Rarified Heir Podcast

Joshua Mills

Host Josh Mills brings 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.

  1. 5D AGO

    Episode #286: Patricia Weidenfeld (Pat Cooper) (Part Two - The Return)

    Today on part two of our return interview with Patricia Weidenfeld, daughter of comedian Pat Cooper, we wrap up another very, very intense conversation about the love and the heartache of being the daughter of "The Comedian of Outrage." On this episode, Patti goes into more of the family drama as well as the reconciliation of between two sides of Pat Cooper's family: his first and his second families to be exact. We hear about some of the dark, unnecessary communication with some of her extended family as well as the heartwarming and loving communication she heard and feels from others in her extended family as well. It's a ying and yang situation for sure. But what really comes across in this final episode is the humanity Patti extends to those who have seemingly wished her only bad feelings and pain. She credits her mother as well as her former profession as a special education teacher with the compassion and the forgiveness she extends here, that frankly, I doubt most of us could if we were faced in a similar situation. It frankly is a bit inspiring to see an everyday person faced with mountain of anger and hatred respond not with hate but with love. And in 2026, that humanity is in short supply. More please. Patti delves more into the psychology of her father and the decisions he made as well as her own reactions to those hurtful decisions. But what we also learn is that, ironically, just because one person is wishing you pain, it doesn't mean everyone in her father's first family is speaking from the same point of reference. Far from it. In fact, her simply being on the podcast for the first time in 2024 might have brought her closer to extended family members that she barely knew about and didn't know personally at all. And now, because of this podcast, she does. It did our hearts good knowing that our podcast could do anything remotely as wholesome and good as what we learn here. We couldn't have ever imagined that was even possible when we started in 2020. So take a listen to this episode, part two with Patricia Weidenfeld on her return to the Rarified Heir Podcast. Everyone has a story.

    1h 1m
  2. APR 28

    Episode # 285 - Patricia Weidenfeld (Pat Cooper) (Part One - The Return)

    Today on part one of our return conversation with Patricia Wedenfeld, daughter of comedian Pat Cooper, we catch up with Patti two years after our last conversation in 2024 to see how things are going at the behest of a listener who suggested we reached out to Patti to have her back on the podcast to find out more about her story which is one of the most difficult we've ever shared on the podcast in close to six years since we started. Once again, Patti is open, honest, raw and delves into some serious family drama that has taken place even since our first interview. The open wounds of our last episode haven't truly healed but in the midst of her journey, we learn that there is a silver lining in all the heartache she has had to endure What's that you ask? Ironically, it's family. A family she knew about but didn't know. A family that had their own issues with her father that very much mirror her own. And hopefully, it's a family that might find common ground underneath all the pain all of them have had to endure needlessly. The understatement of the year is that Pat Cooper was a complex individual who didn't hold back verbal punches in public or in private. He cut to the quick in a deeply funny way on stage and a staggeringly brutal way off it, no question. So on part one of this conversation, we delve into how Patti is dealing with all of the trauma a few years later and frankly, it's another deeply personal conversation. It's still raw, it's still tough to talk about and it's still hard to believe. But in 2026, with some distance, some help and some life lessons, things are just a bit better if not perfect for Patti and her family. It's another tough but hopeful conversation with Patti on this episode of the Rarified Heir Podcast. Take a listen.

    1h 13m
  3. APR 21

    Episode #284: Adam Nimoy (Leonard Nimoy)

