From American Journal (January 19, 1997)

• "When you were listening to the radio, when I was 'little Debbie Gibson,' I guess my life was a little different, because I'd go to school for a few hours in a day, and I'd run off to the studio, and then, a lot of times, I'd be playing a club or something at night."

(about the different "phases" she's gone through so far in her career)

• "I have gone through phases in the past. I mean, I went through a cutesy teenage stage, I went through a sexy teenage stage, where you kind of go, 'Oh, Okay, like, I'm a young woman now, I have a body, I have sexuality, I could use that.' You know, I think I'm at the point where I'm just, 'this is me, what you see is what you get.'"

From Deborah's America On-Line Chat (February 10, 1997):

(asked about the advantages and drawbacks of being successful as a teenager)

• "Well, there are many of each! It was great to start young, because when you're young and you don't have to think about things like paying the rent, you're free to be creative... and you don't quite know what th word stress means. One of the drawbacks is just constantly fighting perceptions... A lot of people think three years have passed when in fact it's been ten years! But I wouldn't go back for anything.... I'm very glad I started when I did."

(what inspired her write songs at such a young age)

• "The first song I wrote was when I was five years old and I think it was about some deep hidden fear I had about starting kindergarten! I think I just love the idea of knowing that I was going to be singing something for people, even if it was my familiy in the living room, knowing that it was something they had never heard before. It's like, writing songs is kind of like you have a secret to share with people. I like that."

(asked if Funny Girl would be back on tour in the fall)

• "I don't know! Hound your local promoters! I feel like even if it doesn't, that role is mine to play for the next ten years if I want to. I feel like for some reason the universe feels like it shouldn't be on the road now but I feel like it will happen some time in the next few years."

(asked if she was interested in a movie career)

• "Actually... there was a movie project that I was supposed to do in 1989 called SKIRTS. It fell through the cracks when Sony took over Columbia, but I've turned it into a musical for the stage. I'm working on it with Kenny Ortega. A movie career does interest me, but I don't feel I'm ready yet, because I have so much hyper energy, and films are so much about waiting and focusing and calm energy. But I never turn down an audition!"

(asked what her tour plans are)

• "I'm going to be doing some dates in March and April, possibly at Billboard Live in L.A. and Westbury Music Fair in Long Island and I'd LOVE to do a stint at Rainbow and Stars. I feel like a one-woman-show type of performer right now. I still love pop concert energy, but my kind of music doesn't lend itself to mosh pits. I kind of like classier venues."

(asked who she'd like to sing a duet with and who she'd like to write a song with)

• "I'll answer the 2nd part first: I'd LOVE to write with Billy Joel. He has been my favorite since I was 8 years old. This is going to sound bizarre... but Patty LaPone is one of my favorite singers, and I would kill to work with her in some way, especially on stage in the theater. That would be a big thrill. Oh, I'd love to sing with Luis Miguel."

(asked if there was ever a time in her career when she wanted to give up)

• "This business can be very frustrating at times. But never in a million years would I give up what I do. Whenever obstacles come into play, I just go back to basics, and sing in my living room and remind myself of why I do this. It's very easy to let the business end of things get to you. One obstacle that I have overcome is being on major labels. It's great when the chips are up and things are "easy" for the record company, but I learned about politics and what happens when a record company comes up against a bit of resistance the hard way. As a result, a lot of my music didn't get the promotion I feel it deserved. So my mom and I started our own label. Just today I was in Tower Records in Boston and the manager said "good for you, don't get a distributor, nine out of ten times an indy artist gets a distributor and we never hear from them again!" So I guess it's the the old "if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself" thing."

(asked when the new CD would be coming out)

• "It's out now in some markets, but will be everywhere in March. You can get it now at Tower Records in NY and Boston and a few places in California. We have listening stations and window displays, and those were things that we were told couldn't be done."

