Danielle with…Tom Bergeron

Summary

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Pod Meets World – "Danielle with…Tom Bergeron" (June 3, 2026)

Episode Overview

In this episode, Danielle Fishel (best known as Topanga from "Boy Meets World"), hosts a special conversation with legendary TV host Tom Bergeron. Through laughter and insightful stories, they chart Bergeron's storied career—spanning from Boston talk radio to "Dancing with the Stars"—while diving into what makes great live television, the legacy of shows like "DWTS," and the bonds formed behind the scenes. The discussion is candid, warm, and peppered with anecdotes about vulnerability, presence, and the joys and absurdities of show business.

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Main Themes and Key Takeaways

• Tom Bergeron’s Career Evolution: From humble beginnings as a local DJ, to trailblazing talk shows in Boston, "America's Funniest Home Videos," and thirteen years at the helm of "Dancing with the Stars."
• Secrets to Great Hosting: Authentic presence, speaking to "one person," and responding to the moment, not to scripts.
• "Dancing with the Stars" Legacy: How camaraderie, supportive producers like Conrad Green, and embracing the show's joyful eccentricity give it lasting power.
• Dealing with Change and Criticism: Bergeron’s experience with departing DWTS, seeing the show evolve, and how he manages public and online scrutiny.
• Community and Joy in Reality TV: The unique family-like environment behind the show and advice for new contestants and hosts.
• Personal Practices: The role of meditation and being present, in and out of the spotlight.

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Episode Breakdown & Key Moments

Introducing Tom Bergeron

• [04:21]–[05:05]
  Danielle introduces Tom Bergeron, highlighting his impressive CV—from Boston radio and "Wraparound," to major hosting credits.

  “Three years at FX and Fox, guest hosts on Good Morning America and a gig that landed him the Daytime Emmy for outstanding game Show Host, Hollywood Squares...and then for 13 years, he was the face of America's Funniest Home Videos...which led to another Emmy winning spot, the master of ceremonies for Dancing with the Stars from 2005 to 2020.” (Danielle, 04:21)

Tom on Recluse Life & Gym Camaraderie

• [05:11]–[06:14]
  Bergeron jokes about being happy as a recluse in the streaming era, while Danielle mentions their shared gym and Tom’s reputation as a “lovely gem of a human being.”

  “I could become a recluse very happily with streaming services and Instacart and Doordash and Zoo. I mean, why leave? Why leave?” (Tom Bergeron, 05:18)

Early Career & "Wraparound"

• [06:44]–[08:10]
  Bergeron describes hosting "Wraparound"—a weekend teen discussion show—where he refused to act as a peer or parent but focused on listening.

  “I’m not going to be either your parent or your peer. I just want to listen and I’m going to respond with my natural curiosity based on what you’re telling me.” (Tom Bergeron, 07:32)

• He details his path from "Super Kids" to "People Are Talking," sharing stories about cramming for live shows, memorable guests like Jimmy Carter, and loving the unpredictability.

"Breakfast Time" and Early TV Days

• [09:44]–[12:18]
  Bergeron shares that his favorite TV experience was "Breakfast Time" on FX, a “gonzo” morning show set in a huge faux apartment, where the chaos and fun shaped his love for live hosting.

The Radio “One Person” Principle

• [13:18]–[14:46]
  Discussing the transition from radio to television, Bergeron reveals he always pictured speaking to one listener—and kept an album cover with a woman’s face to remind him!

  “However big an audience you’re shooting for, just remember you’re only talking to one person.” (Tom Bergeron, 13:18)

  He notes that live shows need hosts who react to their viewers, not just to the room or audience.

Behind the Magic: "Dancing with the Stars"

• [15:08]–[16:42]
  The origins of DWTS: The American adaptation from "Strictly Come Dancing," industry skepticism, and the struggle to sell the concept.

  "She had a pretty big I told you so in her back pocket for quite some time." (Tom Bergeron, 16:42, on Andrea Wong's successful pitch for DWTS)

• Bergeron admits he had no ballroom dance background, instead serving as a surrogate for the viewer—responding emotionally, not technically, and shielding contestants from the judges’ harshness.

