Danielle with…Tom Bergeron

Summary

Podcast Summary: Teen Beat – Danielle with…Tom Bergeron

Podcast: Teen Beat
Host: Danielle Fishel
Guest: Tom Bergeron
Air Date: June 3, 2026
Duration: ~49 minutes

Episode Overview

Danielle Fishel welcomes Tom Bergeron—legendary television host best known for Dancing with the Stars, America’s Funniest Home Videos, and Hollywood Squares—for a candid, engaging conversation. The episode journeys through Bergeron’s early career, hosting philosophy, memorable moments from his years on Dancing with the Stars, and insights into the "special sauce" behind the show’s enduring popularity.

Fishel, herself a Dancing with the Stars contestant and ‘90s television icon, focuses on exploring Bergeron’s untold stories, his approach to live television, the dynamics of reality TV, and personal growth both on-screen and off.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Tom Bergeron’s Career Path & Early TV Roots

• Radio Origins and Early TV (04:44–09:00)

  • Began as a radio DJ in New England before transitioning into TV at WBZ Boston.
  • Wraparound (R.A.P.): Weekend teen discussion show, where Bergeron fostered candid conversations without being "peer or parent."
    • Quote (07:14, Bergeron): "I'm not going to be either your parent or your peer. I just want to listen."
  • Moved on to People Are Talking, a live, host-driven daytime talk show with a broad array of guests, including President Jimmy Carter, Spike Lee, and New Kids on the Block.

• Breakout: Breakfast Time on FX (09:23–12:37)

  • Most beloved TV experience: Breakfast Time (94–96, FX), a chaotic, live morning show in a giant faux apartment with a vibrant ensemble cast.
  • Getting up at 3:30 AM to drive from Connecticut to NYC: "I was basically on the same sleep schedule as my kids." (10:56)

The Art of Hosting: Radio Skills, Presence, and Philosophy

• Transition from Radio to TV (12:37–14:24)
  • Radio taught him to speak "to one person," a skill he carried into TV.
    • Quote (13:14, Bergeron): "However big an audience you're shooting for, just remember you're only talking to one person."
  • Used an album cover with a woman's face on it to practice a personal connection at the mic.

Behind the Scenes: Dancing with the Stars Evolution

• How the Show Started (15:08–16:19)

  • Fishel and Bergeron reflect on the unlikely pitch for Dancing with the Stars and its UK predecessor.
  • ABC executive Andrea Wong faced skepticism: "Nobody would make eye contact with me." (16:12)

• Bergeron’s Approach as Host (16:32–22:16)

  • No professional dance experience—he played the role of the audience surrogate.
  • His job: respond in real-time, protect contestants from harsh critique, and keep the show moving.
    • Missed Len Goodman for his "just the right amount of snark." (17:44)
  • Fought to remove scripted jokes after season one to ensure authenticity.
    • Quote (19:00, Bergeron): "What's the point of [scripted jokes]?... Just, I'm asking you to trust me."
    • Writer's joke (20:33, Todd Thicke): "Here's where Tom kills your babies."

• Show’s Changing Drama and Production (20:54–24:32)

  • Bergeron was candid about not following the show after leaving, but returned as a guest judge due to showrunner Conrad Green.
  • Credits Conrad Green for rescuing the show's culture and tone during the "renaissance."
    • "...he's the reason I went back... Conrad being there made all the difference for me." (24:07–24:32)

The Magic of DWTS: Family, Support, and Memorable Contestants

• Special Sauce & Lasting Impact (27:45–29:07)
  • The show’s real draw: sense of family, camaraderie, and tsunami of affection among cast and crew.
  • Bergeron recalls Jerry Springer—who joined the show just to learn a waltz for his daughter’s wedding—as a standout contestant for his “absolute mensch” quality. (29:27–30:13)
  • Layla Ali’s emotional dance for her father, Muhammad Ali.

Authenticity in Entertainment & Navigating Criticism

• Athletes, Fairness, and Fan Critique (30:16–33:57)

  • NFL players adapted well due to coachability and team mentality.
  • On prior dance experience: "That ship has sailed"—it’s part of the show’s DNA now.
  • The importance of compelling (not just competent) TV: "...if you had a bunch of people who never danced before... you’d be going for the remote."

• Returning as Guest Judge (33:59–36:43)

  • Felt warmly welcomed, “like I never left.”
  • Shared about a fun behind-the-scenes video skit with Alfonso Ribeiro.

• Judging and Internet Trolls (36:43–38:16)

  • Online criticism is relentless and largely to be ignored: "Somebody scratching their shorts in their parents' basement typing..."

• Advice for Contestants (39:00–40:29)

  • Emphasizes attitude: “Don’t lose the joy, don’t lose the fun, don’t lose the absurdity of this environment.”
  • Use rehearsals to break tension and foster camaraderie.

DWTS Traditions and Funny Moments

• Spray Tans & Rituals (40:48–41:39)
  • Tom never got a spray tan: "I held out deliberately to be the pasty old white guy."
  • Jokes about needing Spray Tanners Anonymous.
  • Parties Bergeron threw to help different departments mingle—got to hear about “hangovers and hookups.” (40:45)

Judging Dance vs Journey

• Judges' Role (42:02–42:51)
  • "You can appreciate the journey, but ultimately, you have to judge the dance."
  • Emotions and story add television appeal, but technique and performance should rule scoring.

DWTS Future and The Host’s Role

• Future Franchise Moves (43:06–44:24)

  • Favors bringing back the intermediary results show so all US time zones can vote fairly.
  • Not keen on two seasons per year—would reduce overall anticipation.

