I deeply adored my mum. She was an extraordinary person even for the prejudice I'm likely to have. She was beautiful amusing a tremendous elaborator of things into comic proportions and extravagant in her imagination.

I adored Mickey Mouse when I was a child. He was the emblem of happiness and funniness.

Oh I adored Mickey Mouse when I was a child. He was the emblem of happiness and funniness. You went to the movies then you saw two movies and a short. When Mickey Mouse came on the screen and there was his big head my sister said she had to hold onto me. I went berserk.

I was set free because my greatest fear had been realized and I still had a daughter who I adored and I had an old typewriter and a big idea. And so rock bottom became a solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life.

All my life it's been the same with men. Being a woman who is famous and adored by men is very hard for any boyfriend to handle. All my boyfriends end up insecure.

I knew I wanted to do something creative. I didn't think I'd have the luxury of doing something like that because I didn't know anyone who had pursued anything they really adored but I had dreams for singing or writing.

I've always had a huge fear of dying or becoming ill. The thing I'm most afraid of though is being alone which I think a lot of performers fear. It's why we seek the limelight - so we're not alone were adored. We're loved so people want to be around us. The fear of being alone drives my life.