Parents it seems have an almost Olympian persistence when it comes to suggesting more secure and lucrative lines of work for their children who have the notion that writing is an actual profession. I say this from experience.

In common with many others in the varied branches of our profession my academic education is subnormal.

America believes in education: the average professor earns more money in a year than a professional athlete earns in a whole week.

My professional dreams were coming true while I was living a personal nightmare.

My own dreams fortunately came true in this great state. I became Mr. Universe I became a successful businessman. And even though some people say I still speak with a slight accent I have reached the top of the acting profession.

I'm terrible with my workout regime and following it strictly. I'm terrible with a healthy diet and following it strictly. I'm terrible on the weekends about getting up at reasonable hours and all of those things. But when it comes to my work and the discipline it takes to get to work on time - I hate unprofessionalism.

We used to be referred to as bakers and then we became known as cake decorators and now we are known as cake designers. I teach at the French Culinary Institute in New York and cake design is a legitimate profession.

In regards to being a fashion aficionado there's a certain amount of taking yourself seriously in the professional world. The self-effacing person can't completely go down the serious road. But I design and love when things are beautiful.

I'm trying to knock the medical profession into accepting its responsibilities and those responsibilities include assisting their patients with death.

If what you do is being threatened as a profession that could be scary. But that's the same reason why I walked out on stage many times after receiving death threats. I couldn't live without doing what I wanted to do. So at the same time I have to be willing to die for it.