characters… who knows what’ll come. I’m putting my money on that Shatner/Bergeron bromantic comedy! Come on boys, with the state of the world, we could sure use the laughs.

I adore this man, touched to the core that he remembered my Samantha when talking about his. They’re both getting married. Mazel Tovs all around! Here’s to friends who show up every two years and always bring their A game. I’ll be smiling for days.

Tom Bergeron on Game Changers With Vicki Abelson

Wednesday, 6/26/24, 5 pm PT, 8 pm ET

Streamed Live on my Facebook

Replay here:

https://bit.ly/4bookDg