(asked what advice she'd give to a teenager who wants to get into show business)

• "Just be super persistant. Always train-- never think you're above taking lessons or classes. Really believe you have something to offer. People always try to talk about stories of failure, instead of stories of success.... there are thousands of roles and auditions going on constantly, and someone has to be in the shows and record the music on the radio every day! I like to focus on the positive. So like I said, training, discipline, self-motivation. It's an emotional field, and if you believe in what you're doing, it's the only field to be in."

(asked if she liked being in Les Miserables or in Grease better)

• "I would say Les Miz was more about discipline, but because it was a long-time dream of mine to be in, it was very rewarding. HOWEVER, after 100 performances or so of it, it was great to sing rama lama lama ding dong. I don't really have a favorite because they really are opposites. I can say at this point that I've had enough Grease in my life to last a lifetime. I would love to play Fontaine in Les Miz!"

(asked if she ever talks to Tiffany "now a days")

• "I haven't spoken to Tiff in years! We're not really traveling in the same circuit like we used to be... Now that there's no more American Bandstand and Top of the Pops, I never see her. I think she's married and with a baby, so if anyone out there knows her, send her my regards!"

(asked if she's still friends with Buddy Casimano)

• "I am friends with Buddy. For those who don't know him, he is someone I went to high school with, and he danced with me from my first club date to Madison Square Garden. I just saw him in Chicago recently... he was there doing a Christmas show with Sandy Duncan. Sandy actually broke his nose in rehearsal! They were doing a lift and, well, she broke his nose. But yes, I do still talk to him."

(asked why she didn't produce any songs on the new album and why she didn't play piano or keyboards much)

• "Well I was kind of in a time crunch. I was going on the road with Funny Girl for what I thought would have been nine months, and I wanted to get the music heard. It was a case of feeling that getting my melody and lyrics and voice was the most important thing at the time. I did oversee the produciton of the entire album. The same with the piano and keyboards -- there were some instances where someone else put down a reference piano and I ended up loving it."

(asked if she thinks Funny Girl's hiatus would affect her future work)

• "Well, it opens up the opportunity for me to promote the new album more thoroughly."

(asked if she uses her own relationships now as a basis for her songs)

• "Yes, I do. However, my personal life isn't always that amazingly exciting, so a lot of times, I just make things up!"

(asked if she is dating now)

• "I am. I've actually been with the same guy for almost two years. It's Chris Bruno; he plays Michael Delaney on All My Children."

(asked if she's met Susan Lucci)

• "I saw her once at the studio in the ladies room...she had curlers in her hair and looked great. I didn't introduce myself though. I think the ladies room is an inappropriate place to hassle someone famous!"

(asked what inspired the song "Moonchild")

• "I wrote that song with a woman named Joyce Swinea. We wrote it in my dressing room in the Dominion Theater in London while I was doing Grease. It's really just an abstract song that it to be left to your interpretation. It was about singing what came to mind, and playing around on the piano--it wasn't a real life thing that inspired it."

(the strangest question a fan ever asked her)

• "I've had people ask me for psychological advice--literally, things that make me say "I think you should ask your therapist!" Things like, should I seek revenge on this person that kind of stuff."

(asked if she plans to put out any more Smart Packs)

• "Smart packs?! What's a smart pack? Is that like a compliation thing or something?"

(asked if she and her boyfriend Chris Bruno would ever work together)

• "We've talked about possibly wanting to do a play together, or collaborating on a film but with him possibly writing or producing and me doing the score. So we would like to work together in some way, shape or form."

(asked why she thinks the ballad has lost favor today to rhythmic dance music)

• "I think that people are afraid to let themselves feel. It's interesting being on stage in a show like Les Miz; instead of people crying, you'd always hear a lot of coughing during death scenes. I think people are afraid to be vulnerable. They think it's a sign of weakness instead of strength. People are more in tune with their angst-ridden side while in fact, a melodic ballad might make them face that there is good in the world. It's like people feel they have to have an edge. Personally, I say, give me a sappy ballad any day!"

