I want people to understand that from the minute Lady Gaga arrived, she created a new set of rules: being different is good; embrace it.

I grew up when the whole Motown thing was huge. The charts in those days were dominated by groups more than solo artists at one point.

I have very good advice to give to kids this age, which is, you shouldn't listen to your mum or dad and you just have to work it out for yourself. And the reason I've taken the age range down this year, and I never would have done it 10 years ago, is what I've seen with the success of Willow Smith. You don't have to be so cutesy anymore.

We felt the time was right to open up the boundaries, and say to all of America, regardless of your age, whether you're 2, whether you're 100, regardless of what you believe your talent is - juggling, magic, singing - this is the show you can enter. It's as simple as that.

I have always hated celebrities lecturing people on politics.

Choosing how you vote should not be a snap verdict based on a few minutes of television.

I hate belongings. I hate clutter. It really bothers me because I can't think properly. If you've got distractions in front of you, your mind goes nuts.