  "I have some dance lingo, but...I'm not gonna be critiquing technique. I’m just gonna tell you emotionally what I felt watching the dance..." (Tom Bergeron, 17:13)

The Wild West of Early DWTS & Shifting to Genuine Improvisation

• [18:36]–[20:11]
  Behind the scenes, Season 1 was full of scripted jokes—which Bergeron successfully got rid of, trusting live, authentic reactions over forced humor.

  “We’re a live show. I should be reacting in real time to what I’m seeing and feeling...And thankfully, they did. And from Season two on, I pretty much abandoned having anything prepared.” (Tom Bergeron, 19:34, 20:06)

  Memorable aside: at "America's Funniest Home Videos," writers would joke about “where Tom kills your babies”—his relentless culling of stale jokes.

Changing Show Focus and the Importance of Leadership

• [21:12]–[24:53]
  Bergeron stopped watching DWTS after his exit and only reengaged before his return. He credits Conrad Green’s return as showrunner for the show’s renaissance, emphasizing Green's open-door, family-style approach.

  "He’s the reason I went back. I wouldn’t. Had he not been at the helm, I wouldn’t have gone back...Had it been the regime I locked horns with...the show’d be off the air by now." (Tom Bergeron, 24:28)

  Danielle corroborates this, praising Conrad’s support and the protected environment he creates for cast and crew.

Why DWTS is Life-Changing for Many

• [29:07]–[31:45]
  Bergeron identifies the “tsunami of affection” and camaraderie among contestants as the heart of DWTS. He recalls Jerry Springer learning to waltz for his daughter’s wedding and Layla Ali’s touching performance for her father.

  "The obvious competitiveness among the couples, but also the support...friendships that have lasted years after the show...that speaks to...the environment Conrad creates." (Tom Bergeron, 29:53)

Athletes, Celebrities, and the Contest Evolution

• [32:15]–[34:48]
  Discussion of how reality TV contestants have become more athletic, and that there’s always been a mix—NFL players, entertainers. Bergeron points out that prior dance experience is part and parcel of the show’s DNA now.

  “If you had a bunch of people who never danced before...you’d be going for the remote.” (Tom Bergeron, 34:36)

  He reveals even judge personas, like Bruno’s flamboyance, are heightened for television's sake.

Returning as Guest Judge: Emotions, Reunions, and Letting Go

• [35:19]–[37:55]
  Bergeron found returning to DWTS as a guest judge deeply affirming, his old dressing room antics with Alfonso Ribeiro, and the elaborate, touching tribute dance for his iconic entrance.

  "That's what it felt like...I never left. And I was just greeted so warmly by everybody." (Tom Bergeron, 36:06)

Judging and Online Criticism

• [38:12]–[39:44]
  On the difficulties of judging and handling relentless online vitriol, especially criticism targeting judges like Carrie Ann.

  “You’ve got to let that roll off your back and just do the job...You’re not going to please everybody. That would be boring.” (Tom Bergeron, 38:41)

Advice for New Contestants & Embracing the Absurdity

• [44:52]–[46:37]
  Bergeron credits his raunchy, stress-relieving dress rehearsals as a way to help contestants stay loose: “Don’t take it so seriously you lose the joy, the absurdity. You’re in a makeshift ballroom with mirror balls and glitter...Don’t lose sight of how deliciously ludicrous this all is.” (Tom Bergeron, 45:34)

  He also threw legendary midseason parties to foster crew camaraderie across departments.

On Spray Tans & Judging Criteria

• [47:00]–[48:42]
  Bergeron never indulged in spray tans—insisting someone has to represent the pale demographic. He recommends judges appreciate contestant journeys but judge the dancing itself.

  “I think you can appreciate the journey, but ultimately you have to judge the dance.” (Tom Bergeron, 47:53)

The Ideal DWTS Format & the Role of Results Shows

• [48:42]–[50:15]
  Bergeron misses the results show, arguing it made voting fairer nationwide.