(asked if she writes her owns songs and how she feels about artists writing their own material)

• "I do write my own songs, I don't think that it's fair to say that an artist who doesn't write has less credibility than someone who does. (That was something that always bummed me out about me and Tiffany). I think if a singer has something to offer and can hook up with a writer who shares their creative vision, that's great. I like singers who steer their own careers, even if they don't write -- as opposed to singers who will sing anything handed to them."

(asked if she's written much poetry)

• "I write some. Melodies usually pop into my head at the same time, so most things end up in song form."

(asked what she listens to for inspiration)

• "There's a song on my new CD called "Butterflies Are Free," that I would say was inspired by Sandy Patti, because I like her inspirational gospel music. I also like classical music for inspiration, I think it has a lot in common with the pop music of today."

(asked if she goes on the Internet a lot to see the web pages devoted to her)

• "I have looked a few times but to tell you the truth, sometimes it freaks me out to think that people are out there talking about me! So often I pretend the net doesn't exist. It almost makes me feel abnormal, and I kind of pride myself on being normal! I'm a late bloomer, and I'm that way with the net also, it's taken me a while to get used to the whole thing."

(asked when she will be releasing a single from the new album)

• "At the moment I'm concentrating on getting the album out to the people without relying on the radio stations to break it open. Just because, radio stations don't really like to go out on a limb I've found. To play alternative music isn't going out on a limb, even though somewhere along the line they thought it was. To really go out there would be to play my stuff, just because of the whole perception that goes along with my name. So we're going in the back door with my album. I would like to eventually release a single to radio but I'm holding off on that for a while."

(asked if any more video compilations would be released)

• "Well... that's a good question. Because I've switched labels a couple of times, different labels own different rights to videos so that can be complicated."

(asked how she comes up the material for her songs)

• "Basically, I write songs like people write journal entries. It's like a very personal and constant thing in my life. The ideas come from observation as well as experience. As I mentioned earlier, some of it is just fiction. Sometimes it starts with a melody idea, other times with a sentiment I want to express. When I feel that there are enough songs that I feel strongly about, I go back into the studio."

(asked what it was like to work with the Circle Jerks)

• "It was definitely strange recording with a bunch of guys who could not get their act together enough to order lunch in the studio! It was pretty crazy, especially performing with them live. I recorded a song with them called I Want to Destroy You and I thought, why the heck not? I enjoyed the fact that I got to "rock out" a bit."

(asked about the significance of a ring she's worn a lot)

• "It's actually a pink ring, and it's ceramic, and it has the sun on it. I wear it facing out, and call it my "spread sunshine ring" Maybe three days in the four years I've owned it, I've had to face it in toward myself because I needed the energy. I'm a creature of habit and I feel like I'm going to jinx myself if I don't leave the house without the ring on."

(asked if she'd ever consider a boxing match with Tiffany)

• "Not really, I'm not the violent type. BUT I think there was a Mojo Nixon video where two people playing us were mud wrestling. I think it was Winona Ryder playing me. I have a big sense of humor about myself and you can't do much that would jar me, I think!"

(asked what's been the most rewarding experience of her career to date)

• "Two things come to mind... One is being able to affect people on a large scale, and being able to be involved with charities and make a difference by doing something I love to do. The other is that one of the fringe benefits that comes to mind-- Being able to see Barbra Streisand at Madison Square Garden and having a backstage pass, but not using it because I had my own show the next day and I had to go home and rest my voice! I kind of felt empowered in some sick, deranged way."

(asked what her favorite charities are)

• "Starlight Foundation and Make a Wish... those are charities that grant wishes to terminally ill kids. Through the years, many kids have wished to meet me, and that's very touching. Special Olympics is another, and I've actually been involved with them since I was 12. To be involved on a local level and also being able to be involved in a worldwide scale is pretty exciting. There's a new organiztion, called Music Cares, which is a drug intervention program. If it's known that a musician is struggling on the road with drugs, the organization will send someone out to help them one-on-one, I think that's pretty amazing. Pediatric AIDS organziations, and more, there are just so many charities that I'm involved with."

