When I was at my height on TV, I was always busy - rehearsing, practising my impressions, learning new material. When that faded, I had to find another way to be creative. Houses were something to do instead. They saved me.

As a family comedian, it is so wonderful seeing everyone from kids through to grandparents being entertained by you.

Too much comedy is filthy these days. There's nothing they won't say. I like Jimmy Carr, but I don't like the language he uses. I don't understand why he feels it necessary; I find it extremely offensive.

The measure of success is happiness and peace of mind.

I believe any success in life is made by going into an area with a blind, furious optimism.

That's the key to success, isn't it? It has to be fun.

I just felt it was my job to show that there is no easy way to success, and that anyone who gets even just one Top 40 hit deserves their moment in the sun. I accentuate the positive and eliminate the negative. That is the timeless thing.

We know that school readiness programs work, and the best ones work extraordinarily well. They are effective in reducing the achievement gap, which in Connecticut is among the highest in the country.