Former Dancing With the Stars cohost Samantha Harris is teaming up with Jennie Garth for a star-studded occasion on the iHeartTheater in LA on February 8. Harris will function MC and a featured panelist at “I Select Me, Los Angeles,” an occasion selling self-care and self-love. Visitors embody Naomi Watts, Yvette Nicole Brown, Sasha Pieterse, Jackie Tohn, Jenn Tran, and extra. They’ll be a part of specialists in various fields for panels, motivational talks and interactive classes that carry girls’s empowerment and constructive connections to the forefront.
It’s all being headed by actress Garth, who has parlayed the success of her iHeartPodcast “I Select Me.” The occasion was initially set for final month however needed to be rearranged due to the California wildfires.
Harris, who hosts the podcast “Your Healthiest Wholesome,” grew to become buddies with Garth when the Beverly Hills 90210 star competed in Season 5 of DWTS alongside Derek Hough.
Right here, Harris, who has two teenage daughters with husband Michael Hess, opens up about receiving her second breast most cancers analysis final summer season. Plus, she addresses her time within the DWTS ballroom, her TV journalism profession and extra.
What do you consider this “I Select Me, Los Angeles” lineup? What introduced you on board?
Jennie and the crew have lined up some unimaginable girls who’ve resonated with so many and have such massive followings the place their voice may very well be heard far and vast. I feel it’s actually essential they’ve that attain as a result of I feel we’re taking much more management of our well-being. Extra now than ever earlier than. Practical drugs, various practices, numerous sorts of modalities and therapies are talked about and never whispered in corners like they’re some unusual witch brew. I’m grateful for that.
In fact, not simply with my first however second breast most cancers analysis, this has grow to be my ache into objective, my ardour and mission. I need to assist different girls who might not have the entry to the data, the training and sources to raise their wellness and grow to be their healthiest wholesome, which was the bottom of my e book. It’s actually a platform for having a basis for folks to grasp we’re every bio people. We would have one thing that works for us that doesn’t work for another person and vice versa, however we now have to have entry to the data. That begins with a basis of wellness and builds from there to see what works for us and our distinctive biology.
That definitely aligns with what seems to be offered.
The very fact we now have this lineup. For me, personally being a breast most cancers survivor on a hormone blocker, for seven-and-a-half years being compelled into early partial menopause. The recent flashes and night time sweaters however nonetheless having the menstrual cycle. Now that I’m 51, the menopause threshold is passing via sooner and sooner. I see now all the data I’m gathering and sharing with others. I can’t wait to take heed to Tamsen Fadal about what she discovered when she made her great documentary (The M Issue). She has a lot data. Being a journalist and being interviewed by her a number of occasions, I’m trying to hear what she says primarily based on her analysis. Naomi Watts, I’ve watched on the large display ceaselessly. To listen to how she has taken her journey and to be so clear and uncooked for these individuals who may not really feel they are often open and uncooked is actually thrilling as effectively.
You’ve additionally been open and uncooked about your most cancers journey.
Once I was first identified in 2014, I used to be on the top of my TV profession. My daughters had been 3 and 6 on the time. My husband and I had been blindsided by my breast most cancers analysis. All I needed to do is crawl right into a deep gap. I felt this weight of tension and worry that was paralyzing. I’d by no means felt like that earlier than. I’ve at all times been a constructive, happy-go-lucky individual. Most cancers was crushing that. I made a decision that I couldn’t proceed feeling like this and I flipped my perspective. I dug myself out of that gap with the great assist of family and friends round me.
Then I dove into analysis as a result of as a journalist that’s what we do. I discovered one thing empowering that was so mind-blowing. It allowed me to grow to be empowered and take again management of wellness after a most cancers analysis. I felt compelled to share with others via my e book, my Instagram and Fb and finally the launch of my podcast. I needed to point out what that was is what we put in, on and round our our bodies are what can set off these continual illnesses and extra uncomfortable and extreme symptomatic menopause or neurodegenerative problems. As a nationwide ambassador for Susan G. Komen, I discovered that solely 5 or 10 p.c of breast cancers are hereditary. So, after I realized I had no genetic hyperlink, that aha second of realizing I’ve some energy to vary up how I’m placing my make-up and skincare and what I’m utilizing for cleansing provides in my residence, how I’m consuming and nourishing my physique. These superb information bombs allowed me to take again my well-being, to put in writing my e book, and share this with others.
How do you examine your mindset and strategy between the 2 most cancers diagnoses?
Full transparency, after I acquired my recurrence analysis in July 2024, 10 years after celebrating my cancerversary and being cancer-free, it shook my world once more. It was a really completely different technique to really feel for higher and for worse. For higher, I used to be coming from a spot of energy. I had my medical crew stacked, had unimaginable specialists I may instantly attain out to who I’ve had on my podcast prepared and keen to assist. From that perspective, I used to be able to tackle this recurrence.
On the flipside, over time I’ve made all these sweeping adjustments to my wellness routine to how I used to be approaching my sleep and stress and diet and motion. So how on earth may there be a recurrence? That was devastating at that second. The most effective half after I discovered it was a domestically regional prevalence, which suggests some microscopic most cancers cells had been left after my mastectomy. We all know mastectomies usually are not 100% assured to forestall a recurrence. That made me really feel lots higher. It made me really feel the adjustments I made stored it at bay. It was a really tiny tumor. It was an fascinating juxtaposition of the 2 with the empowerment after which this hopelessness on the similar time.
