I truly believe that everything that we do and everyone that we meet is put in our path for a purpose. There are no accidents; we're all teachers - if we're willing to pay attention to the lessons we learn, trust our positive instincts and not be afraid to take risks or wait for some miracle to come knocking at our door.

In my life I've learned that true happiness comes from giving. Helping others along the way makes you evaluate who you are. I think that love is what we're all searching for. I haven't come across anyone who didn't become a better person through love.

After 20 years of doing comedy, I find dramatic work more challenging.

As soon as I finish one thing, there's always something else on the horizon I want to do. I don't have any intention of retiring from anything.

Dave Chappelle asked me to come do his show. I read the script, and I said, 'Has he lost his mind?'

I grew up weird - very sensitive and highly inhibited. I felt like I was born in the wrong time zone to the wrong people at the wrong place.

I mean, if cans can be recycled, why not spirits?

I never thought I was a great mom. I always worked. I fell in love with my children as they got older.

I'll tell you, I'm loving everything Betty White's doing. She's 90!

Jazz, of course, is our heritage. Jazz is a culture, it's not a fad. It's up to us to see to it that it stays alive.

Nothing is out of our realm, because it has nothing to do with color. As black people, we're not different from anyone else, other than the exterior.

There's always something we can complain about. We're all one. Things could always be better, but things could always be worse.

We've got to know our history. We have to be able to bring our children to a place that they can be proud of.

When I get on a plane these days, I go first class.

You cheat yourself when you don't do what it is you're supposed to do. You have an obligation to learn everything that you can.

Everything must change and you do what you can with the changes that are made. You can't stop it. You can't fight it. Everybody tries to go back to yesterday, but you can't go back to yesterday. The only time there is, is now.

Science of mind teaches you how to realize how much control you have over your own life. It teaches you that we have the ability to change our lives at any point we choose.

The Lord put me on television to do these things I want to do in the community. And He knew I had a lot to learn. That's why I've been on TV 16 years - not because I'm the greatest actress, but because I need the money.

The reason most of the children are having problems in any inner-city neighborhood is because they don't see enough positive role models in their own environment.

I would like to see every newspaper and every magazine have a network of bureaus all over the world, gathering news.