  "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." (Tom Bergeron, 49:46)

  He prefers one season per year to maintain “anticipation” and avoid oversaturation.

What Makes a Great Host & Power of Meditation

• [50:30]–[54:37]
  Bergeron’s secret: presence and joy in the unpredictable. He describes his lifelong meditation practice (Transcendental Meditation) as his tool for staying present and resilient, encouraging Danielle and listeners to create moments of mindfulness even amidst chaos.

  "Are you here now?...Don’t think about what happened earlier. Don't think about what you might do later. Make sure you're present." (Tom Bergeron, 50:49)

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Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “However big an audience you’re shooting for, just remember you’re only talking to one person.”
  — Tom Bergeron, [13:18]

• “We’re a live show. I should be reacting in real time to what I’m seeing and feeling...sometimes that might be with a joke, sometimes it might be with a hug.”
  — Tom Bergeron, [19:34]

• “That was my role, to basically protect you guys from the judges...to be like a comedic shield between the couples and the judges.”
  — Tom Bergeron, [17:41]

• “He’s the reason I went back. I wouldn’t. Had he not been at the helm, I wouldn’t have gone back...Conrad being there made all the difference for me.”
  — Tom Bergeron, [24:28]

• “Don’t take it so seriously that you lose the joy, you lose the fun, you lose the absurdity of this environment.”
  — Tom Bergeron, [45:34]

• “Are you here now?...Make sure you’re present. I think that’s it.”
  — Tom Bergeron, [50:49]

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Key Takeaways for Newcomers & Fans

• Tom Bergeron’s authenticity, sense of humor, and focus on presence shaped the way generations have experienced live TV and reality competitions.
• The sense of family and support behind DWTS, especially under leadership like Conrad Green's, is real—and central to why so many participants say it was "life-changing."
• Good hosting means being truly present, able to respond to what’s happening, and remembering you’re connecting with individual viewers, not just a crowd.
• Bergeron's return to DWTS and his reflections serve as a reminder: embrace the chaos, find the joy in the moment, and support the people around you.

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End of Summary

Transcript

[Narrator/Announcer]

This is an iHeart podcast. Guaranteed Human.

What's up, y'?

[Tom Bergeron]

All?

[Narrator/Announcer]

Summer's got a different tempo. Everything's a little looser, brighter. One plan turns into another. You hear something, you stay a little longer. Next thing you know, you're somewhere you didn't plan to be. It's those in between moments. That's where the ideas hit. Conversations stretch out. Little memories sneak up on you. And sometimes it's just about what's in your hand. That color, that chill. The new Tropical Butterfly Refresher from Starbucks. Guava and passion fruit flavors with mango pineapple flavored pearls. Yeah, that feels like summer before you even taste it. Funny how one small stop becomes the best part of the day. Start your summer rhythm with Starbucks. Try the new Tropical Butterfly Refresher from Starbucks.

[Kalpen (Kal Penn)]

Hey, everyone, it's Kalpen. I'm inviting you to join the best sounding book club you've ever heard with my podcast, Hearsay, The Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club. Every episode, I nerd out with amazing guests and dive into the best new audiobooks available on Audible. It's the book club for your ears. Listen to Earsay, the Audible and iHeart audiobook club on the iHeartradio app or wherever you get your podcasts.

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[Danielle Fishel]

Wasn't that delicious?

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

So good.

[Kalpen (Kal Penn)]

Your bill, ladies.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

I got it. No, I got it.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Seriously, I insist. I insisted first. Oh, don't be silly. You don't be silly.

People with the Wells Fargo Active Cash

[Tom Bergeron]

credit card prefer to pay because they

[Ray Porter]

earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Okay. Rock, paper, scissors for it.

[Lily Chu]

Rock, paper, scissors.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Shoot.

[Narrator/Announcer]

No.

The Wells Fargo Active Cash credit card.

