For entertainer John Davidson, 'What's Next' includes debut on Lakes Region Public Access

SANDWICH — John Davidson had the kind of career that many dream of but few experience. A singer, songwriter and entertainer, he recorded albums, starred in movies and on television, and is known for frequent guest appearances on Hollywood Squares, for hosting That’s Incredible, and for guest hosting The Tonight Show more than 80 times.

Then, about 20 years ago, the phone calls from his agent started to get further apart, and he had to face a difficult question. In part, his latest project, “What’s Next,” which starts airing on Lakes Region Public Access Television this week, is his answer to the question of what he should do when he can no longer do what he has done for so long.

The first episode will debut today, July 31, at noon, and will be re-run at noon on Friday, at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, and 8 p.m. on Sunday. Episode 2 will follow a similar schedule beginning on Aug. 7.

“To me, it’s a personal show, it’s the question I’ve been asking since I turned 60,” said Davidson, who’s now 77. “What’s next? What am I supposed to be doing with my life?”

For Davidson, the answer has been to move to Sandwich to be near grandchildren, to perform as a troubadour, singing and playing guitar in coffeehouses and small theaters around New England, and to join national Broadway tours. Within the past year he has been part of the cast of “Wicked” and “Finding Neverland,” the latter of which gave him the chance to play “Captain Hook.”

“I’m usually the guy who gets the girl,” he said of the usually “light” roles he played during his career. “Playing the villain is much more fun.”

But now that he’s off the road, he’s turned his efforts to a new role – the creator and host of “What’s Next,” a show that focuses on the question that new retirees face. Some call it the “third act” of life, Davidson characterizes the post-retirement years as an opportunity to shed the obligations of identity that professional life imposes. “To come out, really express how you feel about things, is so important, without fear that other people will put you down,” he said. “Don’t let anybody tell you that your ideas are stupid.”

In “What’s Next,” Davidson takes viewers along as he discovers what that “coming out” means for different people. He meets a woman who is camping across the northern border – from Portland, Maine to Portland, Oregon, before she ships off for the Peace Corps. He meets a man who was a professional dancer turned New York City deli owner, who now bakes baguettes to sell at farmers’ markets. And he meets a former career coach who now helps people decide what they should do once their careers are over. There’s celebrity appearances, too. Davidson interviews famed magician Penn Jillette and comedian Gilbert Gottfried, both of whom have found that their senior years are best spent performing, as they have done for decades.

“I’ve had a lot of experience as a host of shows, so I created ‘What’s Next’ to be a host, and to really get into the nitty gritty of, how do you find your passion for your golden years.” Some people excuse themselves by using finances as a barrier, but Davidson doesn’t accept that. “If you simplify your life, your options are incredible. What options do you have to make these the best years of your life?”

Davidson said he brought his idea for the show to Grace McNamara, who manages LRPA. She suggested he present his plan to Meredith Village Savings Bank, which gave him a grant to fund the production of two episodes. Davidson is thinking of the episodes as pilots, which he can leverage for further funding or even for syndication by a television network.

Lakes Region Public Access is broadcast on Atlantic Broadband’s Channel 25 in the towns of Belmont, Gilford, Laconia, Meredith and Northwood. The channel can also be viewed online at live.lrpa.org or https://livestream.com/lrpatv/channel25.