Louis Armstrong's Executor On The Media

You ask me what's wrong now? When I was going through the troubles and economic hazards of life back then, our values and our priorities were not about status symbols. It wasn't are you a celebrity and what have you acquired? I mean you can murder somebody these days and become a celebrity for it. Journalism has gotten sleazy about this.

One time, when I worked at Rockefeller Center, the doorman at 30 Rock said to me 'Look across the street at all the people standing around the Christmas Tree. All these strangers interlocking arms and singing. It's so beautiful.' And it was.

I ran back in and called the head of press photography at Associated Press and told him to come on down and snap a picture. And he said, 'Phoebe, call me if somebody throws a rock through a window at Saks Fifth Avenue. Nobody wants to see a happy picture anymore.'

I liked it better when it was moon, June, spoon, once upon a time, and happily ever after. It was an escape, sure, but it also choreographed your attitude about living. Now we have survival of the fittest. But what kind of fittest? What are you fit for?