[Tom Bergeron]

Visit Wells Fargo.com ActiveCash Terms apply. Foreign.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 Olsen. 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 Wrap around, 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 game Show Host, Hollywood squares.

[Danielle Fishel]

Then for 13 years, he was the

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 bestselling 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.

[Danielle Fishel]

Also, we work out at the same gym.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Aren't you tired?

[Tom Bergeron]

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

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 Zoo. I mean, why leave? Why leave?

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Exactly. Well, it's in 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.

[Narrator/Announcer]

I mean,

[Tom Bergeron]

I have to say at the outset, one thing I, I, 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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

I know. I missed you.

[Tom Bergeron]

Missed you by that much.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

I know. I think so. Yeah.

[Danielle Fishel]

Because what week were you there?

[Tom Bergeron]

Was the, I think it was week nine.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Yeah, it was voted off week eight.

[Tom Bergeron]

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

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah, I was there.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

I was just sitting in the audience now, like, going, hey, everyone. Well, first of all, I'm gonna need to get wraparound out of the way first.

[Danielle Fishel]

This was a weekend TV show with troubled teens at WBZ in Boston, right?

[Tom Bergeron]

Yeah, yeah, they weren't all trouble. They were probably troubled about it on a par with me.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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, et cetera. 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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 jabber, Jerome.

[Tom Bergeron]

Yeah. 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 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 and I had done a, 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.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Right.

[Tom Bergeron]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Yeah.

[Tom Bergeron]

And I thought well that's, you know, I think at that point I was a new dad as well. Oh, I wanted to see what I was in for.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Exactly.

[Tom Bergeron]

Yeah.

[Danielle Fishel]

Well, you had just started to make

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 Oprah 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. 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 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 loved the actual show.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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's schedule.

[Danielle Fishel]

So we'd go to bed at, at

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

and then a nap.

[Tom Bergeron]

Yeah, it was kind of a. 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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 Hibbard. Now, Lori Gelman married to Michael Gelman.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Yeah.

[Tom Bergeron]

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

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

I think it's Mark. Yeah, Mark.

[Tom Bergeron]

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

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Yeah.

[Tom Bergeron]

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

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Yeah. Well, as I mentioned, my husband being a morning radio dj and you said like a morning zoo type thing. Do you.

[Danielle Fishel]

We love, we love radio.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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, 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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Right.

[Tom Bergeron]

And, and you know, 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. Right. But I, I'm sure that for the first couple years of my career, I just sounded horny.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

You're like, I'm gonna 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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Nothing.

[Tom Bergeron]

I'm saying that person on the other side of the lens.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Yeah, exactly. I know. I have noticed. I've been 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.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Just.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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.

[Danielle Fishel]

It's not like ballroom dancing was having

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

a moment or anything.

[Danielle Fishel]

And then this concept of teaching celebrities how to do it.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Okay.

[Tom Bergeron]

I think Richard Gere and J. Lo 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, the success of that movie.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 India.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Okay.

[Tom Bergeron]

So that's what prompted the head of entertainment programming at the time, Andrea Wong, to pitch of 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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

It's like, this is uncomfortable.

[Tom Bergeron]

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

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Turn away from the car wreck.

[Tom Bergeron]

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

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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. 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 gonna tell you emotionally what I felt watching the dance, because, you know, Derek and Carrie Anne and Bruno, they've got the technique stuff down.

[Danielle Fishel]

Yeah.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

You're not going to compete with them.

[Tom Bergeron]

No.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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. I did miss him when I was back. I wish he was still with us.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Everybody misses. Everybody misses him.

[Tom Bergeron]

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

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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.

[Narrator/Announcer]

Okay.

[Tom Bergeron]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Yeah.

[Tom Bergeron]

But I'll give it a go. What the.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Sure.

[Tom Bergeron]

The. 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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Yeah.

[Tom Bergeron]

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

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Right.

[Tom Bergeron]

That has no bearing on what we just saw. What's the point of that?

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Right.