• What Makes a Great Host? (44:39–45:51)

  • Quote (44:58, Bergeron): "Are you here now?... Not lose the joy of it and to not be in your head so much that you're not here now."
  • Bergeron credits his long meditation practice (Transcendental Meditation) for his ability to be present live on air. (45:53–47:34)
  • Advice for would-be hosts: cultivate presence, mindfulness, and make every moment count.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Live TV Presence:

  • "Live television... It’s an ability to be present. Are you here now? Are you in this moment, building as much potential as you can from the environment you’re in?" (44:58, Tom Bergeron)

• On the Authentic DWTS Experience:

  • "Don’t take it so seriously that you lose the joy, you lose the fun, you lose the absurdity of this environment. I mean, you’re in a makeshift ballroom with mirror balls and glitter... don’t lose sight of how deliciously ludicrous this all is." (39:42, Bergeron)

• On Family at DWTS:

  • "That to me is key, that what I would see every season when I was host was the obvious competitiveness among the couples, but also the support." (28:09, Bergeron)

• On Criticism:

  • "You gotta let that roll off your back and just do the job. … you’re not going to please everybody. That would be boring." (37:29–37:45, Bergeron)

• On the Value of Meditation:

  • "Meditation builds through repetition, a mental muscle so that you’re better able to determine incoming stress ... and it has repercussions throughout your life." (45:55–47:46, Bergeron)

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Important Timestamps

• [04:44] — Tom Bergeron on early TV work and Wraparound
• [09:23] — Bergeron describes Breakfast Time as career highlight
• [13:14] — Philosophy: “You’re only talking to one person”
• [15:08] — Origin story of Dancing with the Stars
• [16:32] — No dance experience; being the audience’s surrogate
• [19:00] — Transition from scripted to spontaneous hosting
• [24:07–24:32] — Praise for showrunner Conrad Green ("the reason I went back")
• [27:56] — The “special sauce” of DWTS: community & support
• [29:27] — Jerry Springer story
• [39:00] — Advice to contestants: “Don’t lose the joy...”
• [44:39] — What makes a good host ("be present")
• [45:53–47:46] — Meditation and mindfulness for performers

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Final Thoughts

This episode is a heartfelt, witty behind-the-scenes exploration of not just Dancing with the Stars, but Tom Bergeron’s heartfelt approach to life and television. Listeners gain insight into industry culture, the resilience of a beloved host, and the enduring power of authenticity and joy—on camera, in the ballroom, and beyond. It’s a must-listen for anyone who loves reality competition, live TV, or simply great, wise storytelling.

Transcript

[Tom Bergeron]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Danielle Fishel]

Guaranteed Human.

[Jonas Brothers]

Hey, guys, it's us, the Jonas Brothers.

[Tom Bergeron]

I'm Joe.

[Jonas Brothers]

I'm Kevin. And I'm Nick. And guess what? We created our own podcast called hey Jonas. We invented a podcast. Well, we didn't invent it.

[Tom Bergeron]

We.

[Jonas Brothers]

We just contributed to it. The first people to do podcasts, we get to ask other people questions because we're sick and tired of being asked questions. Well, sick and tired is a strong

[Tom Bergeron]

way to put it, but, you know, tired and sick. Tired and sick.

[Jonas Brothers]

Listen to hey Jonas on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Just listen. We don't care where you hear it.

[Danielle Fishel]

This is Saigon, the story of my family and of the country that shaped us.

[Jonas Brothers]

From iheart Podcasts. Saigon. You don't think I'm serious about a free Vietnam? One city, a divided country and the

[Tom Bergeron]

war that tore America apart.

[Jonas Brothers]

This is for Vietnam.

[Danielle Fishel]

They're pouring petrol all over here.

[Tom Bergeron]

Freedom for Vietnam.

[Danielle Fishel]

There's a fire coming to this country and it's going to burn out everything.

[Jonas Brothers]

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[Tom Bergeron]

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[Danielle Fishel]

It's been a minute, but welcome back to Danielle with a podcast that at one time faithfully followed my journey from normal everyday plebe to exceptional, exceptional professional dancer and now, with announcements and events popping up all over pop culture, the season has returned. It's officially time to talk Dancing with the Stars. I'm excited to be diving back into the universe at the end of July at Dancing with the stars Con 26 in Palm Springs, California, where I'll be partaking in the festivities and endlessly complaining about the heat. Tickets available now, and They've already welcomed three new cast members for season 35, reality TV stars Maura Higgins and Sierra Miller, and Savannah Bananas baseball player Jackson Olson. But none of this could be possible without the contributions of this week's special guest. There's been a lot of Mount Rushmore talk on social media this year, and I think you'd be hard pressed to leave this legend off when it comes to Dancing with the Stars variation. Originally a radio DJ with stops in New Hampshire and Boston, he did the unthinkable and did have a face for tv, landing local hosting spots including a teenage discussion series called Wraparound spelled R A P. I'm gonna need to know everything about that. And then the floodgates opened. Three years at FX and Fox, guest hosts on Good Morning America and a gig that landed him the Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Outstanding Game Show Host, Hollywood squares. Then for 13 years, he was the face of America's Funniest Home Videos, still the show's longest tenured host, introducing dudes getting hit in the genitals, which led to another Emmy winning spot, the master of ceremonies for Dancing with The Stars from 2005 to 2020. He co hosted the Emmys in 2008, wrote a best selling autobiography in 2009, and made his triumphant return to the ballroom last year, a hopeful sign that we will get to see him even more during this new renaissance of the show. Also, we work out at the same gym. This week I'm honored to welcome to Danielle with a pioneer of reality and competition tv, Tom Bergeron.

[Tom Bergeron]

Well, I just have to tell you, after hearing of all my accomplishments, I'm exhausted.

[Danielle Fishel]

Aren't you tired?

[Tom Bergeron]

I'm just, I have to go lie down now.

[Danielle Fishel]

No wonder you just want to stay in your home and have food delivered, you know?

[Tom Bergeron]

Yeah, it's. We were, Danielle and I were talking just before we invited you in that, that I could become a recluse very happily with streaming services and Instacart and Doordash and Zoom. I mean, why leave, why leave your house?

[Danielle Fishel]

Why leave your house? You know, my mom actually has been saying that for years, long before the streaming services in the Zoom, whenever we would pitch the Idea of going camping, my mom would say. But I've worked very hard for this house. Why would I want to pretend I don't have one?

[Tom Bergeron]

Yeah, exactly. Why go into a smaller version, you know, where we're all bumping into each other.

[Danielle Fishel]

Exactly. Well, it's my absolute pleasure to get to sit here with you for the podcast. I did mention in your intro that we go to the same gym, and there is not a single person at our gym who doesn't say what an absolute lovely gem of a human being you are.

[Tom Bergeron]

Oh, stop.

[Danielle Fishel]

I mean,

[Tom Bergeron]

I have to say, at the outset, one thing I really missed when I went back to be a guest judge for the 20th. You were voted off, like, the week before, Right?

[Danielle Fishel]

I know. I missed you.

[Tom Bergeron]

We missed you by that much.

[Danielle Fishel]

I know. I think so, yeah. Because what week were you there? Was the.

