I started in theater when I was 14 in the Henry Street Playhouse on the Lower East Side in New York. You hustle, you beat the sidewalk, the pavement - audition, audition. I just started working around town everywhere. I mean everywhere - the Village, Harlem, you know. Brooklyn Academy Of Music. Just job after job.

Right now I am trying to be in a place of calm, a place where I can chill out and then handle the chaos of life better. You don't just get it overnight you have to work at it. It's a daily struggle.

Well, there's no other person like me. Ain't nobody else like me. It's flattering. I don't like to do it too much because I get tired of me. But people ask, so I get to do it every now and then.

When it comes to comedy, they always say, Jackée, whatever comes to your mind. But heaven forbid I can't think of something. It's never happened yet, thank God. I may knock on wood.

I like beautiful clothing. I love Bergdorfs.

You don't want to be mean to people, but some people are real assholes. And you can't say that on TV - or, you can, but probably, as a celebrity, I can't get away with it. Trust me. Unless you're somebody who can say anything they want, I guess, like Donald Trump.

Reality shows are for reality stars. Celebrities do, maybe, Dancing With The Stars, maybe they might do Celebrity Wife Swap, but dealing with strangers, with people you don't know, in a real situation? People say it's fake, it's based on what they tell other people to do but won't tell you, but you still have a gut reaction, you know.

I used to teach. I quote American history and I love words. I've read the dictionary I don't know how many times throughout my life. People say, You read the dictionary? I say, Yes, and you can really believe it.

Mostly you don't want to make people feel bad because they carry that with them for the rest of their lives. I've found that. I hurt people on Celebrity Fit Club by being too honest. People loved it, but I was serious. I just hate phony baloneys. I can't do it anymore. I told them no. My tongue is too sharp. It was brutal.

I hate to say it, but the older you get, you really do have to cut down on the amount you eat. Less food and less portions.