Now what kind of an attitude is that, 'These things happen?' They only happen because this whole country is just full of people who, when these things happen, they just say, 'These things happen,' and that's why they happen! We gotta have control of what happens to us.

The slapdash way producers used to assemble a show seems a little unbelievable when we talk about them now

I'll pat myself on the back and admit I have talent. Beyond that, I just happened to be in the right place at the right time

My father taught me to read music and play the piano-but not well, even though people have said that I'm a natural musician

Broadway has been very good to me. But then, I've been very good to broadway.

I mentioned that I was thinking of getting out of the business after Call Me Madam. I thought maybe I should become a homebody.

There have been people who have tried to take advantage of me. They want to be linked to me just because I'm Ethel Merman.