Instead of looking at the past, I put myself ahead twenty years and try to look at what I need to do now in order to get there then.

I was brought up in this part of Detroit that they used to call the ghetto.

Hair has always been important.

I don't care about vacations. I go away and I come back real quick because I like my work. I really like my work to consume me.

I use Jimmy Galanos gowns for real special occasions and things - television, special occasions where I know I'm being filmed. But I never really wear his gowns on stage. My stage gowns are more costumey. There's different levels of things that I wear.I would never wear my stage gowns to a party.

My father worked hard, but we were still very poor; and I didn't want anybody arguing about money, so I became the entertainer, the one who wanted everyone to be happy. I didn't want there to be any problems.

My family called me a wiggle tail because I was a little skinny, wiry kid full of energy.