Legendary Mystery Taster
The elevator is bringing a bit of Hollywood royalty to Rachael's kitchen as her first "Mystery Taster" of the season arrives and receives a standing ovation. "That's a good reaction!" Rachael says, before asking questions about this star's identity. She finds out that it's a male "of a certain age" who's been on screen with other stars including Clark Gable, Elizabeth Taylor and Audrey Hepburn. But Rachael gets her biggest clue when she asks for his most recognizable role, which he admits was in Austin Powers. "You may know me, if you'll excuse the expression, as Number 2," he says, giving it away.
"You're joking! It's Robert Wagner," Rachael says. "I'm so excited to have Robert Wagner at the table, I just can't stand it!"
They sit down for a chat about his new memoir, Pieces of My Heart, which traces his Hollywood career. "I've been so fortunate in my life and I wrote this to acknowledge the people who have been really important to me," Robert says. That list includes Cary Grant, Fred Astaire, Gable and his first wife, Natalie Wood. "We were married twice and she was 18-years-old when I first met her, so she's all through the book."
[(Online Exclusive! Head backstage with Robert, where he gives Rachael's Mom a special treat and signs copies of his book!
Robert has since married Jill St. John, and his family expanded further a few years ago to include his first grandson, 2-year-old Riley John. "He calls me 'no no' because I'm always going, 'No. No. No. No,'" Robert jokes. "It's a wonderful feeling to have a child ... but a totally different experience to have a grandchild. You know when I looked at that kid and saw that my daughter had had this baby, he was a whole different dimension of love."
Online only! Click here to go backstage with Robert after the show, and to read an excerpt of his book, Pieces of My Heart.


