I think I'm an overly emotional person. I feel a lot, but I don't believe that's unique to me or that's how I am able to do the things I do.

When I was young and I look at the things that I wrote - I don't think that was the word they used back then, but they had a hipster sensibility. They were a little irreverent.

I can tell you from personal experience it gets a little tiring having to make the rounds on cable shows to explain 'what's up with black folks.'

When people come in the door and they have something, discovering and exploring the character is a real joy.

As a writer, as a storyteller, you have to have your emotions close, and the older I've gotten, the less I've worried about not displaying emotions.

Quite simply, quite plainly, just by virtue of his being, Barack Obama is America. The first true American to lead our nation.

I never wanted to show up and just say, "Okay, what are we doing today? Let's wing it!"