Vin Di Bona

In his three-hour interview, Vin Di Bona talks about his early years appearing in Summer Stock productions and his time on the radio as a disc jockey. He recalls his days at Emerson College, where he met Henry Winkler - his future producing partner on MacGyver. He outlines his stint as a director at WBZ in Boston, which led to him producing several socially-conscious television documentaries such as Zoot Suit and Project Parenting. Di Bona discusses producing Entertainment Tonight, On Stage America, and Papal Space Bridge '87, the latter of which he worked on with Pope John Paul II. He speaks at length about creating, producing, and directing America's Funniest Home Videos, discussing all aspects of the show including video selection, hosts Bob Saget and Tom Bergeron, the longevity of the show, its various spin-offs, and its legacy. He talks about producing various other shows, including a 1991 revival of Candid Camera, DreamMaker with Richard Simmons, and Trump Unauthorized. Jenni Matz conducted the interview on January 13, 2015 in West Los Angeles, CA.