    Today on another brand new episode of the Rarified Heir Podcast we are talking to Adam Nimoy, son of actor, director, pilot, musician and much more, Leonard Nimoy. We spoke to Adam about growing up the child of one of the most beloved actors of his generation because he portrayed one of the most iconic characters of the 20th century, Spock from Star Trek in television and film. Of course, not too long ago we spoke to Adam's sister Julie Nimoy and brother-in-law David Knight and we learned a few things about Leonard. But this one is just a bit different. On this episode, we learn from Adam about the relationship, struggles and finally  acceptance he had with his father which was outlined in two books, 2008's My Incredible, Wonderful, Miserable Life:An Anti Memoir and 2024's The Most Human: Reconciling with My Father, Leonard Nimoy. Among other things, it was with the help of getting sober and a 12-Step program that both father and son leaned on to connect after a period of estrangement and also how it helped to be open and honest and share – something that was in limited supply for most of Adam's life. Along the way, we take a deep dive in L.A. nostalgia including our shared education at University High School in West L.A, restaurants he and his family frequented, several of his father's automobiles, the Paisley Underground scene of the 1980s, how the band the Rain Parade were his first clients when he was becoming a lawyer via his relationship growing up with them as a kid, Leonard's TV movie Baffledwhich holds a special place in host Josh Mills's heart and how the last vestiges of the beloved Stan's Donuts in Westwood has finally closed shop. This is the Rarified Heir Podcast. Everyone has a story. Live long and prosper friends. Take a listen.

    1h 17m
  4. APR 14

    Episode #283: Leo Sidran (Ben Sidran) (Part Two)

    Today on part two of the Rarified Heir Podcast with guest Leo Sidran, we focused on the career of Grammy winning (but not Oscar winning as we find out) musician Leo Sidran about growing up the son of jazzbo, Ben Sidran. On this episode we dig deep into Leo's career as an in demand musician for film and commercial scoring as well as his production work and his record label. We also get into discussing his podcast, The Third Story which has a lot in common with this one quite frankly – and it's terrific. Our conversation takes us from Wisconsin to Spain, where Leo spent quite a bit of his years in high school and in his twenties after a study abroad program kicked his love of the country into high gear. As we find out it was Ben who inadvertently made this all possible simply because he wanted his young son to speak Spanish as a kid. Somehow that leads to gigs in Spain, living in Seville, a very important tribute to Spanish poet Frederico Garcia Lorca and an Irish pub in Andalucía became a major  part of his life and career. Moreover, we discuss how James Brown's 'Funky drummer' Clyde Stubblefield became a major part of Leo's life when he quit the JBs and moved to Madison Wisconsin. How we manage to weave all these disparate tendrils into a cohesive (ahem) podcast episode is beyond even me. But that's one of the things about the Rarified Heir Podcast, because everyone has a story. This is a Sidran story. Take a listen.

    1h 6m
  5. APR 7

    Episode #282: Leo Sidran (Ben Sidran) (Part One)

    Today on part one of this interview on the Rarified Heir Podcast, we are talking to Grammy-winning musician Leo Sidran, son of jazz musician, professor, radio host, VH1 TV host and author Ben Sidran. Now if you are a jazz fan, likely you know the name Ben Sidran. In a career that spans more than 50 years, Ben Sidran has had a truly remarkable career as a solo performer and has somehow performed with, recorded with or produced pretty much everyone in and out of jazz. Like who? How about Steve Miller, Diana Ross, Boz Scaggs, Eric Clapton, the Rolling Stones, Peter Frampton, Mose Allison and so many more. But as we learn from Leo on this episode, Ben's literate background, his poetic lyrics and his fantastic piano playing make him, we would argue, more than just a musician but more of a national treasure. There is just something about a world class jazz musician who can also write lyrics that make you think, and often times laugh, that just gives you pause. It's a rare talent and Ben Sidran has it. So on this episode we learn about Leo's entre into music. Yes of course it's via his dad but it also involves going on tour with The Steve Miller Band where technology plays a major part in his world on the tour bus. From there we learn how Leo became a songwriter before he could drive, how he was looked after by the Steve Miller Band band members and how it set him up for his first recording date not too long after. Along the way we discuss the importance of merch, Camus, Madison Wisconsin, the importance of having a mother who was a travel agent – and much more than that, why his parents left Los Angeles when Ben's solo career was just getting going and much more. This is the Rarified Heir Podcast and everyone has a story.