[Tom Bergeron]

So I. I made the pitch. I said, just, I'm asking you to trust me. And. And thankfully, they did. And. And from Season two on, I pretty much abandoned having anything prepared.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Right.

[Tom Bergeron]

Other than getting you to the commercial and bringing you back into the show.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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

[Tom Bergeron]

Yeah, that was basically. Yeah.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Whatever happened, Tom reacts.

[Tom Bergeron]

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

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Right.

[Tom Bergeron]

And I would go, I'm not doing that. As a matter of fact, out of Erica'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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Don't be too attached to anything.

[Tom Bergeron]

Don't be too attached. Yeah.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Oh.

[Tom Bergeron]

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

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Oh, yes.

[Tom Bergeron]

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

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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, 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'm. I couldn't be happier.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Yeah.

[Tom Bergeron]

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

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Yeah.

[Tom Bergeron]

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

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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. 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

[Danielle Fishel]

the show, and then during the season

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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

[Danielle Fishel]

shouldn't stay quiet about it.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

We shouldn't talk about it, you know, amongst ourselves. We could go directly to him.

[Danielle Fishel]

And it.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

I just.

[Danielle Fishel]

He truly was. The way he runs that show makes

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

the people who are a part of it know that you are a family and you're working together, and he's there

[Danielle Fishel]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

But, yeah, you're right. You're right.

[Tom Bergeron]

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

[Danielle Fishel]

I know most people are surprised to learn what OCD really is because pop culture has spread the idea that it's just about being super neat and organized, but that's not accurate at all. My husband has ocd, and I can tell you it is so much more than that. Real OCD is a serious condition where you get unwanted, distressing thoughts called intrusive thoughts. They're stuck on repeat in your mind, often focusing on people or things we care about, like relationships, identity, or character, making them hard to ignore. And then you feel driven to do certain behaviors called compulsions to try to make the anxiety stop. This obsession and undying desire to make it go away can completely derail you for decades. Jensen ruined his own life and the happiness of those around him purely because he couldn't make the repeated worry go away. But he'd eventually learn it doesn't have to be that way, because OCD is one of the most treatable mental health conditions. Once you get the right kind of specialized therapy. OCD needs ERP therapy. That's exposure and response prevention, which is proven to be the most effective treatment. Regular talk therapy isn't recommended and can actually make OCD worse. NOCD is the world's leading OCD treatment provider and all of their licensed Therapists specialize in ERP therapy with NOCD is 100% virtual, covered by insurance for over 138 million Americans and includes support between sessions so you never have to face OCD alone. To learn more about starting OCD therapy with NOCD, go to nocd.com and book a free call with their team. That's n o c d.com hey everyone, it's Cal Penn.

[Kalpen (Kal Penn)]

I'm the host of Irsay The Audible and iHeart Audiobook Club. This week on the podcast, I am sitting down with Ray Porter, the narrator of Andy Weir's audiobook project, Hail Mary, Massive sci fi adventure about survival and science and what happens when you wake up alone, very far from Earth.

[Ray Porter]

I really had to make a decision because I caught myself getting that frog in my throat and starting to get teary as I'm narrating some of these sections. And it's like, okay, yo, yo, yo, is this indulgent? And I really thought about it.

[Tom Bergeron]

I was like, no.

[Ray Porter]

At this point, it would kind of be betraying the trust the author and the listener have in telling this story if I don't go through it. But there's places in this book that that deeply, emotionally affected me and I left it on the mic. That's great because it served the story. People will say like, oh my God, I cried at the end. It's like, yeah, dude, me too.

