When you've been initiated, you can stand in the world differently. And I think it is up to all of us, we can have cheerleaders, we can have supporters, but it comes down to us as individuals, how do we now proceed? Do we have the tools to proceed?

I'm not in the business of telling people what to do. I'm much more in the business of describing things, situations and stuff like that and leaving them out there, and you can make up your minds about them.

There are times when I think I can sing it better, but usually I find that I can't.

I think it's an essential fact for any performer or artist to fail as poignantly as they can succeed.

People often can't separate, or can't understand, that to be funny is to be serious; it's a way of pulling people in and not scaring them off. I think a lot of the funny stuff, underneath it, there's a deep anxiety going on.

I don't write happy songs. Who does? I don't know anybody who writes happy songs, really.

I'm not a misogynist, so you can dispense with that. I think I've done wonders for the feminist movement.