    1h 7m
  6. MAR 31

    Episode #281: Colin Cosell (Howard Cosell)

    Today on another encore episode of the Rarified Heir Podcast, we are talking to Colin Cosell, grandson of sports legend Howard Cosell. It's perfectly fitting as the baseball season just started and Colin is in full swing, pun intended. Now, if you lived in the United States in the 1960s, 70s, 80s, 90s – you know who Howard Cosell was. The man was everywhere. Announcing Monday Night Football, Olympic boxing, pontificating on talk shows, hosting his own late night comedy show, announcing Frank Sinatra specials, doing his radio show and generally causing a stir. He not only interviewed John Lennon on Monday Night Football but he basically told the entire country that Lennon had been shot while live on television on the very same program. He's was and still is part of the cultural landscape of the last 50 years. Our chat with Colin was perhaps one of the funniest episodes we have ever done because Colin, aside from being a sports announcer himself & in game announcer for the New York Mets, is quite the comic. His impression of his grandfather is one for the ages. He not only extemporaneously handles it when we ask but he also recites some of Howard's great calls. There is much hilarity. Furthermore we get into some great memories of Colin growing up with his beloved grandfather and hear stories about meeting Michael Jordan at a Knicks game, Jon Bon Jovi while in the pool of his grandfather's house, the ubiquitous yellow Monday Night Football jacket and of course, Howard's often discussed toupee & cigars. We go quite deep on this one and there are some terrific belly laughs. This is one of our favorite Rarified Heir Podcast episodes. Take a listen.

    1h 45m
  7. MAR 24

    Episode #280: Claudia Cowan (Warren Cowan, Barbara Rush)

    Today on another encore episode of the Rarified Heir Podcast, we are talking to San Francisco television journalist Claudia Cowan whose parents were the actors Barbara Rush and publicist Warren Cowan. And as we learned on this episode, once wasn't enough for this Hollywood power couple as Claudia tells us. Her parents got hitched twice. The second time, was slightly more clandestine as you will hear. So what was it like to have a father who represented clients his mother starred in films with? We dig into it and a lot more on this whimsical episode. Claudia tells us what it was like to have a father whose clients included Ronald Reagan, George Burns and Kirk Douglas among many, many other A-list celebrities and a mom who starred in films with everyone from Frank Sinatra and Ernie Kovacs to Bob Crane and Hope Lange. As you may remember, we spoke to the children of both of Crane and Lange on recent episodes, so this episode comes full circle. Along the way we discuss things like Top Ten lists & celebrity golf tournament PR which her father invented, her mother finding love late in life after Warren's passing as well as things like The Rat Pack, The Beatles and other pop culture icons. Claudia was open and honest and a lot of fun as a guest and we covered everything from her home life, to her personal life behind the scenes as well as her career in local television in the Bay Area. It's all here on this episode of the Rarified Heir Podcast. Everyone has a story.

    1h 43m
  8. MAR 17

    Episode #279: Inara George (Lowell George)

    Today on the Rarified Heir Podcast we are talking to singer and musician Inara George about growing up the daughter of beloved musician Lowell George. Perhaps best known for his time in the band Little Feet, Lowell George passed away in 1979 at the age of 34, just shy of Inara's fifth birthday. We spoke to Inara about the need and the restlessness of overseeing a legacy run by her mother and the toll it takes keeping it alive in 2026.  Of course, we also spoke to her about her own career as a singer as well. So just how difficult is it for someone with both a new album out in March entitled, Songs of Douglass and Littell as well as a Record Store Day tribute album to her father in April, Rock and Roll Doctor: Lowell George Tribute, well, it's complicated.   We spoke to Inara about her family roots in Los Angeles, where her grandfather made quite a name for himself as a studio supplier for expensive and exclusive garments for the movie studios brought him in contact with names like Lucille Ball, Rita Hayworth and Greta Garbo. And with an upbringing like that, just how did his son got from the marching band at Hollywood High School whose best known Little Feat song "Willin'" has more 54 million streams on Spotify? We discuss it all. Along the way we talk about connections including Cambodian rock band Dengue Fever, Inara's bandmate in The Bird and The Bee Greg Kurstin who has produced records by Adele and Paul McCartney among others and discovering that Inara and host josh Mills went to the same college in Boston although not at the same time. If names like Jackson Browne, Frank Zappa comingling with folks like W.C. Fields and appearances on F-Troop are your bag, then this is your episode to dig into. Take a listen.

    1h 16m

Trailer

4.8
out of 5
80 Ratings

About

Host Josh Mills brings 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.

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