Joan Rivers was my first real guide - my comedic godmother. She told me if you bomb, get back up on that stage. If you can't get back up there, then you didn't deserve to be there in the first place. That, and she taught me to be very careful about swearing for a laugh. Take the swear out of the joke, she said. If you can still get a laugh, then it's funny. If you need the swear to get the laugh, the joke stinks!

I really believe that the more we see of anyone, the less of that person we actually get to know. For all of Madonna's exposure, I doubt anyone has a clear image of what her life is like.

I wish I were more ambitious and more assertive. I'm a strong believer in fate. If you leave yourself open, things come to you. I don't put too much thought into things. If it feels right, I do it and I rarely question myself. Too many people over think things - wondering what the next step should be. You do that, and you'll never get where you're going.":