Several years ago, I worked with a performer named Tom Bergeron in a physical theater troupe in Amherst, MA. The troupe was short lived, and we all dispersed to try our fortunes elsewhere. After several years of working for Boston-area television and radio stations, Tom made a career for himself as a television show host in Hollywood (Dancing With the Stars, America’s Funniest Home Videos, Hollywood Squares, and more), and wrote a book about his experiences called “I’m Hosting as Fast As I Can! Zen and the Art of Staying Sane in Hollywood”. Its a very funny and entertaining book, with behind-the-scenes anecdotes about people Tom interviewed and tales of unexpected events that required live improvisation on national television. Through it all, Tom has continued to practice meditation on a daily basis, and keeps his cool under some very unusual circumstances.
I think one of the things people will enjoy most about the book is seeing how often an apparently career-ending choice with one job simply led to an even better opportunity. Tom traces his humble beginnings working for free in high school at a local radio station in Haverhill, MA, to interviewing President Carter, and the path was neither straight, narrow, or predictable. A great summer read.