(asked if there will be another convention and if the album will be released in Europe)

• "The new album will be out there, I don't have a date yet. We haven't planned a convention yet. (For those who don't know, I had a fan club convention last year and it was a hoot! There were people from all over the world and it was a two-day convention.) My younger sister Denise was making fun of me because she said it was like a big garage sale... we had a bunch of merchandise and donated a lot of the money to charity. It was like this big shrine to Debbie, and hilarious, but at the end of the two days, I did a two-and-a-half hour concert which was a lot of fun. I'd like to do another one soon but I think my office is still recovering from last year!"

(asked if the House of Blues concert would be released on her label)

• "Hmmm! There is a bootleg floating around called "Out at the Blues" but we didn't really make a proper recording of it.... I would love to do a live concert in the future because I feel it's definitely one of my strong points, and being part of an era that was so much about videos and dancing, it's like people think that anyone who recorded in the 80s doesn't know how to perform live though that's my forte. I might wait until I get to play Carnege Hall, where the acoustics are perfect!"

(asked if she plans to do more sexier adult material now)

• "I have to laugh at that at the moment because I'm in pinstriped men's PJs and a top with cows on it! I love songs that are sexy but not in a blatant way. You do get more in touch with your sexuality as you get older."

(asked if she's auditioned for any plays recently)

• "Oh boy! that's a loaded question, because I just auditioned for Rent last week, to play Maureen. I haven't heard anything yet, but I had a great time at the audition, and I feel I did a really good job with it and I would love to play that role in the future. It's just a wacky role! I'm actually in Boston with a friend who is in Rent and I saw it last night for the fourth time. I love it!"

(asked which Smashing Pumpkins song she'd like to cover)

• "There are so many good ones, it's hard to choose! My boyfriend is constantly saying, great melodies, if only they didn't sing like that."

(asked about her piano teacher on Long Island)

• "Thanks, my teacher was Morton Estrin in Hecksville. And if you're a serious student, I'm sure he'll be happy to hear from you. He's an ingenius teacher. He used to sit across the room in what he called "his throne" and without even seeing your hands on the piano he could tell what note and what measure was wrong, and what note it should be."

(asked what her favorite songs are on the new album)

• "One is "Butterflies Are Free," which I actually just performed on the Gordon Elliot show. It was a show about child prodigies, and I was there supposedly as a shining example or something. These kids were amazing -- they were in college at the age of nine. Anyway, back to the subject, I didn't write it but I love "Don't Rain On My Parade" from Funny Girl is certainly a favorite."

(Deborah's last comments before the end of the chat)

• "Thank you all for a fun-filled hour! Please have a happy Valentine's Day and make sure you play "Lost In Your Eyes" over and over again to get your special someone in the mood. Thank you! And remember, I'm "Forever Your Girl" -- OOPS! Wrong artist! And thanks to my friend Ray for the delicious pasta I wish I could share with you all now!"

From the Gordon Elliot Show (February 19, 1997):

• "You know, it's amazing..like over the past few years, basically my whole childhood and that whole whirlwind finally... I was finally able to look at it objectively, because when you're a kid you go on instinct and...you know, you're excited. You're excited that you can do what you love, you get attention from it. But it's really important that the parents... and it seems like all the parents here really have it together... because it's important to remember that although, you know, like I could get up and command an audience at a very young age, I had only been on the earth for X number of years, you know? A kid is a kid, and it's important to try to keep a childhood as normal as you possibly can and be with people your own age, otherwise you're gonna feel like you missed out on something."

