2006feb21. Ran into these within minutes of each other.
“She was one of the first celebrities to speak openly about mental illness [ ... ] the most important thing she felt she ever did in her life was bust open depression.” ”Vivian often used her humor to get her points across. At every question and answer session, some patient would inevitably ask Vivian, ‘my mother, (father, relative, or friend) says I wouldn’t be here if only I helped myself. What should I say to them?’ Vivian’s reply: ‘Tell them to go fuck themselves.’”
– The Other Side of Ethel Mertz: The Life Story of Vivan Vance
“Where Woody, impulsive and mischievous, always believed in me no matter what, Rick didn’t seem to have the same confidence. I suspect where that came from. After all, I was not only going to be the second woman ever to host her own variety talk show, I would be the first black woman to do that. Somehow, it seemed, even before Mr. Rosner had met me, he assumed on that basis that I might not have the proper polish to be able to handle it [ ... ] He was so uncomfortable, I decided to try to loosen him up and make him feel more at ease by telling him some jokes. Cute ones. Funny ones. Nothing moved him. All the people sitting at the adjacent tables were laughing hysterically. He didn’t even chuckle [ ... ] Woody got me and Rick together, telling me, ‘Rick is concerned about your language [ ... ] why don’t you let him get a chance to hear that you know how to handle yourself in front of the camera? Maybe you could give him a couple minutes of the kind of language you’ll be using on the air.’ By this point I was offended. This was a producer who was making judgements about me based on nothing [ ... ] he didn’t know my work. He hadn’t taken the time to do his homework and see any copies of shows I had guest-hosted for Johnny [Carson], any of my hundreds of radio and TV guest appearances [ ... ] I couldn’t help myself but to just stick it to Rick. ‘Well,’ I said, poker-faced, ’I was thinking of opening by saying ‘Good afternoon, motherfuckers ... ‘”
– Della Reese – Angels Along The Way