Alfonso Ribeiro Says Tom Bergeron Gave Him This Important Tip Ahead of ‘DWTS’ Co-Host Role
Alfonso Ribeiro and Tom Bergeron‘s friendship flourished when the entertainer competed in season 19 of Dancing with the Stars. Bergeron hosted when Ribeiro won a mirrorball alongside pro-Witney Carson. Therefore, Bergeron feels comfortable giving Ribeiro some pointers regarding his new gig as a co-host of season 31 of the dance competition series. Here’s his most important tip.
Alfonso Ribeiro is ‘excited’ to join ‘Dancing with the Stars’ as a co-host
According to a post by People Magazine, current America’s Funniest Home Videos, Ribeiro is “excited” to return to the ballroom after eight years.
“I’m super excited,” Ribeiro said. “For me to be asked to co-host with Tyra and be part of the great crew, dancers, and friends and be part of that family again is quite special. I mean, these dancers are friends of mine at this point now. We do all hang out together and talk outside of that show,” the entertainer shared.
Ribeiro also told Us Weekly he was surprised when he got the call.
“I had no clue what was coming,” Ribeiro explained. “All of a sudden, I’m on a road trip in my RV somewhere on the east coast, and I get a phone call saying, ‘Hey, can you hop on a call tomorrow morning? We want to talk about you being one of our hosts.’ And I was [ready to say] ‘OK.’ There was no hesitation. It was a very simple yes.”
Tom Bergeron gave Alfonso Ribeiro this tip about hosting ‘DWTS’
Ribeiro spoke to Us Weekly, where he shared the one important tip Bergeron gave up about his new gig: “be you.”
Bergeron took his own advice when hosting Dancing with the Stars from 2005 through 2020. He often ad-libbed jokes to lighten the tense atmosphere of the evening’s live competitions.
“We have talked. I wouldn’t say that he [Bergeron] advised because [it would be] essentially the same advice he offered me when I was doing America’s Funniest Videos, which was ‘Be you,’” Ribeiro explained. “We have enough respect for each other that I wanted to talk to him as a friend. I wanted to tell him how it went down [with] all the love and respect I have for Tom.”
Ribeiro joked Bergeron needs to get a new gig so he could eventually take it over
It has been a long-running joke between Ribeiro and Bergeron how the former DWTS host’s career is a blueprint for the actor. In 2015, Ribeiro took over for Bergeron as host of America’s Funniest Home Videos.
“I continue to say that I’m building my career on what Tom Bergeron leaves behind,” Ribeiro joked. I’m very upset that he doesn’t have a big job right now because when all this ends, I got to go to the next job.”
Ribeiro kept his banter going to Us Weekly about following Bergeron’s lead.
“I keep joking with him about it. I’m like, ‘Dude; I need you to get something big because then that’s my next job.’”
Dancing with the Stars season 31 debuts on Disney+ beginning Sept. 19 at 8 p.m. EST.
