The big thing in my family growing up is that everybody had to play a musical instrument. We were like the von Trapps.
There weren't really any visible men in my family when I was growing up, but of course there have been men in my life, wonderful men.
Growing up in a multicultural family, I never really felt that I was different - even though I was from most of the kids in my school. Especially with music, I try to just approach it as an equal.
It would be ridiculous for me to say I am unlucky, but, like any other family and any other girl, I've had my ups and downs.
I come from a family who prided themselves, both sides, on memory. And I was told growing up, constantly, that I was born with a really good memory.
You can always enhance your natural beauty; you learn what works for your face because crazy make-up doesn't really suit anyone.
You really don't need to wear any make-up most of the time; keep your eyebrows the way they are, and find your own natural beauty signature.
So much has been said and sung of beautiful young girls, why doesn't somebody wake up to the beauty of old women.
Growing up, I just wanted to be like everyone else. I didn't value or understand the beauty in being different at the time in my life.
I was never an ambitious girl, or even a self-confident one. I never went in for beauty pageants or wore a stitch of make-up until I went to Los Angeles.
My mother never put an emphasis on looks. She let us grow up on our own time line. She never forced any beauty regimen into my world.
I never went to college. But the structure I grew up with was planted so deep that when it came to doing business, I knew how to be disciplined, create teamwork, and persevere. It set me up to be an entrepreneur and a successful franchiser.
The higher Greek poetry did not make up fictitious plots; its business was to express the heroic saga, the myths.
Young people in the business have grown up and made the wrong decisions, or bad decisions, and haven't been good role models. To be someone that people look up to is important to me.
When I was a kid growing up in the '60s, music was an outlet for enlightenment, frustration, rebellion. It was more about individualism. Today it's just like a big business.
I'd always wanted to be on Broadway one day, but it seemed like a dream that might be unattainable. This business has a lot of ups and downs and I learned that pretty quickly.
My business partner and make-up artist Kim Jacob and I have employed every member of staff, decided where every desk in the office should go, tried every product on our faces.
There are always a few who stand up in times of communal madness and have the courage to say that what unites us is greater than what divides us.
Every human being on this earth is born with a tragedy, and it isn't original sin. He's born with the tragedy that he has to grow up... a lot of people don't have the courage to do it.
What we need is some people to stand up with the courage of their convictions, to do what they promised when they ran for election, and fight to stop Obamacare.
To me, the stand up part in my life is great. I know I can do that. When I get an acting chance, I'm really thrilled.