[Kalpen (Kal Penn)]

Listen to Hearsay the Audible and iHeart audiobook club on the iHeartradio app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile with a message for everyone paying Big wireless way too much. Please, for the love of everything good in this world, stop with Mint. You can get premium wireless for just $15 a month. Of course, if you enjoy overpaying. No judgments. But that's weird. Okay, one judgment. Anyway, give it a [e-mail] Switch upfront

[Narrator/Announcer]

payment of $45 for three month plan equivalent to $15 per month required intro rate first three months only, then full

[Danielle Fishel]

price plan options available, taxes and fees extra. See full [e-mail] hey, it's Ryan Seacrest

[Ryan Seacrest]

for Albertsons and Safeway for you. Save days are here now through June 23rd. Find throughout the store and earn four times the points. Look for in store tags to earn on eligible items from Monster Energy, Kettle Chips, Kraft Best Foods and Kellogg's. Then clip the offer in the app for automatic event long savings. Stack up those rewards to save even more. Enjoy savings on top of savings. When you shop in store or online for easy pickup or delivery, restrictions apply. See the website for full terms and conditions.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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. 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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Yeah.

[Tom Bergeron]

But to gen.

[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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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

[Danielle Fishel]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Oh.

[Tom Bergeron]

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

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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.

[Kalpen (Kal Penn)]

No.

[Tom Bergeron]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Did you like it? Do you think it's fair to have

[Danielle Fishel]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Oh, yeah.

[Tom Bergeron]

In 2006. I think so. Yeah, that's part of it. And. But by the same token, it's somebody like Andy Richter who really stole everybody's heart.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Yep.

[Tom Bergeron]

It's just not going to happen.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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.

[Danielle Fishel]

Were you, were you still nervous at all going back?

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

I know it can be tied to

[Danielle Fishel]

a lot of emotions.

[Tom Bergeron]

Yeah. No, I wasn't, I was, I was really excited to. Because it, you know, obviously I left in a manner that wasn't of my choosing.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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. That was gorgeous 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 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 had nothing but fondness about that night and going back.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Well, you got a front row seat as a guest judge among Carrie Ann, 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, I mean, you got to take. Take something seriously. Somebody, you know, scratching their shorts in their parents basement typing.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Right.

[Tom Bergeron]

But, you know, you got to 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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Absolutely.

[Tom Bergeron]

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

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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? It's always 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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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]

I know.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Most people are surprised to learn what

[Danielle Fishel]

OCD really is because pop culture has spread the idea that it's just about being super neat and organized, but that's not accurate at all. My husband has ocd, and I can tell you it is so much more than that. Real OCD is a serious condition where you get unwanted, distressing thoughts called intrusive thoughts. They're stuck on repeat in your mind, often focusing on people or things we care about, like relationships, identity, or character, making them hard to ignore. And then you feel driven to do certain behaviors called compulsions to try to make the anxiety stop. This obsession and undying desire to make it go away can completely derail you for decades. Jensen ruined his own life and the happiness of those around him purely because he couldn't make the repeated worry go away. But he'd eventually learn it doesn't have to be that way, because OCD is one of the most treatable mental health conditions. Once you get the right kind of specialized therapy. OCD needs ERP therapy. That's exposure and response prevention, which has proven to be the most effective treatment. Regular talk therapy isn't recommended and can actually make OCD worse. NOCD is the world's leading OCD treatment provider, and all of their licensed Therapists specialize in ERP therapy with NOCD is 100% virtual, covered by insurance for over 138 million Americans, and includes support between sessions so you never have to face OCD alone. To learn more about starting OCD therapy with no CD, go to nocd.com and book a free call with their team. That's n o c d dot com.

[Kalpen (Kal Penn)]

Hey, everyone, it's Cal Penn, host of Earsay, the audible and I Heart Audiobook Club. This week on the podcast I'm sitting down with Lily Chu, the author of the Audible original romantic comedy comedy Just Kiss Already. It's a story about a forensic anthropologist who secretly writes mystery novels, an actress who adapts his book into a film, and what happens when a meme and a media tour collide with a slow burn romance. It's performed by Simu Liu and Philippa sue, and it is an absolute blast.

[Lily Chu]

When you actually hear the performance, you realize that other people, people are taking your words and what you thought was kind of a straightforward sentence like the cat in the corner is black. In my head, it's the cat in the corner is black. Not the dog, not the gerbil. But Someone else might say it. The cat in the corner is black. That's always fascinating to me how they just bring in all these different nuances and really make it fun and interesting and distinctive.