From a letter in DGIF 8.4:

• "Happy New Year my friends! Having a whole month off has been crazy after the year I had... finishing up Grease, recording a pretty lengthy C.D., and doing Funny Girl... And now it's Skirts Skirts Skirts! Isn't it crazy to hear about this project years after hearing "Love Under My Pillow" in concert? Well, that is actually one of the songs possibly to be included in the stage version along with really fun sixties-sounding girl group songs and more traditional theater pieces. I will soon be going to L.A. to work more with writers Katie Ford and Hillary Carlip as well as director/choreographer Kenny Ortega. We've also been busy at G.M.I. planning a promo tour as well as thinking about performance venue ideas. I am so proud of my management company / Espiritu Records for doing such things as getting a corner display at Tower Records and numerous other wonderful things... things that supposedly "couldn't be done" without major label support or major distribution. Well, I think our team is pretty MAJOR! Speaking of major... I recently saw Buddy perform in the Chicago Christmas Show That's Christmas with Darlene Love and Sandy Duncan. She (Sandy) actually broke Bud's nose during rehearsal, but being the trooper that he is it was "on with the show"! Thanx as always for the support and feedback... it means the world! See you all soon "on the road" for album #6! ("six" by the way is my lucky number!)"

Deborah talking about the songs on her sixth album, Deborah:

Ode To A Would Be Lover

• "A little earthier for me, wouldn't you say? This song was recorded all live into the wee hours of the night/morning, so when I said, "goodnight" at the tail end, I meant it."

Moonchild

• "This song was written with a wonderful and talented woman named Joy Swinea from Nashville. She flew to London during my run in Grease to write songs together and we came up with this spiritual, earthy little ditty in my dressing room between shows."

Only Words

• "I wrote this song in L.A. -- it came from virtually nowhere. It's about finally feeling all the things you've always said, but didn't necessarily have a full understanding of. That "hummingbird" harmony was a tricky one, hence calling backup-singers B.J., Robin and Fonzi "the hummingbirds" in the album thank yous!"

Naturally

• "After the Grease tour, I went to L.A. to gear up for TV land and didn't have a place to live for the first month, so my friends Richard and Lori invited me to stay with them. Little did they know, I came with a Baldwin piano to create songs like this one with. This song is about how love, supposedly the most natural thing in the world, becomes an effort."

Nobody's You

• "This one was written about my boyfriend Chris."

Cry Tonight

• "This track was produced in London by the super-talented Richard Drummie, written in Nashville and recorded in the U.S. and the U.K. with my dear friend, the super diva vocalist, Anna Jane Casey. It's about the understanding that exists between two people who loved the same man."

Where I Wanna Be

• "I did this demo in L.A. with Marc Portman and later tried to recreate the edgy vibe, but couldn't. I went back to the original demo and 95% of what you hear is that. The song is about your head and your heart being in two different places."

Butterflies Are Free

• "This is based on the theory that if you let a butterfly go free, it will probably return to your hand. However, if you grasp it, will become suffocated and never return. I've recently become a big Sandi Patti fan and I think the gospel influence is evident here. What fun! The Preacher's Second Wife, starring me? Hmmmm..."

Give Me Your Love

• "Steve Rosen did a wonderful production here that really takes the listener on a journey. From the response we've gotten from you guys, it's a favorite!"

Just Wasn't Love

• "This was the very first song written and recorded for this project. We all want reasons when love doesn't work out - sometimes the answer is simple and painful."

I Can't

• "This song really has grown on me. Steve Rosen is the first person to ever get me to try some subtler nuances. That's my guy speaking French in the intro. He ran from work to the studio and was in sweaty clothes and breathless when he arrived, but the image his voice conjures up is quite different. I Can't is a song about temptation."

People

• "This song reunited me with Tony Visconti (Think With Your Heart), and is obviously a classic. My only regret is that I didn't get to record it after making it my own live eight times a week. Being a "people" person, I absolutely can relate to the timeless lyrics."

Don't Rain On My Parade

• "What a work of art by Jule Styne! Is there anything I can possibly say except how could the songwriters have known how I'd be feeling in the nineties when they wrote this song way back when? And thank you God, for never letting me crack on the final note live!"

I Will Let You Go

• "Marc Portman's classic sounding production hits me in the heart every time. This is a song about reaching a point in a relationship when both parties know that space is needed, but parting ways with the confidence and knowledge that it is an investment in the future. I recorded this vocal on my 26 th birthday, two days before beginning rehearsals for Funny Girl, so I didn't take much of a break this past summer and fall! I was so tired that day, I remember saying, "Just string me up by my toenails. Anything would be easier and less painful than singing today," but I am happy with the end result."

