Not what you would call a musical family, but my father used to play saxophone, and I discovered many genres of music when I was a child.
After so many changes, I realized I'd better cling to my own family and to what I've got right here.
I was so enamored with the idea of being in show business so everything was bright to me. I mean, I didn't think of it as being tough and things like that.
The business today is completely different and it's very producer driven, so that a songwriter needs to have producing chops, be a singer/songwriter, or find a singer to develop.
I'm very driven, and I always have been. So I'd like to release a successful album, continue in musical theatre, and be more involved in business.
You have to keep the business side together as well as the creative side. We have constantly surprised people and stayed with bands until they have grown on people.
I'll never forget that show season. It was completely mad. I was staying between Christy and Naomi's rooms and it was all limos and the Ritz Hotel and all that kind of business.
I think you need a really strong businessperson running the state, a person who's used to turning negatives into positives, which is what happens in business.
If you are a musician and you don't show any interest on the business level then you are actually vulnerable and people will rip you off. They will sweet talk you into anything.
I think the moment that I'm very proud of is building a business without using animals. And, hopefully, changing people's perception of how you can do luxury fashion.
It's not realistic to live in the country at this stage. I've got a business in London. I beat myself up about it all the time.
That's my only active wish. I think if I sang like Don Henley, this would be a lot more agreeable business.
If you can find the courage, if you have in your heart even the slightest bit of rebellion against injustice, maybe you can channel that and become a leader.
Everybody's opinion is equally valid, and I feel like everybody should have an opportunity to speak out, and everyone should have the courage to speak out.
Now that I've got some films under my belt, I have the courage of my convictions regarding acting. It gives me a leg to stand on.
Take chances, make mistakes. That's how you grow. Pain nourishes your courage. You have to fail in order to practice being brave.
My dad knows every single accent from being an old Yiddish grandpa to being Indian or Jamaican. It was very cool to grow up with that.
I didn't know I was cool, but I was very flattered that some of the younger comedy writers came up to talk to me at the Emmys. I found that gratifying.
I could finally quit my job as a bartender and stop dreaming that I might be Superman and know that I was. Then I started thinking about how cool it was.
I've worn my share of leopard pink boots to premieres or belts the size of cars. I thought my pink leopard boots were so cool.
I grew up around hip-hop so I didn't think it was about being cool or being black or being white or whatever.