[Tom Bergeron]

I think it was week nine.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah, I was voted off week eight.

[Tom Bergeron]

So, yes, the 20th celebration was week nine. Yeah, sorry about that.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah, I was there. I was just sitting in the audience now going, hey, everyone. Well, first of all, I'm gonna need to get wraparound out of the way first. This was a weekend TV show with troubled teens at WBZ in Boston, right?

[Tom Bergeron]

Yeah, yeah, they were at all troubled. They were probably troubled about it on a par with me.

[Danielle Fishel]

Okay.

[Tom Bergeron]

But, yeah, it was a really cool format. It was me with a different high school or high schools every week talking about issues specific to teens. And some of them were, you know, like peer pressure, gang influences in and around the Boston area, etc. So I only had one rule. I said, I'm. I'm. I'm not going to be either your parent or your peer.

[Danielle Fishel]

Okay.

[Tom Bergeron]

I just want to listen, and I'm going to respond with my natural curiosity based on what you're telling me. Once we establish what the topic for any given show is. And we sat around together on. On these cushioned. It was a really cool, like, graffiti laden set that they came up with. And we. I did that for a couple seasons on. On the. What was then the NBC affiliate in Boston.

[Danielle Fishel]

Wow. I mean, how did you get that job? Because with all due respect, when I think of gang violence and hip hop music, my first thought is not, yeah,

[Tom Bergeron]

the whitest man in America. When I would show up. When I would show up for Hollywood Squares because we'd shoot during the summer, and I'd show up, you know, in a T shirt and shorts because the wardrobe people had my clothes hanging up, and Whoopi would look at me and go, those are the whitest legs in America. So I had been doing other stuff at that station at BC and I had done a magazine show for younger kids called Super Kids prior to wraparound. And then I started hosting the midday talk show called People are Talking which was on the Westinghouse stations. Oprah did the one in Baltimore as a matter of fact, at one time. And as a result of that they said, hey, would you like to do another show? Just a weekend show that we taped during the week just with, with kids.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Tom Bergeron]

And I, I thought well that's, you know, I'm, I think at that point I was a new dad as well.

[Danielle Fishel]

Oh.

[Tom Bergeron]

So I wanted to see what I was in for.

[Danielle Fishel]

Exactly.

[Tom Bergeron]

Yeah.

[Danielle Fishel]

Well, you had just started to make a name for yourself as, as a host. Apparently you were so good that people wanted you on other shows you mentioned People are Talking and like you said, it was a big regional talk show with guests like Spike Lee, New Kids on the Block, Roseanne Barr and other very time relevant names. And then this was in the Donahue or format of the era. Was this your style of talk show? It's very host reliant. So you had to love it.

[Tom Bergeron]

It was, I, what I loved about it was it was like cramming for an exam every night because five days a week for one hour midday live, which I love live. It was a given topic or guest. One of my favorite guests, he was on twice with me was President Jimmy Carter. The late Jimmy Carter, wonderful guest. And, and we ran the gamut from, from sublime to ridiculous on, on that format. But my favorite, my absolute favorite experience, hosting on television. And this might surprise people who think, well, it's got to be America's Funniest Videos or Dancing with Stars. It's not. It's Breakfast Time on FX, which I co hosted from 94 to 96. And it was set in a 6,500 square foot apartment in the Flatiron district of New York. Made for television. And it was just. And the cast was incredible. And I loved going to work every day. I'd get up in Connecticut at 3:30 in the morning.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Tom Bergeron]

And drive to Manhattan. So I'd get there the office at about 5 and you know, loved it. Not that part of it, but I love the actual show.

[Danielle Fishel]

What was your bedtime for a 3:30 wake up.

[Tom Bergeron]

It was early as a matter of. And the girls were. See our daughters at that point were probably 2, 6 and 4.

[Danielle Fishel]

Okay.

[Tom Bergeron]

So Lois, my wife actually got them a board game called Don't Wake Daddy. And I was basically on the same sleep schedule as my kids. Yeah, yeah, exactly.

[Danielle Fishel]

I actually know that schedule well because my husband did morning radio out in LA when we first got married. And so he had a very similar 4am alarm clock. And I said, listen, I'm pregnant. Let's just start getting on that baby schedule. So we'd go to bed at 8:30 and then get up at 4. It's actually kind of glorious. So what was breakfast time about?

[Tom Bergeron]

Well, it was about two hours

[Danielle Fishel]

and then a nap.

[Tom Bergeron]

Yeah, it was kind of a gonzo version of a morning television show. We had news and weather and guests and all that, but we did it in almost a morning zoo kind of format. It was like a radio show on television.

[Danielle Fishel]

Great.

[Tom Bergeron]

There are compilation videos on YouTube and you can type in my name in breakfast time. And just you. I'm the guy with the brown hair in those videos. But yeah, it was just wonderful. My co host was Lori Hibbert. Now Lori Gelman, married to Michael Gelman.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Tom Bergeron]

What is it? Kelly and somebody else now? Mark or Regis or. No, Regis is gone.

[Danielle Fishel]

I think it's Mark. Yeah, Mark.

[Tom Bergeron]

Thank you. Well, anyway, Lori's married to Gelman.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Tom Bergeron]

And. But we, we just hit it off. I've been very fortunate with. With co hosts over the years.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah. Well, as I mentioned, my husband being a morning radio DJ and you said like a morning zoo type thing. Do you. We, we love radio. We think radio is just one of the greatest formats ever. Do you think it is something. There's something special about that skill set that helps with the transition then to tv?

[Tom Bergeron]

That's a really good question. And I think you're spot on. I think the thing that I always tell aspiring broadcasters, podcasters, whatever, is that however big an audience you're shooting for, just remember you're only talking to one person.

[Danielle Fishel]

Right.

[Tom Bergeron]

And that was really. As a matter of fact, when I first started in radio, Danielle, I had in my hometown in Massachusetts so that I could focus on one person. I had an album cover on the other side of the microphone that had this really attractive woman's face on it. I couldn't tell you what band it was or.

[Danielle Fishel]

Right.

[Tom Bergeron]

But I'm sure that for the first couple of years of my career, I just sounded horny.

[Danielle Fishel]

You're like, I'm going to keep my eyes locked on this one.

[Tom Bergeron]

But I think that keeping that in mind that you're talking to one person, that was something easy to develop in radio because you're kind of in a room by yourself unless you have a morning team. Around you.

