Milling About

Multi-talented performer Sam Harris joins host Robin Milling for a backstage chat about his one-man musical, 'Ham: A Musical Memoir,' now playing at Theater 511 at Ars Nova in New York City. Directed by Billy Porter, featuring pianist Todd Schroeder, the show is based on his autobiography, 'Ham: Slices of A Life.' On stage Sam expertly tells stories, speaking about his life's journey from boyhood to the present; whether in song or candid monologues. He tells Robin he's embraced the term, 'ham,' recalling his earliest performance at three singing The Star Spangled Banner at a football game in Sand Springs, Oklahoma. Sam says performing is everything to him. 'It was my coping mechanism being a little bit of a different kind of kid growing up in rural, Baptist South; the buckle of the bible belt! For a burgeoning gay showbusiness kid it was a little freaky especially being born in the early 60s.' And for those not born in the 60s, Star Search was the American Idol of it's day, where Sam won the 1983 grand champion singer with his rousing rendition of 'Over The Rainbow.'  He tells Robin he accepts the legacy, along with his other accomplishments as an actor, a writer, and a recording aritst. Sam talks about the cathartic experience he feels exorcising his demons on stage, although some things were left in the book such as his alcoholism; celebrating 11 years sober. Even though the show is personal to his life experience, he tells Robin it's universal. 'I don't think there's anybody who doesn't feel outside. I don't think there's anybody who doesn't need to be told 'you're enough.'' For more about Sam visit http://www.samharris.com/

Thomas Jane brings in the new year with Vice, playing a futuristic cop investigating a resort run by Bruce Willis, where human-like androids (Ambyr Childers) programmed to fulfill a user's fantasy have gone off the grid. Jane tells host Robin Milling he is a Sci-Fi fan so the opportunity to tell the story which might be a cautionary tale of abusing technology in the present, intrigued him. He admits he is not a fan of social media but got into the game with his own site, http://www.rawstudios.com/ where he can check in occassionally to a supportive forum of like-minded graphic novel enthusiasts. He jokes, 'Nobody has created a fake Thomas Jane account on my forum; at least not that I know of!' Thomas' plans for 2015 are vast, with a second graphic novel in the works, and a western that he wrote which he hopes to direct. The working title is 'The Magnificent Death From A Shattered Hand.' On the small screen he's got The Expanse for SyFy and the History channel's Texas Rising, which features his daughter making her acting debut alongside her dad. He tells Robin he was amazed by her talent, 'She was kind of uncanny. She must've absorbed it through some mechanism that we're not aware of, yet. There's some kind of morphogenic field out there where you can absorb experience from your parents somehow!'

Penthouse publisher Bob Guccione is the subject of Filthy Gorgeous, a documentary chronicling the rise of the media mogul and his magazine. Jane Homlish, his longtime personal assistant for over 30 years who is featured in the film, joins host Robin Milling to talk about a relationship so unique it will never exist for her again. Jane tells Robin she was convinced that Guccione was the right fit for her inquisitive nature as a young traveler who also had a passion for art. When she answered an ad for a receptionist job she quickly moved up the ranks, knowing Guccione would not only be her boss, but her mentor. They connected creatively in their shared love of art, and spiritually searching for a greater truth as Jane, a Catholic school girl, thought she would be a nun and Bob thought he would be a priest. Jane earned his respect, ultimately overseeing the magazine from cover to cover, curating his massive art collection and his home where 11 pony size Rhodesian Ridgebacks once ruled the roost. They became 'inseparable' working till the wee hours of the morning from his East 67th Street townhouse where Bob lived and worked and Jane had her own private suite to accommodate the hours. She says, “I spent more hours with Bob Guccione than anybody in his entire family including his wife.” Along with the job came managing the photo shoots and sometimes even the Penthouse pets who would do anything they could to get to Bob through Jane. Jane tells Robin she maintained a professional relationship with Guccione, developing a dear friendship, becoming his confidante over the years and the keeper of his secrets; which she cherishes to this day. Bob once told Jane he was convinced they were a priest and nun who knew each other in their past lives. She says, “In fact if that's true I believe I will see Bob again.”