I'm able to laugh now, because I've gone through a lot of mental and physical therapy to heal over the years, my music's been wonderful for me. But I was a shell of my former self at one point. I was not myself. To be fair, I was about 19, so ... I went to Catholic school and all this crazy stuff happened, and I was going, 'Oh, is this just the way adults are?' I was very naive.

I went out into the woods for a few days. I just disconnected from everything and allowed myself to be free and be human. Because, that's what makes you really good, if you can be vulnerable, if you can be vulnerable on stage.

I think it is very important to join the fight against AIDS and HIV and think it is wonderful that Belvedere and Annabel's are supporting, and had this event this evening.

I'm not interested, Larry, in being a perfect, plastic pop singer that looks great in bikinis and is on the cover of every magazine. I'm more interested in helping my fans to love who they are, and helping them to reject prejudice and reject those things that they're taught from society to not like themselves, to feel like freaks, that they're not wanted.

It's sort of like my past is an unfinished painting, and as the artist of that painting, I must fill in all the ugly holes and make it beautiful again.

The most important thing about creativity is that you honor your creativity and you don't ever ignore it or go against what that creative image is telling you.

I want you to walk out of here tonight not loving me more, but loving yourselves more.