Questions & Answers - Fan Interview by Myra Wong (From DGIF 8.4):

Myra: "The 10 th Anniversary of Only In My Dreams is this year. Was the single released on a specific day?"
Deborah: "Yes. The 12" single was released on December 16, 1986 and the 7" single was released on February 23, 1987 according to Atlantic Records' database."

Myra: "You've been a recording artist for 10 years now. What does that mean to you now compared to back then?"
Deborah: "It's always been important to me to be able to make a difference through my music."

Myra: "Is winning a Grammy still one of your goals? Do you have your sights set on a Tony Award?"
Deborah: "Yes! Both would be nice!"

Myra: "Can you explain how you put an album together in terms of song selection and order? When do you know which songs will and won't be included on an album? Is it hard to let some songs go virtually unheard by your listeners?"
Deborah: "I demo tons of stuff and usually end up dead set on certain songs making the final cut. In this case, it also came down to which songs the producers felt comfortable with creatively. Yes! It is hard knowing thousands of songs will never be heard. Maybe someday I'll do a concert series with only these songs!"

Myra: "How many songs have you written to Skirts so far?"
Deborah: "Tons! 30 maybe? I've recorded around 15."

Myra: "What kinds of books do you like to read?"
Deborah: "Books on self analysis... I think I may have been a psychologist or spiritual healer in a former life! I'm also currently immersed in books about the sixties right now for Skirts."

Myra: "What are your goals for this album?"
Deborah: "To once again slowly and steadily climb this new mountain I've been climbing for a few years now... I want to expose more and more people to what I'm doing and simply enjoy promoting and performing the material."

Myra: "What happened to the TV show you were going to do for Warner Brothers?"
Deborah: "Creatively, we never came up with the perfect thing, but it's not a dead issue! When Funny Girl came up, those plans were put on hold."

Myra: "What kinds of possibilities come with having your own record company?"
Deborah: "Apart from the possibility of signing other artists, I get to do things my way, with integrity and creativity and no one will be speaking on my behalf other than people who truly know and understand me personally and professionally."

Questions & Answers - Fan Interview by Eric Van Sickle (From DGIF 8.4):

Eric: "What was your first reaction when you heard that Funny Girl was closing?"
Deborah: "It wasn't thrown at me. There were clues along the way, so I wasn't shocked. Ever the optimist, I said, "the universe must want me home for a reason" and so I relaxed and enjoyed the holidays with my family. I know I will do this show again."

Eric: "What was it like playing Fanny Brice?"
Deborah: "It's like playing myself, only wackier and older. Thank goodness I can't relate to the parts about kids and divorce! No, but seriously being able to show people what the life of a performer is truly like and singing such amazing music was exhilirating. The 5 show weekends, however, were grueling. I learned an incredible amount of stuff about myself and my stamina on such a short period of time. I think I rose to the occasion which is a wonderful feeling."

Eric: "Were there eventual comparisons between your performance and that of Barbra Streisand?"
Deborah: "I think there were initially, but I feel that I brought the audience into my world once they entered the theater and all the other stuff went away."

Eric: "What kind of promotion are you planning on doing for the new album?"
Deborah: "A possible tour of colleges, doing speaking engagements, large clubs, etc. Let us know your ideas!"

Eric: "Why did you wait for your sixth album to have a self-titled CD?"
Deborah: "I think it takes that long to develop as an artist and it is now that I feel I am truly at the beginning of "Phase 2" and "Debbie" was really about a certain image and era."

Eric: "How much have you grown as a musician in the past 10 years?"
Deborah: "I've run the gamut in terms of having complete creative control and being totally open to outside input. I've now struck a great balance. Also, vocally, I've made personal strides."

Eric: "If you weren't a musician, what other profession would you have chosen?"
Deborah: "Air conditioning and refrigeration??? Nahh! I can't even answer that except to say that I think teaching music is something I'd like to do in addition to performing."

