Sometimes experience trumps assumption.

That's the thing about Mother Nature, she really doesn't care what economic bracket you're in.

When you are kind to someone in trouble, you hope they'll remember and be kind to someone else. And it'll become like a wildfire.

I don't have pet peeves like some people. I have whole kennels of irritation.

[On writing to Alice Walker, author of The Color Purple:] I told her I would play a Venetian blind, dirt on the floor, anything.

I believe that parts of people like John Garfield and Moms Mabley, the parts of them that I needed to be able to do what I'm doing, came into me. There's a very nice feeling that there are many, many spirits inside of me looking after me . . .

There are times when I haven't been proud of America or really proud. But there have been times that I've been incredibly proud of the country.