Tom Bergeron's anger issue was something that plagued him up until the moment he fell in love with a woman whose most private information he guards jealously. The pair have been married for nearly four decades, and the love has only grown stronger; this is their story.
Tom Bergeron is famous for hosting many hit shows, some of which have won him Emmy awards; however, he did not enter showbiz with dreams of becoming an award-winning TV host. Tom got his start in show business at the age of 17 as a disc jockey.
At that time, he was the youngest DJ to have ever played at WHAV radio, a station in Haverhill, Massachusetts, his hometown. He gradually worked his way up in radio, and soon he found himself hosting his own show.
[Left]A picture of Lois Bergeron; [Center] Tom Bergeron and his partner; [Right] Tom Bergeron at an event | Souce: Getty Images instagram.com/tombergeron
It was a late-night talk/comedy show titled "The Tom Bergeron Show," and when it started airing, it tripled the ratings for the New Hampshire station. His career branched into TV when he landed a job as the host of the Emmy Award-winning children's series "Rap Around."
He did this while he kept up appearances at his radio show and all that hard work paid off because his success with 'Super Kids" earned him a bunch of other hosting jobs at the station, some of which included the daily broadcast "4 Today" and "Rap Around."
Tom Bergeron on ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" | Source: Getty Images
Between 1987 and 1993, Tom saw more success, landing even more hit shows, including "People Are Talking." Then, in 1993, the talented host graduated from local TV to National broadcast as host of "Breakfast Time," a show that aired on an upstart cable network known as FX.
He had sardonic humor, and his general live and let live approach to things made him an instant hit; two years later, the show migrated to the Fox broadcast network, which meant it reached an even larger audience.
Tom Bergeron visits SiriusXM Studios on August 21, 2019 | Source: Getty Images
He rose to the task and then became a guest anchor of Good Morning America. From there, he secured the hosting role on "Hollywood Squares," which won him a Daytime Emmy Award in 2000 Daytime Emmy Award for "Outstanding Game Show Host."
As time passed, he became a host of "America's Funniest Home Videos," one of the country's most beloved shows. He started with a half-season gig, but after it became apparent that he knew his stuff, it turned into a nine-year-long stint.
Tom Bergeron at the 3rd Annual Carney Awards at The Broad Stage on October 29, 2017 | Source: Getty Images
HE USED TO PUNCH THROUGH WALLS
Tom suffered from anger issues while living alone in his apartment in his early years in showbiz. The TV host once admitted that some of his apartment walls had holes in the sheetrock that he punched through. He said,
"Apparently, just putting a poster over it when you leave the apartment does not get you your security deposit back."
Tom Bergeron attends Storytellers and the Shaping of Pop Culture: America's Funniest Home Videos: Celebrating 25 Years at NATPE 2015 at Fontainebleau Miami Beach on January 21, 2015| Source: Getty Images
That anger did not fizzle out when he met the woman he would marry, Lois Bergeron, but one day something happened, and it made him take a critical look at how he was handling his wrath. According to him, the anger was usually directed at himself or inanimate objects, but one day, he went too far by punching the door of their car, and right then and there, she told him:
"If we're going to have a relationship, that has to stop."
The very next day, he booked himself a spot on a TM course, and since then, he has applied what he learned whenever his thoughts start racing or his ego needs to be kept in check. According to Tom, being in control at all times makes one happier and better able to assess things objectively.
FOR A TV HOST, HE IS VERY PRIVATE
Tom spends an inordinate amount of time in front of cameras. Still, unlike many other TV celebrities, he has managed to keep most of his personal life, especially details about his family, from the spotlight's glare.
He has declared that DWTS was the last show he would ever host
He has good reason to cherish them so much; his wife was able to help him surmount the anger issue that plagued him as a young man, and his children showed him the pleasure and pride that comes with fatherhood.
