Splendor in the Ash

Talking Doherty with Ashley Hamilton

Ever since he traded the role of George Hamilton's son for a more controversial part as Shannen Doherty's husband, Ashley Hamilton has been a principal player in a real-life Hollywood drama. GEORGE WAYNE phoned up the dark Adonis to check on his acting career, and to make sure that Shannen isn't being too big a pain in the Ash.

George Wayne: Ashley, tell me how old you are now.

Ashley Hamilton: I'm 20, and I'm a Libra.

G.W. Who are you closer to, your father, George Hamilton, or your mother, Alana?

A.H. It's hard to say. I've lived with my mother more. As a guy gets older I think he gets closer to his mother.

G.W. Your mom seems to be quite a trip, and your father seems kinda loony, too. . . .

A.H. Yeah, I got some crazy parents. . . .

G.W. Is that why you are so crazy? You've had your little escapades, almost killing yourself on a motorcycle, for example. You had to get 300 stitches! . . .

A.H. And brain surgery. That was pretty tough.

G.W. Brain surgery! And you still look gorgeous! Have you ever been in therapy?

A.H. For my back and stuff?

G.W. No, like mental therapy.

A.H. No, no. No mental therapy for me.

G.W. Is that your other phone ringing? Who is it? Shannen? A.H. No.

G.W. I read somewhere once where you were going to perform with your band, Soul Garden, at the Gate in L.A., and you got onstage and threw up.

A.H. Yeah, I'm a mess when I get butterflies in my stomach. G.W. You shouldn 't drink before you go onstage!

A.H. I don't drink. I drink water, Crystal Geyser. It's because of my spastic colon. I have a bad colon, which my mom also has.

G.W. There goes that phone again—it's Shannen calling you every five minutes!

A.H. Actually, I had all my friends call me, so you'd think that I was important.

G.W. Tell me about Rod Stewart—he was your stepfather. A.H. He was very strict, very British. I saw him about a month ago. We're not as close anymore, but he basically raised me.

G.W. What's your favorite guy thing to do?

A.H. I dunno. What's your favorite guy thing to do?

G.W. Masturbate.

A.H. Masturbate?! I like to sit around and play guitar . . . and masturbate, but only on Tuesdays.

G.W. When are you and your dad going to make a movie? A.H. That's so funny—we were just talking about that the other day. I'd enjoy working with him.

G.W. Do you two meet for lunch every week at the Ivy? A.H. The Ivy? Are you kidding me? We had lunch at La Scala last week.

G.W. Where do you like to eat, hang out?

A.H. I like Babylon. It's like a trendy place, but the food's good. I love Dan Tana's, the Palm, and Mortons is great. G.W. Did you ever finish high school?

A.H. Yeah, I went to a school for dyslexia called Landmark. G.W. You're dyslexic? Like Tom Cruise!

A.H. Yeah, like Tom Cruise. My dad found I was dyslexic when I was like around seven years old. It's still hard for me sometimes when I read scripts to comprehend things. G.W. Your publicist doesn't want me to ask you questions about your marriage to Shannen Doherty. But, Ashley, we can't talk about you and not talk about your marriage. A.H. Well, that's like my real personal, personal life. I like to keep it separate.

G.W. I don't need you to tell me that the sex between you and Shannen must be combustible.

A.H. [Laughs.] Yeah, it is.

^ G.W. But just assure me you're still married, because we hear every day about an impending divorce.

A.H. We are still married. You can't believe everything you read, can you?