TOM BERGERON, SAMANTHA HARRIS, LACEY SCHWIMMER, MARK DACASCOS, ANNA TREBUNSKAYA, CHUCK LIDDELL
You talked about your friendship with Jennie goes again to Dancing with the Stars. How do you look again on that have right this moment?
Dancing with the Stars, Seasons 2-9, after I hosted we had been within the heyday once we had been 20-30 million viewers an evening. It was so enjoyable. I used to be an enormous fan of Beverly Hills, 90210, as just about everybody in my age group was. I keep in mind these nights at Northwestern College within the dorm the place we’d all collect for pizza and back-to-back 90210 and Melrose Place. To have the ability to quick ahead internet hosting Dancing with the Stars with Jennie as one in all our celebrities was a lot enjoyable. I liked attending to know her. She had such a constructive angle, a smile on her face irrespective of the frustration or no matter was occurring at residence, she at all times confirmed up and gave it her greatest.
What was nice about that point was you additionally started working with Tom Bergeron. You two had a pleasant dynamic.
We had such a blast, Tom and I. I’m grateful for the expertise. I discovered lots from him. At that time, I used to be nonetheless very early in my TV profession. Once I first obtained that job, I used to be working full-time at E! Information and finally made my technique to Leisure Tonight. I used to be internet hosting each exhibits on the similar time, so I discovered lots from watching him.
From a fan’s perspective, is there anybody you assume could be nice for the present who we haven’t seen but?
Gosh, after 30 some seasons I don’t know who’s left [laughs]. I feel they do a incredible job of discovering a mixture of those that are a part of present occasions and popular culture after which grabbing somebody who was born within the Nineteen Seventies or Eighties can benefit from the flashback nostalgia. It’s humorous, I don’t actually watch the present anymore. Each blue moon I’ll tune in and see Julianne Hough and Alfonso Ribeiro, who’re doing a incredible job. I can’t consider two different hosts to exchange the likes of Tom and me and the enjoyable we had on that present.
Samantha Harris with Tom Cruise
Whenever you look again at your journalism profession, do you have got a milestone movie star interview that strengthened that because of this you do what you do for a dwelling?
That’s such an fascinating technique to ask that query. Oftentimes I used to be requested what had been your most memorable movie star interviews. For me, that instantly goes to Hugh Jackman twirling and dipping me or being on the again of a Ducati with Tom Cruise using via the streets of Seville, Spain. I feel it’s the emotional interviews. The occasions when you’ll be able to join on a stage past the movie star. With regards to that, there are truthfully too many to select one. The frivolity and enjoyable of bringing leisure to folks and pulling again the curtain stored me going.
What are your ideas on the ladies in leisure journalism from if you began to now?
I keep in mind sharing the desk on The View with Barbara Walters after I was up for that job and turned it all the way down to take a job at Additional. With the ability to see the girl who was the trailblazer and the way cautious she was along with her line of questioning, how methodical she was in her preparation. You don’t see that anymore with the widespread skill to get your information as a result of so many who’re placing content material on the market aren’t skilled as journalists. On the similar time, I do look to those that are on the community exhibits and I’m so grateful for his or her coaching as a result of it comes via of their reporting. I’ll depart it at that.
So are you an armchair quarterback if you’re watching the morning or night exhibits their approach or supply?
Not as a lot anymore, since I’ve come into my very own. I keep in mind after I was in school and proper out of college and needed to be in leisure information so badly. I don’t assume I’ve instructed Nancy O’Dell this or Mary Hart, however I’d watch Nancy and Mary on Entry Hollywood and Leisure Tonight. I’d report it on my VHS tape and pause it and mainly regurgitate precisely what they mentioned in the identical cadence they mentioned it. What’s so humorous after I obtained my first job at Additional, I used to be within the voiceover sales space doing my voiceovers for the phase, the voiceover operator who had been the voiceover operator for many years mentioned, “Samantha, you’re doing nice, however you might want to work out your individual voice.” It was an aha second of having the ability to take what I’ve discovered now and make it my very own.
Something you need to let others learn about?
Hopefully, I’ll have the ability to discuss a TV mission I’m engaged on quickly. Within the meantime, on the wellness facet, “Your Healthiest Wholesome” podcast is a ardour mission of mine. I even have the “Your Healthiest Wholesome” retreats. I’ve one developing in Santa Monica to start with of June and my annual retreat in Utah later in October. We’re going to Zion Nationwide Park this 12 months, so I’m actually enthusiastic about that. On Instagram and Fb, I’m at all times sharing suggestions in addition to in my free non-public teams that supply 5 or 10-day challenges. So should you’re following me, you’ll have the ability to study these and might ensure that to be a part of it.
Tickets to the “I Select Me, Los Angeles” stay occasion on February 8 can be found right here. Restricted VIP Expertise packages can be found and can embody a post-show meet & greet with Jennie Garth and particular occasion merchandise.