[Kalpen (Kal Penn)]

Listen to Hearsay, the Audible and iHeart audiobook club on the iHeartradio app or wherever you get your podcasts.

[Ryan Seacrest]

Hey, it's Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons and Safeway for you. Save days are here now through June 23rd. Find hot deals throughout the store and earn four times the points. Look for in store tags to earn on eligible items from Monster Energy, Kettle Chips, Craft Best Foods, and Kellogg's. Then clip the offer in the app for automatic event long savings. Stack up those rewards to save even more. Enjoy savings on top of savings. When you shop in or online for easy pickup or delivery, restrictions apply. See the website for full terms and conditions.

[Malcolm Glebel]

Hello? Hello, this is Malcolm Glebel from Smart talks with IBM. Today. We're diving into a fascinating conversation with Stefano Pollard, head of fan development for Scuderia Ferrari hp.

[Stefano Pollard]

Your pronunciation is. It's strongly American. It's more Scuderia Ferrari.

[Malcolm Glebel]

I'm still working on rolling my R's, but what I was able to learn from Stefano was the importance of engaging the Tifosi, the Ferrari super fans in the digital age.

[Stefano Pollard]

Ferrari fans and super fans want to be part of something, want to belong to something. So they want to be part of a community, and ultimately they want to be part of a winning team.

[Malcolm Glebel]

You've got Ferrari, which has a long history, design history, and now you're interacting in a kind of digital space. I'm curious how you balance those two traditions.

[Stefano Pollard]

When it comes to fan engagement, it's really digital technology. And digital channels, are they enabled to create a deeper connection with our fans?

[Malcolm Glebel]

To learn more about how Ferrari and IBM are using technology to build deeper connections with fans, visit IBM.com ferrari.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

you didn't have to worry about it

[Tom Bergeron]

in 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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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, you know, all paddles and, you know, don't. Don't lose sight of how deliciously ludicrous this all is.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

I love it.

[Tom Bergeron]

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

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Perfect. You mentioned spray tans, which is something I have now not been able to shake since doing dancing. Yeah, I. Really. Well, you know, I also did the tour, and I did a month of the tour, and I became just 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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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, I am there. There are spray tanners anonymous meetings all across the country.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 the 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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Yeah. And.

[Tom Bergeron]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

What type of meditation do you do?

[Tom Bergeron]

I do tm. Yeah. Transcendental Meditation, popularized back in the days of the Beatles. But 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, shit happens, and. And it's coming at you.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

And.

[Tom Bergeron]

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 like, oh, who's that? The law firm of Flotsam and Jetsam.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Have you been injured on the job?

[Malcolm Glebel]

Job?

[Tom Bergeron]

Yeah. Yeah, me too. But. But I tell people who say, oh, you know, I. I tried 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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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, it really does.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 you know, I got my. Now my mornings are 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 life.

[Tom Bergeron]

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 in my. 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?

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Exactly. 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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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

[Tom Bergeron]

It's been a pleasure.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

I have so enjoyed this. I'm. I'm sorry I was voted on in

[Danielle Fishel]

week eight and didn't get to, you

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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.

[Dietz Watson Advertiser]

Thank you.

[Tom Bergeron]

It's been a pleasure, Danielle and I

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

He's my trainer.

[Tom Bergeron]

He's a great trainer.

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

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, 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 (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Yes, he is. And so are you.

[Danielle Fishel]

Thank you for being here.

[Tom Bergeron]

All the best.

[Danielle Fishel]

Danielle with the Stars Produced and hosted by Danielle Fishel Executive producers Jennifer Jensen

[Danielle (Host of Danielle with the Stars)]

Karp and Amy Sugarman executive in charge of production Danielle Romo Producer, editor and

[Danielle Fishel]

engineer Tara Sudbaksh Theme song by Justin Segal. Follow us on Instagram daniellewithstars and vote for me.

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[Narrator/Announcer]

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