[Danielle Fishel]

Right.

[Tom Bergeron]

And. And then for television, it was funny. There was one, one time on Dancing the Stars, some friends from the east coast were in the audience visiting. And during a commercial break, my buddy Greg called me over. He goes, tom, you know, there's so much noise here in the ballroom, I can't hear you when you're talking. And I said, well, that's all right. I'm not talking to you. Nothing I'm saying to that person on the other side of the lens.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah, exactly. I know. I have noticed. I've been to hosting the American Idol official podcast, and Ryan Seacrest, of course, is the host of that show. Another legendary host. And whenever he's talking, he's just. It's this absolute same volume. Everyone in the audience is going crazy. No one knows what he's saying or when he's even done saying it, but he's not talking to us.

[Tom Bergeron]

That's right.

[Danielle Fishel]

You mentioned Dancing with the Stars. And I always imagine the first time somebody hears the pitch for the show, and I think this. It must have just sounded insane. It's not like ballroom dancing was having a moment or anything. And then this concept of teaching celebrities how to do it, it kind of sounds like a car wreck.

[Tom Bergeron]

Well, you know, yes and no. I mean, there was a. There was some momentum for ballroom at that time. There was the movie Strictly Ballroom.

[Danielle Fishel]

Okay.

[Tom Bergeron]

I think Richard Gere and JLo were in it. And as a matter of fact, that's why the mothership, which had been called Come Dancing for years, added illogically, Strictly on, because they were sort of, you know, in the slipstream of the success of that movie.

[Danielle Fishel]

I see.

[Tom Bergeron]

And Strictly Come Dancing shifted from being, I think originally it was like a weekend legit ballroom professional show. And then they started adding the celebrity element and moved it to prime time, and it blew up in it.

[Danielle Fishel]

Okay.

[Tom Bergeron]

So that's what prompted the head of entertainment programming at the time, Andrea Wong, to pitch an American version of that. And she told me later, once we were established in the hit, she said, tom, when I was in that room pitching it, nobody would make eye contact with me.

[Danielle Fishel]

It's like, this is uncomfortable.

[Tom Bergeron]

She's killing her career right now. We're watching it happen. Yeah.

[Danielle Fishel]

And turn away from the car wreck.

[Tom Bergeron]

That's right. So she had a pretty big I told you so in her back pocket for quite some time.

[Danielle Fishel]

Boy, I love that. Did you have any dance knowledge going into it?

[Tom Bergeron]

No, I barely have any now. Yeah. No, I didn't at all. The only knowledge I had was, you Know, being comfortable hosting live television. And in. In some ways, that was an advantage because I became your surrogate as the viewer. I was learning while you were learning, you know, And, I mean, I have some dance lingo, but I. I said to everybody when I showed up to be a guest judge in November, I said, I'm not gonna be critiquing technique. I'm just going to tell you emotionally what I felt watching the dance, because, you know, Derek and Carrie and Bruno, they've got the technique stuff down.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah. You're not going to compete with them.

[Tom Bergeron]

No.

[Danielle Fishel]

For that.

[Tom Bergeron]

No. I wouldn't even pretend to have any of that knowledge, but I could. I could critique based as a viewer and. And my role, I think, when I hosted it over the years, was to basically protect you guys, you know, from the judges. Len, God bless him, I did miss him when I was back. I wish he was still with us.

[Danielle Fishel]

Everybody misses. Everybody misses.

[Tom Bergeron]

That's a. Such a wonderful, lovely man with just the right amount of snark.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yep, exactly. Yes.

[Tom Bergeron]

And, you know, sometimes the judges were a little harsh, and I try to be like a comedic shield between the couples and the judges.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Tom Bergeron]

And tried and just keep the show moving. Just keep everything going, because, as you know, there are a lot of moving parts.

[Danielle Fishel]

There sure are. What can you tell me about that first season? Because I have to imagine it was like the Wild West.

[Tom Bergeron]

It. Yeah. It was the summer of 2005. Okay. I was on hiatus from America's Funniest Videos. So when ABC asked if I would host a summer show, I thought, well, you know, sure, okay. Six weeks live tv. Why not expecting nothing of it other than it might be. It might come back next summer if it's a hit this summer. But, you know, we didn't know what we had. I mean, I was really skeptical about a celebrity ballroom show.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Tom Bergeron]

But I'll give it a go. What the heck. The one thing that I insisted on changing, by the time we got to season two, in season one, there were a lot of scripted jokes.

[Danielle Fishel]

Okay.

[Tom Bergeron]

And the joke writer is actually a friend of mine. He's award winning, great guy. But it always felt weird. I. I finally said to the producers, you know what? We're a live show.

[Danielle Fishel]

Right.

[Tom Bergeron]

I should be reacting in real time to what I'm seeing and feeling. And sometimes that might be with a joke, sometimes it might be with a hug.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Tom Bergeron]

You know, sometimes it's just. But to have something scripted days earlier.

[Danielle Fishel]

Right.

[Tom Bergeron]

That has no bearing on what we just saw. What's the point of that. So I made the pitch. I said, just, I'm asking you to trust me. And thankfully, they did. And from season two on, I pretty much abandoned having anything prepared other than getting you to the commercial and bringing you back into the show. Yes.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yes. That's so great. And in the script, just Tom reacts.

[Tom Bergeron]

Yeah, that was basically. Yeah.

[Danielle Fishel]

Whatever happened, Tom reacts.

[Tom Bergeron]

We'd be in script meetings and especially leading into season two, and I'd look at something thing that, you know, in. On its own was a good joke, but not germane to anything.

[Danielle Fishel]

Right.

[Tom Bergeron]

And I would go, I'm not doing that. As a matter of fact, on America's Funniest Videos, in the early years, before they kind of got my rhythm and my voice, we would sit in a room before the taping, and the head writer was Todd Thicke, and he would turn to the other writers, and he said, okay, guys, here's where Tom kills your babies.

[Danielle Fishel]

Don't be too attached to anything.

[Tom Bergeron]

Don't be too attach. Yeah.

[Danielle Fishel]

Now a lot of fans talk about how the focus of the show has moved away from the drama packages of the early days. The arguments between partners, the bickering. Do you miss that element at all? Is there room for it in 2026?

[Tom Bergeron]

I, in all candor, I hadn't been watching.

[Danielle Fishel]

Oh.

[Tom Bergeron]

So, yeah. So, you know, I. I had mixed feelings.

