One of my first role models was Eugene Lang, a wealthy businessman who went back to his elementary school in East Harlem and addressed the sixth-grade class. He looked out at that sea of faces and said, "If any of you wants to go to college, I will pay for it." When I read that, I burst into tears. It was so generous and so basic. Not fluffy. I can't understand why we scrimp on education and shortchange our kids. Why would the citizenry do that to the people who are going to inherit its republic?

I come from an overly confident place. But I'm overconfident because of feelings of inferiority.

I'm the last of the truly tacky women. I do trash with flash and sleaze with ease.

When it's time to shuffle off this mortal coil, you leave your ashes to be composted.

I firmly believe that with the right footwear one can rule the world.

Group conformity scares the pants off me because it's so often a prelude to cruelty towards anyone who doesn't want to - or can't - join the Big Parade.

I celebrate everyone's religious holidays. if it's good enough for the righteous, it's good enough for the self-righteous, I always say.