Courtesy of Capital Concerts(NEW YORK) — Today is Independence Day, and that means tonight, you’ll find Tom Bergeron, host of ABC’s Dancing with the Stars, on PBS, hosting A Capitol Fourth.
This is Bergeron’s fourth time in five years hosting A Capitol Fourth: he missed hosting it last year, but tells ABC Radio, “I’m so excited to be back, and this is a unique stage. …To be on the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol with a few hundred thousand of your closest personal friends on the Fourth of July… is … a goosebumps-inducing experience.”
What makes this particular show special? Bergeron explains, “Location, location, location. And we have the best one, because we’re in the nation’s capitol. And particularly this year, it’s a great opportunity to take a little breather in a decisive election [cycle], and remember that there is common ground to be had.”
In addition to the usual fireworks and military bands, this year’s show includes performances from the cast of the Gloria Estefan-inspired Broadway musical On Your Feet, as well as legendary Motown star Smokey Robinson, Kenny Loggins, country star Cassadee Pope, TV and Broadway star Sutton Foster and two former Dancing with the Stars contestants: Glee star Amber Riley, who won season 17, and singer Gavin DeGraw, who competed in season 14.
“That’s expecting much too much from my memory,” Bergeron laughs, when asking if he always remembers the details of past contestants when he sees them after their season is over. “We’ve done 22 seasons, and I’d be hard pressed to tell you — apart from a few — who won in which season, or which season a particular person competed in, or even who my cohost was at any given time!”
A Capitol Fourth airs Monday night from 8 to 9:30p.m. ET on PBS.
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