Jenny Slate

I spend so much time hoping things for myself.

I wanted to be in New York because I wanted to be on 'SNL.' I spent a lot of time wanting to be on 'Saturday Night Live' as a kid. That's what I wanted.

I just want to be able to be creative.

I tend to be really spacey, but I don't think it's because I'm unintelligent - it's just my imagination and a little bit of ADD.

Using creative expression as a means to a professional end makes me curl up a bit.

My grandfather was a lot like a white Jewish George Jefferson, and he did not enjoy my work very much.

You're always putting yourself into your work. There's no separation; it's just how you use yourself and transform.

I tend to watch things that aren't really the genre of my own work.

I grew up idolizing Madeline Kahn and Lily Tomlin and Carol Burnett, Ruth Gordon, Rosalind Russell, Amy Irving, women who were stylish and real actresses who did real work and could not be replaced with anyone else. You cannot cast anyone else in Madeline Kahn's roles.

A woman who is not ready to have a baby making it work is not a happy ending to me. It's a personal nightmare.