“A good laugh makes any interview, or any conversation, so much better.”

A conversation isn’t a competition.

This is what I tell, especially young women, fight the big fights. Don’t fight the little fight… Be the first one in, be the last one out. Do your homework, choose your battles. Don’t whine, and don’t be the one who complains about everything. Fight the big fight.

Most old people … are disheartened to be living in the ailing house of their bodies, to be limited physically and economically, to feel an encumbrance to others – guests who didn’t have the good manners to leave when the party was over.

The news media in general are liberals.

To not sing with an orchestra, to not be able to communicate through my voice, which I’ve done all my life, and not to be able to phrase lyrics and give people that kind of joy, I think I would be totally devastated.

I don’t know about you, but I can never get enough David Letterman.

A Hot Fudge Sundae and a trashy novel is my idea of heaven.

Wait for those unguarded moments. Relax the mood and, like the child dropping off to sleep, the subject often reveals his truest self.

I also found that for myself, since I’ve had no religious education, it was so interesting to see the different versions of heaven and what life on earth means.

Because there are so many shows on and because I’ve been so hands-on – I’ve had a piece on almost every single week – I don’t know how to cut back on that. You really can’t.

Parents of young children should realize that few people, and maybe no one, will find their children as enchanting as they do.

A great many people think that polysyllables are a sign of intelligence and refinement so they think they will impress others with their command of obscure words.

I can get a better grasp of what is going on in the world from one good Washington dinner party than from all the background information NBC piles on my desk.

Deep breaths are very helpful at shallow parties.

when your child is in trouble, the first thing you do is blame yourself.

The origin of a modern party is anthropological: humans meet and share food to lower hostility between them and indicate friendship.

I like my raps, but I’m never too happy with some of ’em because I feel like they could be better.

It’s better to have a bad plan then no plan at all.

There’s nothing better than having a bottle of beer in your hand in the waves.

The better I get to know men, the more I find myself loving dogs.

Anything that looks good makes you feel better.

I think you are who you are, and your kids will see who you are. So you’d better be a good person, because they are going to see it, and that’s going to shape them. They are going to become you.

The world can’t tell you who you are. You’ve just got to figure out who you are and be there, for better or worse.

I mean, we’re always trying to evaluate and tweak things and get better.