Tom Selleck Shares Mysteries of His Magnum P.I. Days with Ted Danson
Tom Selleck Makes First Podcast Appearance on Where Everybody Knows Your Name
Tom Selleck recently made his debut on the podcast Where Everybody Knows Your Name, hosted by Ted Danson and Woody Harrelson. During the episode, he promoted his new book, You Never Know, and reflected on his illustrious career, from his role in Three Men and a Baby to portraying New York City Police Commissioner Frank Reagan on Blue Bloods.
When Ted Danson brought up Magnum P.I., the show that catapulted Tom to fame, he opened up about his complex feelings surrounding that period. “I didn’t like it,” he revealed. “Mainly because of family and a sense of privacy. I started getting asked questions in interviews that I didn’t want to answer. I was trying to set boundaries on what I was willing to discuss. I didn’t always succeed, and it just became overwhelming. I still can’t quite describe it, but I wasn’t experiencing it every day.”
He shared his struggles with maintaining a sense of normalcy as a 6’4″ megastar, particularly while filming in Hawaii. “I had a lovely little one-bedroom house that I rented and later bought. It was the first home I could truly afford. I belonged to the Outrigger Canoe Club, where the locals knew I was an actor, but during the actors’ strike, I was actually living Magnum’s life—enjoying the beach and everything. It was a lot to adjust to.”
Reflecting on the differences between shooting in Hawaii versus Los Angeles, Tom noted, “I don’t know how people manage that kind of fame in a big city. I had a huge buffer, and it was a blessing.”
Fast forward over 40 years since Magnum P.I. first aired, and Tom seems to have found a more comfortable place in the spotlight, especially after more than a decade of steady attention from Blue Bloods. However, the end of that era is approaching, with Season 14—its final season—set to premiere on October 18, 2024.
