The way I approach stardom and the show, I'm like a politician. I'm an elected late-night official to do your work.

I know I did the right thing by taking time off to raise my son. But it also came at a price. I turned down many opportunities over the years because I didn't want to leave him for long periods of time. And in Hollywood, as in any business, the calls stop coming when you don't answer.

I call Los Angeles the city of alternatives. If you don't like mountains, we got the ocean. If you don't like Knott's Berry Farm, we've got Disneyland. If you don't like basketball, we've got the Clippers.

My name is Arsenio. That's a very unique name for a black man. In Greek, it means Leroy.

I went to school, majored in theatre, and said 'Mom, I have to choose my own destiny. I want to be an actor.' A couple of weeks after I graduated college I called my mother up and said 'Can I borrow $200?' and she said 'Why don't you act like you've got $200.'

The way I approach stardom and the show, I'm like a politician. I'm an elected late-night official to do your work.

The bottom line is I've never had anybody bark at me in a mall with malicious intent. Everybody who barks at the kid from Cleveland is to let him know, "I know who you are." It's always a positive thing.