Tom Bergeron, Josh Meyers Q&A at NHFF

Amidst the excitement of the 2016 Film Festival, we had an opportunity sit down with special guests Tom Bergeron and Josh Meyers this afternoon for a quick Q&A session. Both have ties to the area with Josh having grown up in Bedford, NH and Tom, who had his first job in broadcasting out of Portsmouth, NH.

Q: What are your favorite memories from working in Portsmouth?

Tom: I loved working in Portsmouth from 1980-83, besides the usual 7 – midnight shift in the studio, I had the opportunity to travel across America with a tent and a camera, reporting back every so often on what I saw and experienced.

Q: Have the two of you met previously?

Tom: We had met while doing a MADTV skit called “Hollywood Squares.”

Q: Josh, have you been to New Hampshire Film Festival before?

Josh: I haven’t and I’m honored to be invited. I haven’t been able to see Portsmouth that much so it is good to be here as well as see the films.

Q: What are your ties to the area?

Tom: In my first appearance in Portsmouth I mispronounced Piscataqua, causing the studio to receive a lot of calls in correction. I also met my wife in New Hampshire, married in 1982, and have been happily wed since then.

Josh: I grew up in Bedford and soon moved on to Illinois for college. However, I don’t take my roots in New Hampshire for “granite.”

Q: Tom, you have seen lots of celebrities dance, have you ever wanted to dance yourself and do you have any stand out celebrity appearances from Dancing with the Stars?

Tom: After a couple of adult beverages (tequila) I may be more apt to dance. One specific celebrity that stands out is Jerry Springer, whom I only knew from the Jerry Springer show originally, but I was pleasantly surprised by him.

Q: Do either of you have any favorite restaurants in Portsmouth?

Josh: So far I’ve only gotten a bagel from I think, the Bagel Works.

Tom: Some of the classics such as Old Ferry Landing, Chauncey’s Creek in Kittery, and the Bratskellar over near the old broadcasting studio.

Q: Tom, any thoughts on the changes in Portsmouth’s landscape from what you remember.

Tom: There’s certainly been a lot of growth here, but the growth has been really cohesive, and Portsmouth looks wonderful having kept its history as well as modernize.

Q: What is life like in LA compared to here in New Hampshire?

Tom: Drastically different environments, I’ve always felt my home is here, and not in the West Coast.

Josh: It’s difficult to say because I only grew up here until my teens. I think what I relate to Los Angeles is often adult things everywhere, such as paying bills. I miss the seasons here; believe it or not, 72 and sunny everyday gets boring after a while.

Tom: People always want to see Hollywood and then they realize the place is pretty tacky when they see a giant green Elmo walking around.

Josh: LAX is akin to Mad Max, its just such a zoo. Every airport is bad, but LAX is nuts and the city has a smog covering it and the only way to see Los Angeles is to “sink into the smog.”

Q: If all of your commitments ended today, what would you do with your time?

Josh: I would become a National Geographic correspondent or something. I just had a 3 week hiking trip in Norway and it was incredible. If it was entertainment wise, I would like to create my own show. If not, definitely traveling.

Tom: No more hosting except for Dancing with the Stars for me. I would really enjoy a one man improv show. Something that I could take to smaller theaters and venues.

Q: What are you fans of watching?

Josh: I like comedy, but I don’t watch it that often. Better Call Saul, Vikings, The Walking Dead, The Wire, recently Mad Men.

Tom: Recently, mostly the news, which has been dramatic enough as of late.

Q: Are you looking forward to anything particular this weekend?

Tom: The comedy panel for sure. Also just being back here and getting to see some movies over the weekend.

Josh: Pretty similar, just getting to see some movies and definitely the Comedy Panel.