[Danielle Fishel]

You had mixed feelings. Yeah, exactly.

[Tom Bergeron]

So I wasn't really watching until the few weeks prior to being the guest judge. I mean, I still. I think that was evident when I was back. Have great fondness.

[Danielle Fishel]

Oh, yes.

[Tom Bergeron]

Everybody there and. And the people that I didn't have fondness for pretty much were all gone.

[Danielle Fishel]

We're gone. Yeah.

[Tom Bergeron]

It made it easy to. To come back, but. So I can't speak to how the. The. The packages have changed, but I will say, since Conrad Green came back as the showrunner, who was my original showrunner, the ship has been righted. I know it got a little rocky for a couple seasons there and seemed to spiral a bit, but I think Conrad got, you know, got back in there. And as I said on the show last November, you know, it's. It's having a ratings resurgence. And so whatever they're doing, whatever the. In terms of casting or the packages or the focus, they have adapted that show so brilliantly for now that it's. It's having a bit of a renaissance, and I couldn't be happier.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Tom Bergeron]

Somebody asked me on social media, Tom, you must have been aware that the ratings went down after they fired you and Aaron, you must have been really happy. And I said, no, I. I said I was aware of it, but, you know, there were a lot of friends of mine working on that show who I wanted to still have jobs.

[Danielle Fishel]

Right.

[Tom Bergeron]

So I took no, you know, I took no pleasure in that.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Tom Bergeron]

And I was just. What I did take pleasure in was seeing it catch itself.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Tom Bergeron]

And build into what it is again, especially in this environment.

[Danielle Fishel]

There has been a lot of love in the. In the, you know, mainstream media, certainly from the celebs and stuff, for Dina Katz. Dina Katz, her name comes up all the time. People talk about her. I would like to have just a moment where we do talk about Conrad, because Conrad's name doesn't necessarily get mentioned in the same way Dina's name gets mentioned. But one of the things I so appreciated about my experience on that show were the amount of times there were group meetings leading into the start of the show, and then during the season where they would let us know about something that was going to be going on. I don't think I've ever felt more genuinely protected than I did from Conrad, who made it very clear how much of an open door there was for anything we wanted to talk about and that if anything was going on, we shouldn't stay quiet about it. We shouldn't talk about it, you know, amongst ourselves. We could go directly to him. And it. I just. He truly was. The way he runs that show makes the people who are a part of it know that you are a family and you're working together and he's there for you if you need him.

[Tom Bergeron]

Really well said and absolutely spot on. And again, he's the reason I went back. I wouldn't. Had he not been at the helm, I wouldn't have gone back. As much affection as I have for all the other people, you know, I just had it been the regime I locked horns with. I mean, you know, well, frankly, if they were still running the show, it'd be off the air by now.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah, you're right. You're right.

[Tom Bergeron]

Yeah. But, yeah, Conrad being there made all the difference for me.

[Jonas Brothers]

Number one hits, millions of records sold, awards, sold out tours. You think the Jonas Brothers are satisfied?

[Danielle Fishel]

Nope.

[Jonas Brothers]

It's podcast time. We get to ask other people questions. Cause we're sick and tired of being asked questions.

[Danielle Fishel]

A Jonas is available now, and their

[Jonas Brothers]

first guest is a big one, Paul Rudd. You know, Steve Carell is a great singer.

[Tom Bergeron]

Didn't he tell you not to audition

[Jonas Brothers]

at the office or something?

[Tom Bergeron]

I told him, whoa.

[Danielle Fishel]

We were filming Anchorman.

[Tom Bergeron]

Clearly I was the idiot.

[Jonas Brothers]

Thank God he didn't listen to me, right? Listen to hey Jonas on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you're watching the latest season of the Real Housewives of Atlanta, you already know that's a lot to break down. Portia accusing Kelly of sleeping with a. Marri.

[Tom Bergeron]

They holding K. Michelle back from fighting.

[Jonas Brothers]

Drew Pinky has financial issues.

[Danielle Fishel]

I like the bougie style of Housewives show.

[Jonas Brothers]

I think it looks like it's gonna be interesting. On the podcast Reality with the King. I, Carlos King, recap the biggest moments from your favorite reality shows, including the Real Housewives franchise, the drama, the alliances, and the tea everybody's talking about. As an executive producer in reality television, I'm not just watching it. I understand the game. As somebody who creates shows, I'll even say this at the end of the day, when people are at home, they want entertainment. To hear this and more. Listen to Reality with the king on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Happy Pride from the Outspoken Podcast Network. All month long and all year round, we're celebrating being loud, proud, and always original. It's me, Brandon Kyle Goodman, host of the podcast Tell Me Something Messy. Check out my for unfiltered takes on dating, relationships and adulting.

[Tom Bergeron]

The more you get comfortable with someone, the more their real self comes out. They're gonna be gross.

[Jonas Brothers]

What's the grossest thing about a man burping?

[Tom Bergeron]

Shut it down.

[Jonas Brothers]

Listen to High Key for the best pop culture takes. And there are no girls on the Internet. For all your tech news. For your favorite celebrity Kikis, check out outlaws with T.S. madison. Wait, so Luke was the star? Yeah. And Bader was turned by RuPaul. Yeah, well, somebody turned into some old, old, old witch. Learn to love yourself unapologetically with BFF Black Fat Femme and start your day with intention with Waking up with Ryan. Coming in July. Celebrate Pride with the outspoken Network on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Open your free iHeartRadio app. Search Pride and listen now.

[Tom Bergeron]

Woogie came as fast as I could after Jesse called for help. It's been too long, cowboy. Toy Story Story five is only in

[Jonas Brothers]

theaters, so that's Lily Pad.

[Danielle Fishel]

What are you, some sort of old man toy?

[Jonas Brothers]

She thinks you're old because you're bald.

[Tom Bergeron]

Woody from Disney and Pixar.

[Jonas Brothers]

Toys are for play. Tech is for everything.

[Tom Bergeron]

It's toys versus tech.

[Danielle Fishel]

The screen just took over.

[Jonas Brothers]

Oh, it's happening.

[Tom Bergeron]

It's happening on June 19th.

[Danielle Fishel]

I want to talk to you. Device along Toys.

[Tom Bergeron]

I responded. I have plastic fingers. Disney Pixar's Toy Story 5. Rated PG.

[Jonas Brothers]

Parental guidance suggested only theaters June 19.

