YouTube
Former “Dancing With the Stars” host Tom Bergeron has a new hosting gig this weekend presiding over Mister Rogers’ 93rd birthday celebration. The virtual party will be streamed on Facebook Live and YouTube. Here’s what you need to know about the event and how to watch it online.
Bergeron Is Hosting the Star-Studded Event
In an Instagram post about the event, Bergeron said that Fred Rogers could not have been nicer when Bergeron met him.
“I met Fred Rogers once during my Boston years at @wbztv. It wasn’t an act. He really was THAT nice. But he WASN’T a Navy Seal 🙄 #urbanmyth,” wrote Bergeron.
The party features artists who appeared on the 2019 album “Thank You, Mister Rogers _ Music & Memories,” which include Jim Brickman, The Cowsills, Micky Dolenz, Lee Greenwood, Marlyn McCoo & Billy Davis Jr., Sandi Patty, Kellie Pickler, Jon Secada, Jaci Velasquez, and Vanessa Williams.
The event will stream live at 11 a.m. ET/10 a.m. CT/9 a.m. MT/8 a.m. PT. It is dedicated to the late Joanne Rogers, Fred’s wife who died earlier this year at the age of 92. Rogers himself passed away in 2003 at the age of 74; he would have been 93 on March 20, 2021.
Producer Dennis Scott Wanted to Give Fans a Chance to Remember The Iconic TV Character and Man Behind Him
In a press release, Emmy- and Grammy-winning producer Dennis Scott said that he interviewed fans in order to “give folks a chance to tell their stories and express their gratitude to Fred.”
The press release also revealed that Scott has launched a Change.org petition to get Rogers into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. He said in a press release, “Fred loved writing songs and becoming a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, alongside other great American composers, is the best birthday present we could give him.”
There will also be an appearance by Fred Newell, who played Mister McFeely on “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood.” He said of the “Thank You, Mister Rogers” album, “Each song is arranged differently, and each singer has made it their own. Fred would be delighted to know that his music lives on to new generations.”
The fun starts Saturday, March 20 at 11 a.m. ET/8 a.m. PT on the event’s Facebook and YouTube pages.
This is not the only new gig Bergeron has been working on since his departure from “Dancing With the Stars.” He also stars on a new comedy series called “Down the Middle,” on which he is also a producer. On the show, Bergeron plays the owner of an ad agency who suddenly retires and leaves his protege Karen (Heather Dowling) in charge — but also names his free-spirited daughter Aurora (Michelle Barton) as a co-manager.
Finally, Bergeron is also writing a novel called “Drive Time,” which is about a man who got his start on talk radio — it is not autobiographic, but it does share some similarities to Bergeron’s life. He recently celebrated hitting 20,000 words with an Instagram post of his progress.
“Dancing With the Stars” has not yet officially been renewed for season 30, but if ABC does renew it, expect it to premiere in September 2021.
READ NEXT: Tom Bergeron Opens Up About DWTS Firing