Kids will keep it real. If I've ever had in my life a great anchor, it's them. They get in your head, 'don't get too famous.' If you think you're really famous and think you're really hip, go hang out with your kids for an afternoon. That's about as earthbound as it's going to get.
There's an incredible amount of loneliness that comes with child stardom because you're isolated from your society.
I've watched a lot of people who became famous who completely change and I think it's because they tend to believe all the hype that's out there. I don't think there's that much hype about me.
To me, the whole idea of fame and I think it can be a real test of somebody, of who they are. You know, 'cause some strange things happen. I've seen some peculiar things as far as a person just living their life.
You know, fame is a funny thing, man, especially, you know, actors, musicians, rappers, rock singers, it's kind of a lifestyle and it's easy to get caught up in it - you go to bars, you go to clubs, everyone's doing a certain thing... It's tough.
It took me fifteen years to discover I had no talent for writing, but I couldn't give it up because by that time I was too famous.
The problem is, the more famous you get, the more people see you who didn't choose to.
I was not prepared for fame. It hit me hard, and I did not have the capacity to cope.
There comes a real loneliness in celebrity where you're constantly told you're part of an out group in your own society.
I've learned that being a celebrity is like being a sacrificial lamb. At some point, no matter how high the pedestal that they put you on, they're going to tear you down.
Slowly but surely, I went through different phases of fame, and each rises you further into isolation and alienation.
The highest levels of fame in the entertainment business are geared toward keeping the artist disconnected, disinterested and continuing to make product and not developing any sort of 'normal life.'
There's a downside to glamour and since I know that, I think that's why I have been able to stay grounded.
Celebrity is a pretty stunning thing. At first I was like 'They love me! Oh, I love them, too.' And suddenly, I was tap-dancing on my pedestal and it was whack! Facedown in the dirt.
Hollywood is great for entertaining people, it's a wonderful business but it's make-believe, you must remember that. That's one of the most important things to remember and the distinction in your own life, otherwise people get lost in their own fame, and it makes them unhappy.
These days, with 'American Idol' and all the other reality shows, young people become famous overnight, and that can be very difficult to handle, the way photographers follow you around and study your every move.
Once you're famous you can't go back.
See, every thing in show business is a lie. It ain't all it's cracked up to be. You are in situations where you are forced to think that you are better than everybody else because of the pedestal the fans place you on. It's a lie. This is just a job, a high-profile job. You have to keep that in perspective and not get caught up in the hype.
I thought the more famous I became, the more friendships I would have, but the opposite was true.
They sell you this present of rainbows and butterflies, and as a 16-year-old, that's what I bought. It's why I did 'X Factor' and why I ended up in a group. But then you're working so hard, so young.
When you start to become a movie star it's easy to believe that you are Superman. That can fool you. That's why I prefer not to pay much attention to fame.
People say that when you become famous you're growth is kind of stunted. That kind of makes sense because you are around people who are just agreeing with you and leading you into different places and you don't really make many choices for yourself.
Hollywood is so governed by the ego, and I never wanted to fall into that trap.
The world reacts very strangely to people they see on TV, and I can begin to understand how anchor monsters are made. If you're not careful, you can become used to being treated as though you're special and begin to expect it. For a reporter, that's the kiss of death.
I developed a deep sadness for celebrities, a pity that they often are caught in a plastic world that runs too hard and too fast, and that many times that world means destroyed relationships with everyone they know and love.