[Tom Bergeron]

Tickets available now.

[Danielle Fishel]

So what do you think is the special sauce of this show? Why do you think so many people who've been a part of it, myself included, walk away from it saying it's life changing?

[Tom Bergeron]

Well, I think that I can only base it on what I've seen in the years I hosted and what I've seen now that he's back and Alfonso and Julianne are there and Derek's in the center seat and all that.

[Danielle Fishel]

That.

[Tom Bergeron]

And. And I experienced it like a tsunami of affection when I. When I went back in November, and. And that, to me is key, that. That what I would see every season when I was host was the obvious competitiveness among the couples, but also the support among the couples, you know, who would. They'd walk into their. Somebody else's rehearsal and offer a few suggestions. Not. Not for sabotage.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Tom Bergeron]

But to genuinely help.

[Danielle Fishel]

Right.

[Tom Bergeron]

And. And. And that was lovely. And. And, you know, friendships that have lasted years after the show or the season they competed in. So, you know, that speaks to, I think, the. That kind of quality that you really. It was very well said about the environment Conrad creates. And so for, you know, a lot of my time there, he was at the helm.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Tom Bergeron]

And. And after he left, it was people that he had brought up through the ranks. So they, up until a certain point, had the same philosophy.

[Danielle Fishel]

Right. Is there a contestant you remember from your time on the show whose journey really stayed with you?

[Tom Bergeron]

You know, I probably could come up with a better example, but the one that always pops into my mind first is from an early season, and it was Jerry Springer. And, you know, because I. I'd only known him for his talk show, which, you know, was, you know, who's the father?

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah, yeah.

[Tom Bergeron]

You know, throwing. Yeah, yeah, yeah, the father. You know, all that stuff. So when I heard he had been cast, I went, really? But he turned out to be the sweetest guy, just absolute mensch. And he said the only reason he did the show was to learn how to waltz for his daughter's wedding.

[Danielle Fishel]

Oh.

[Tom Bergeron]

Which I thought was lovely. And she actually was in the audience at one point, and he was able to. I think he did the actual waltz.

[Danielle Fishel]

Oh. Beautiful.

[Tom Bergeron]

Layla Ali danced for her dad. Muhammad Ali was in the audience. And it was sort of at a point where the Parkinson's had taken his speech from him, and he was able to be there, and you could still see the. The sparkle in his eyes. So.

[Danielle Fishel]

Oh, those are such special moments. I'll never forget having my children in the ballroom when I dance. Like, I'll never forget that moment. So I will say, and this isn't just me trying to cope. It feels like nowadays contestants like Whitney Levitt or Alex Earl, these are superstar athletes basically doing insane moves different than the old celebrity trying to dance model like Andy Richter. Not naming any names.

[Tom Bergeron]

No, but, you know, but that's part of it. There's always been an aspect of the show going back to the early seasons where athletes were part of it or people who, you know, and it was no surprise to me that a lot of NFL players did so well because, you know, they're used to being coached. They're used to being part of a team mentality.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Tom Bergeron]

They tend not to have as many. Yes. People around them as some of the celebrities do from. From entertainment. So they're. They're better able to adapt to the environment, I think, of. Of dancing, but that's always been part of it. I. I used to say when. When people would say, oh, it's just a. It's a popularity contest, I said, well, look, if you want a pure ballroom competition, I would suggest pbs.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah, exactly. Yeah. We're still putting on a show that people want to tune into every week. Yeah.

[Tom Bergeron]

Here's a news flash. Bruno isn't that flamboyant off camera. He's just, you know, he. He ratchets it up. I mean, Len, God love him, he would, you know, sometimes be very direct and almost borderline hurtful with comments. He never was lying about his critique. He actually felt it. But he'd amp it up a little bit because we're doing a TV show, of course. And then he'd call me over during the commercial and he'd go, that was good. Right.

[Danielle Fishel]

Did you like it? Do you think it's fair to have prior dance experience before coming onto the show?

[Tom Bergeron]

Yeah, look, I think that ship has sailed. I mean, we've had. They've had people with prior dance experience going back.

[Danielle Fishel]

Oh, yeah.

[Tom Bergeron]

In 2006. I think so. Yeah. That's part of it.

[Danielle Fishel]

And.

[Tom Bergeron]

But by the same token, it's somebody like Andy Richter who really stole everybody's heart.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Tom Bergeron]

I think because he. He epitomized a lot of what the best parts of the show are. Somebody coming in completely out of left field.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Tom Bergeron]

And really embracing it and working hard and. And being supportive of the other Couple. I mean, it's just he kind of epitomized the best of the show. Now, did he deserve to win? No, of course not.

[Danielle Fishel]

Right, right.

[Tom Bergeron]

But you know, at the end of the day, it's. If you had a bunch of people who never danced before on a two hour show, you'd be going for the remote.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yes, exactly. Correct.

[Tom Bergeron]

There's only so much learning and fumbling around that you can see. You want to see some actual jaw dropping performances as well.

[Danielle Fishel]

Correct.

[Tom Bergeron]

So that's it. You know, it's a tough show to, to produce for all those reasons, because you're never going to please everybody 100 of the time.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yep.

[Tom Bergeron]

It's just not going to happen.

[Danielle Fishel]

You mentioned that the only reason you came back last year was because Conrad Greene was back. You felt like some, you know, your people were back. Were you, were you still nervous at all going back? I know it can be tied to a lot of emotions.

[Tom Bergeron]

Yeah, no, I wasn't, I was, I was really excited too, because it, you know, obviously I left in a manner that wasn't of my choosing.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Tom Bergeron]

And I, you know, I kind of grieved that, that camaraderie and that, that sense of work, family that, that we had really built over the 15 years I was there. So to go back, I think I posted when I was back for the rehearsal day, it was me with several of the dancers. And my, my caption was like, I never left.

[Danielle Fishel]

Oh.

[Tom Bergeron]

Because that's what it felt like. And I was just greeted so warmly by everybody. And it really felt like I had never left Alfonso. And I did a, a really, really funny video where he walks into what had been my dressing room and I'm on the couch meditating, which I always used to do between the dress rehearsal and the live show.

[Danielle Fishel]

Oh.

[Tom Bergeron]

And he comes in and he's going, Tom. I said, oh, I'm sorry, Alfonso. I'm just, you know, back in my old routine, meditating in my dressing room before the show.

