Show notes
Rarified Heir is a podcast that interviews children of celebrities by the child of a celebrity.
Joshua Mills, son of Actress and Comedian Edie Adams (www.edieadams.com) and Celebrity and Sports Photographer Martin Mills (www.martinmillsphotography.com) grew up in Hollywood during the 1970s. His family home had five people with four different last names living under one roof. He grew up with step fathers, step sisters, half-sisters and relations once removed.
Mills grew up in the house his mother shared with her first husband, iconic Television comedian Ernie Kovacs (www.erniekovacs.com, whose estate he runs), Mills went to school with many children of celebrities including actors, musicians, entertainment industry executives, television writers, directors and producers. He grew up with the children of: Brian Wilson, Frank Zappa, Lou Rawls, John Kay, Garry Marshall, Charlie Brill & Mitzi McCall, George Stanford Brown & Tyne Daley, Jack Klugman, Jon Peters, Mama Cass and more.
Finding himself in surreal situations because of his lineage (spending Halloween at Groucho Marx house with Groucho while dressed as The Marx Brothers, being on a float at the Hollywood Christmas Parade, Christmas at Jack Lemmon's house, learning backgammon on the set of "The Love Boat", being on Buddy Rich's tour bus, lounging with Tanya Roberts in his living room, having lunch with character actor Normal Alden at Nate 'n Al's Delicatessen, hearing Robert Morse recite the Serenity Prayer during Summer Stock, walking onto the turf of the Superdome, watching TV with Clint Eastwood during a party for Supertramp, etc.) Mills grew up thinking nothing of spending the day at Alex Trebek'shouse playing with Alex Daughter Nikki or sleeping over at the home of Josh & Tony Davis whose father was producer Jerry Davis (That Girl, The Odd Couple).
It was only after he was well into his forties that Josh started to examine just how abnormal his childhood actually was. It was then, while writing a memoir with a childhood friend, Seth Kupchick did he really explore how truly bizarre his life was and how incredulous people were when they heard his stories or saw his pictures. To put an even finer point on it, growing up in the permissive 1970s & 1980s in Hollywood, Josh had an insider's look at the highs and lows of celebrity in a changing entertainment world.
It was during the self-examination of writing the book that Mills came up with the idea to interview children of celebrities (sports figures, politicians, etc.) about their own childhood experiences and how they jived or differed from his own. How much was similar, how much was different, how much was totally unreal? Was it possible that others who grew up with famous parents in rock-n-roll for instance might have stories that were relatable but totally different from his own? What was it like to meet Paul McCartney? What was it like having two equally famous parents? What was the most bizarre moment you found yourself in? Was there a dangerous situation you were in because of your celebrity connection? Did people treat you different as the son or daughter of (fill in the blank)? What were the advantage of being a celebrity kid? Was there a true down time when their parents career was on the wane? How do you deal with your parents fading or escalating popularity over a career?
Josh Mills and co-host Jason Klamm will bring together a wide variety of adult children of celebrities for a fun, funny, bizarre, jaw-dropping, strange and wonderful look behind celebrity by the people that know them best: their very own children.
It's a podcast about celebrity, by the children of celebrity. You get the back story from an insider's point of view filtered through the veil of someone who not only understands their experience but has lived it as well.
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