Little is known about how he met his wife, Lois, but fans know that they tied the knot on May 22, 1982. While Tom is still virtually well known, she is the total opposite and is so private there is almost no picture of them in public — not even on his personal Instagram account.
At best, Lois appears in glimpses, often not next to her hubby. For instance, in a 2019 post her husband shared on Instagram, the woman positioned herself behind the rest of the people in the shot while Tom crouched front and center with a smile.
The same behavior was observed in a 2018 post shared again by her husband to celebrate their daughter's birthday; In it, most of her profile was obscured by Tom's shoulders because she was seated among the audience.
One of the few times the couple have been pictured together on Instagram was when they took a family picture in July 2021. In the shot, the two were seated right next to each other in the second row.
The two have been together for years, but Tom still finds her very attractive; In fact, in 2011, when a fan commented on how "hot" his wife was, the TV host simply concurred.
He rarely talks about her on live TV, but now and then, he drops snippets of their relationship; like that time, he revealed in an interview that his wife had been the one to break the news of his father's demise to him. At the time, he had been on the set of "Dancing With the Stars," and the cast had to comfort him.
Despite his success as a host, Tom has admitted that being a husband and father are his most significant accomplishments.
"Lois and I know we're better together than solo," he once said about her. This is a clear sign that these two were not kidding when they took those vows.
MEET HIS KIDS
As earlier stated, Tom is the father of two girls named Jessica and Samantha, both of whom he refers to as the biggest blessings in his life. Unlike his wife, who shies away from the camera, Tom and his girls have some pictures on Instagram.
In 2018, the doting father shared a shot that captured him holding his two kids in his arms while they all smiled for the camera. In another post celebrating one of them foraging another year, his two girls, older now, were pictured holding each other in what the proud dada called the "Heimlich maneuver."
His daughter Jessica has grown up to become a beautiful woman. Her bio on Instagram describes her as an EQX Tier III personal trainer, master instructor, and Aspiring professional paragliding pilot.
Her hobbies include hiking, snowboarding, and skydiving. She and her sister have been known to go hiking with the active man, and when fans are lucky, they get a shot of all three together sporting similar smiles and facial features.
The TV host is a very devoted father who calls his daughters the "light of my life" and claims that they teach him many life lessons by just being themselves.
In his words: "I also know (but don't tell them I said this) how often they, by just being themselves, have taught me important lessons about living a life of courage and character. Jerry's Kids, whether they're in third grade or middle-aged, have done the same thing."
The host has also spoken about how fatherhood makes him feel. He said: "I feel very grateful to be their dad, and they make me proud pretty regularly."
His dedication to his family is very genuine, and he is known to commute between LA and Connecticut, where his wife and kids live.
HIS EXIT FROM DWTS
When Tom was fired from DWTS, many expected him to get bitter; however, he took it in stride; According to a statement he made at the time, "the show that he left was not the show he loved," and he had known a dismissal was sure to come up because it was apparent he had been butting heads with some of those in charge.
Tom has revealed that he doesn't enjoy constantly talking about his exit because the show had made him a lot of money as far as he was concerned. He called it great fortune, which left him with no need to whine about what he lost.
Tom Bergeron presents the new "Dancing With the Stars" contestants on "Good Morning America," | Source: Getty Images
Nevertheless, he has been known to drop one or two comments about the show in the time that follows his exit; The most recent comment he made came after the announcement that executive producer, Andrew Llinares, would be leaving the show.
When the news went public, the TV host quipped that it was "Karma," hinting at a possible feud with the man. Regardless of what he said, Tom seems to have gotten over his dismissal and is now looking to get involved in movies rather than hosting in the future.
Tom Bergeron at the "Dancing With The Stars" semi-finals episode celebration at Mixology Grill and Lounge on May 16, 2016 | Source: Getty Images
He has declared that DWTS was the last show he would ever host, and his fans definitely wouldn't mind him flexing his acting muscles, so they'll wait to see him grow and adapt once more.
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