[Danielle Fishel]

Oh, my gosh.

[Tom Bergeron]

He goes, wait a minute, Tom. Now this is. Was my dressing room. And as I stand up apologetically, I said, well, that explains why it took so long to pick the lock.

[Danielle Fishel]

Oh, that's cute.

[Tom Bergeron]

But it was just, it was lovely. It was a wonderful experience. It was. It put a nice sweet button on the time that I was associated with the show, and I couldn't have been happier. And Derek and Haley and Ray Chu, they built this incredible open that paid tribute to the original prose that took you.

[Danielle Fishel]

That was gorgeous.

[Tom Bergeron]

Journey and a dance journey through the entire 20 years of the show. And then. And of course, I'm. I'm waiting. I'm standing behind this massive LED wall.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yep.

[Tom Bergeron]

Which I know is going to open. I'll be backlit with smoke. I mean, it was, you know, my ego was in overdrive at that point, but it was just such a, a lovely gesture and, and you know, Derek's stated desire to really give me a nice entrance was so appreciated. So, yeah, I just had nothing but fondness about that night and going back.

[Danielle Fishel]

Well, you got a front row seat as a guest judge among Carrie Anne, Bruno and Derek, a few of whom found themselves with some online criticism this year. People never seem happy with the judging. How hard is that job?

[Tom Bergeron]

Well, it was easy for me. I was one and done. And also, you know, at the risk of just sounding like an old guy. Yeah. Don't. You know, these, these people online, these kids are happy about anything. The hell with them. You know, it's just, I mean, you got to take something seriously. Somebody, you know, scratching their shorts in their parents basement typing.

[Danielle Fishel]

Right.

[Tom Bergeron]

But, you know, you gotta let that roll off your back and just do the job. Yeah. You know, and just. Can you look in the mirror and say, okay, I'm doing it the way I think I should be doing it, people? You're not going to please everybody. That would be boring.

[Danielle Fishel]

Absolutely.

[Tom Bergeron]

Yeah. But I think, you know, that it's. It's really tough to see some of the, the, the vitriol, the, you know, just some of the stuff that they had to put up with.

[Danielle Fishel]

It's just, you know, especially Carrie Ann this year. I really feel like this year it was, it was just unfair.

[Tom Bergeron]

Yeah. And there's almost like a feeding frenzy, isn't there? So I was like, oh, who are we going to attack this season? Okay. It's gonna. And everybody just kind of gets on board. So I don't have a lot of patience for trolling.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah, I don't either. I really felt for Carrie Ann this year in particular. I really. There were a couple of times I went over to her privately and was just like, I am furious.

[Tom Bergeron]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Danielle Fishel]

When Alfonso came on the podcast, we talked about the one piece of advice he gave us all at the kickoff dinner, and that was to remember that it is a reality show at the end of the day. What would you say your one piece of advice for contestants joining the show would be today?

[Tom Bergeron]

Well, I'll answer it sort of indirectly.

[Danielle Fishel]

Okay.

[Tom Bergeron]

One of the things that I was known for. I don't think Alfonso probably followed in this respect, my dress rehearsals were really like NC17. They were. They were. I got everything out of my system right. In the dress rehearsals so that you

[Danielle Fishel]

didn't have to worry about it in

[Tom Bergeron]

the live show would have been canceled instantly. But the. The. The reason I did it was to break up the couples. Like, especially in those early weeks, it was a way of saying, don't take it. You know, do the work.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Tom Bergeron]

But don't take it so seriously that you lose the joy, you lose the fun. You lose the absurdity of this environment. I mean, you're in a makeshift ballroom with mirror balls and glitter and spray tanning and. And, you know, paddles and all. You know, don't. Don't lose sight of how deliciously ludicrous this all is.

[Danielle Fishel]

Totally.

[Tom Bergeron]

And so, you know, as opposed to maybe having a chat with you at a dinner, I. I put it into practice in the rehearsals as a way of saying. And then I would throw a party, which I think they still do mid season, so great that I would throw for the staff, cast, and crew, and there were no plus ones allowed.

[Danielle Fishel]

I love that.

[Tom Bergeron]

So it would just be different departments that might not otherwise mingle in the course of the season, because it's a. A big machine to put that show on the air. And they would all get to mingle, and later in the week, I'd get the benefit of hearing about hangovers and hookups.

[Danielle Fishel]

I love it.

[Tom Bergeron]

Yeah, it was great. It was money well spent.

[Danielle Fishel]

Perfect. You mentioned spray tans, which is something I have now not been able to shake since doing dancing with. Yeah, I really. Well, you know, I also did the tour, and I did a month of the tour, and I became just completely, completely obsessed with being tan all the time. Did you ever get a spray tan?

[Tom Bergeron]

No, I. I held out deliberately to be the pasty old white guy.

[Danielle Fishel]

Someone has to represent, huh? Someone has to represent.

[Tom Bergeron]

Yeah, exactly. So. No, I never did that. And I would. I would just caution you, Danielle, if you're. If you're still addicted.

[Danielle Fishel]

I am.

[Tom Bergeron]

There. There are spray Tanners Anonymous meetings all across the country.

[Danielle Fishel]

I'm gonna need that number.

[Tom Bergeron]

Yeah, yeah, you just. You'll see a lot of people in various stages of tanning.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah, exactly. Bright orange, pasty white. We're all there. We're all represented. Okay. Another thing I'd love your opinion on are people who are judging both the audience and the judges behind the desk. Should they be judging the dancing or the journey?

[Tom Bergeron]

Well, I think you can appreciate the journey, but ultimately, you have to judge the Dance.

[Danielle Fishel]

Okay.

[Tom Bergeron]

You know, I really think that, I mean the, the journey is, is what makes it compelling television to come back to every week for the viewer. And certainly it's, it's a story that is told from each couple's perspective as their season unfolds. But in the moment, you know, that shouldn't weigh on the judges reactions. They should just be judging what they saw right then. And that's what I did. You know, I didn't do it from a technique standpoint, but what did that make me feel? And I don't care what your journey is. What were those two minutes like? To me, you know, I think that's the way to go.

[Danielle Fishel]

Now as I don't know that we would call you a fan, but as someone watching, what would you like to see next for the franchise? A second season every year, a non celebrity season? We already mentioned that that would probably be pretty boring.

[Tom Bergeron]

All Stars, I made my desire pretty clear. I think they should have brought back the results show.

[Danielle Fishel]

I agree.

[Tom Bergeron]

Which I guess they're not doing. I guess they unveiled their fall schedule and you know, they might be right. They seem to be doing very well without a result show. My only feeling was it just wasn't fair to a large swath of the country that they're either voting blind or not voting at all. Because it's, you know, it's already, by the time it gets to the, you know, the last two time zones especially, it's all done.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yes.

[Tom Bergeron]

You know, somebody's already been voted off hours ago. Your vote doesn't matter. And in the old days when we had a result show the next day, everybody's vote matters because you'd vote as you saw the show in your time zone.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Tom Bergeron]

And so all of those votes were tabulated. So that would have been my. I don't think two seasons is a good idea.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Tom Bergeron]

Because it, you know, it just wears down the anticipation and the, there's just so much to watch on television now. I know with, you know, TV networks and streaming services and all that that it could get lost in the shuffle. So I think one season a year is good, but I would say a half hour result show the next night would be.

[Danielle Fishel]

I think that'd be great. I'm right there with you. And finally, and this is one I am all ears for. What do you think makes a good host other than talking to just the one person? What makes a good host?

[Tom Bergeron]

Well, I think. And again, I'll just use my love, which is live television. It's, it's, it's an ability to be present. And this is true, whether it's a live show or a tape show or location or studio. Are you here now?

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Tom Bergeron]

Are you in this moment, building as much potential as you can from the environment you're in? It's why I meditate, you know, that meditation is all about being present. It's why I would meditate between the dress rehearsal and live show. Going out on that stage, knowing that, you know, knowing there are 700 people at that time in the. In the ballroom audience and millions watching, you know, I was like a kid in a candy store.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Tom Bergeron]

It was. Because it was like, what's going to happen? I know I'm ready. I know I'm ready.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Tom Bergeron]

And. And so that to. To not lose the joy of it and to not be in your head so much that you're not here now. Don't think about what happened earlier. Don't think about what you might do later. Make sure you're present. I think that's it.

[Danielle Fishel]

What type of meditation do you do?

[Tom Bergeron]

I do tm.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Tom Bergeron]

Transcendental Meditation, popularized back in the days of the Beatles. But, yeah, I think, you know, they'll. They'll take issue. I sure. I'm sure. But I think meditation is. Meditation. It's just. It's Coke and Pepsi. You know, the. The. The key is, do you have a word, a sound, a place that you focus on to build a mental muscle. And it's similar to, like, you know, with the gym. We go to the gym to build physical muscles. Meditation builds through repetition, a mental muscle so that you're better able to determine, at least in my experience, incoming stress as. So you don't treat everything equally. You know, it's like, okay, because all of us, every day, you know, happens, and. And it's coming at you and. And when you're present, when you're centered, you can determine better whether this deserves your attention. Or you can just say, oh, that's just Flotsam and Jetson. That's, you know, don't have to worry about that. Flotsam and Jetsam, I think is. Yeah, yeah. It's not a law firm. It's just.

[Danielle Fishel]

I was like, oh, who's that?

[Tom Bergeron]

The law firm of Flotsam and Jetsam.

[Danielle Fishel]

Have you been injured on the job?

[Tom Bergeron]

Yeah, yeah, me too.

[Danielle Fishel]

But.

[Tom Bergeron]

But I tell people who say, oh, you know, I. I try meditating, but I always have thoughts getting in the way. So do I. The key is not to beat yourself up about it. The key is not to judge yourself. When you're aware that your focal point is shifting without judgment, just I said treat it like Styrofoam on the top of a river. Just reach up, move it down, move it over.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Tom Bergeron]

And get back to whatever your focal point is. And you keep doing that and it keeps building that muscle and. Yeah, I think. And it has repercussions throughout your life. Yeah, really does.

[Danielle Fishel]

Well, I'm definitely taking away from this interview and conversation that I need to start incorporating that more. I used to, I used to start my morning with meditation and then, you know, I've got a six year old and a four year old and I, you know, I got my. Now my mornings are filled, filled with packing lunches and trying to scarf down at least one hot cup of coffee at some point and, and I've kind of lost that practice. But you're right that it helps in so many different aspects and avenues of

[Tom Bergeron]

life and just carve out whenever, you know, whenever they're at school or daycare or whatever. You know, if you've got even five or 10 minutes, just sometimes in traffic, I'll be on the 405 and I'll just go, am I here now? Am I present? Am I, am I getting too irritated at, you know, the guy who's directional has been on for the last three miles. Exactly.

[Danielle Fishel]

Are you getting over or not?

[Tom Bergeron]

Yeah, exactly. So it helps in those moments to kind of, you know, stop and smell the roses a bit.

[Danielle Fishel]

Tom, thank you so much for spending your very precious time with me today.

[Tom Bergeron]

It's been a pleasure.

[Danielle Fishel]

I have so enjoyed this. I'm. I'm sorry I was voted on in week eight and didn't get to, you know, enjoy hearing how my dance made you feel, but I hope I get to see you again. I feel like once you are a part of the Dancing with the Stars family, you never really leave. And they have embraced me so warmly. So I hope that I get to see you again.

[Tom Bergeron]

Oh, that'd be great. That'd be great.

[Danielle Fishel]

Thank you.

[Tom Bergeron]

It's been a pleasure, Danielle and I

[Danielle Fishel]

would be remiss if I did not tell you that Richard Leacock just loves you. He's. That's my trainer at the gym.

[Tom Bergeron]

Oh, he's your trainer?

[Danielle Fishel]

He's my trainer.

[Tom Bergeron]

He's a great trainer.

[Danielle Fishel]

Gosh, he's wonderful. He's a great trainer and he's a wonderful man.

[Tom Bergeron]

He is indeed. And we're good buddies and the two of us with Jonathan Frakes from Star Trek, the next year, a couple times a year, we try to get lunch. I love it together, but, yeah, Richard's a. He's. He's a class act.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yes, he is. And so are you. Thank you for being here.

[Tom Bergeron]

All the best.

[Danielle Fishel]

Danielle with the Stars. Produced and hosted by Danielle Fishel. Executive producers Jensen Karp and Amy Sugarman. Executive in charge of production, Danielle Romo. Producer, editor, and engineer, Tara Sudbaksh. Theme song by Justin Siegel. Follow us on Instagram at daniellewithstars and vote for me.

[Tom Bergeron]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Danielle Fishel]

Guaranteed Human.