Eric: "What song did you enjoy recording most on Deborah?"
Deborah: "Ode To A Would Be Lover and Butterflies Are Free."

Eric: "What are some of your long-range goals for your career?"
Deborah: "I'd love to be able to do a one woman show whenever I please and to be responsible for some new projects coming to stage and screen."

From Billboard (March 29, 1997):

• "I've spent a lot of the past few years doing theater and lots of ballads. I ignored the part of me that's energetic. It's almost like I had to prove that I can sing ballads, and that I can write in a traditional way. Now that I've done that, it seemed like the right time to do dance music."

(about remixing "Only Words")

• "Even though I originally wrote 'Only Words' as a slow song, I could also always hear it in my head as a dance track. I played it for a couple of remixers who thought I was crazy. And then I found Junior, who instantly got where I was coming from."

(about working with Junior Vasquez)

• "The chemistry that Junior and I have is incredible."

(why she's working with Jellybean)

• "He's the master of this game. I trust him implicitly with my music, which is a big statement coming from me. My music means everything in the world to me."

From the Orange County Register (March 30, 1997):

• "I've always preferred to be called Deborah. That's my name. I realized that, hey, people are going to call you whatever you print on that cover. So here's my chance to be called what I always wanted to be called."
• "I've had my share of stalkers and all that. It's a little freaky when people take a fantasy they have of you and turn it real. Because I was of that era of pop princesses and all that, people really had these images of me that weren't true."

(about her Body Mind Soul image)

• "I did go through a time where most young girls go through. I thought, 'Oh, gee, I gotta be sexier to show I'm older.' That's completely an indication that you're young and floundering. People comfortable with themselves are mature enough to not look for some kind of crazy gimmick. That's where I'm at now. I love my life too much to ever feel like I'm playing dress-up. I always want to just present me."
• "All of the sudden, the higher-ups at the major labels thought, 'Oh boy, transition.' They saw this flashing neon red-alert sign that made them feel like they had to plot and plan the next career move instead of letting me change naturally."

(how Deborah has stayed out of trouble)

• "It's very easy. I don't shoplift, and I don't go for married men. My family works with me and all around me. You're always going to hold on to your basic value system. Besides, I've felt strongly that people in the public eye are role models. If you don't want to do this on a professional level, don't sign a professional contract."

(about comparing her with Alanis Morissette)

• "It's funny you brought up Alanis. I often wonder what she went through in her life to warrant such a huge change vocally. I could write songs along those lines, and I could do all those vocal tricks and all that styling, but I'm more of a traditional kind of singer-songwriter. I'm influenced to a degree by what's going on, but I don't let that change what's at my core. She might have had some kind of dramatic experience in her life that made her write those songs."
• "Me, I'm kind of even-keeled. I'm not angry at life. I'm truthful in my lyrics, but I'm a glass-is-half-full person. I like entertainment as a way for people to escape their angst rather than a way of driving it home even further."

(about putting up her own money to record an album on her own label)

• "Which I'd actually rather do. I was aware from a very young age of the phrase 'recoupable funds.' It's nice to be be doing it on your own and the only person you'll be paying back is yourself."

(about having freedom)

• "It felt to pick up the favorite songs I'd written, pick the people I wanted to go with and just go to it."

(about recording the Deborah album)

• "The new album was done very much like my first album - kind of spontaneously and quickly, with no overanalyzing. The arrangements are a little more sophisticated that the stuff I was doing 10 years ago. I've always been into melodic stuff and real singing and no-nonsense good music."

(about "Only In My Dreams")

• "It's the only song I can probably perform till I'm 90. There are a million things you can do with it."

(about what fans can expect from the album)

• "I think they'd be pleasantly surprised. They'd hear the same artist they listened to, just 10 years later. I've aways wanted to stay very true to myself and not say, 'Oh, gee, hard-core house music is happeneing this month' and jump on th at bandwagon. The people who have always been fans can always trust that I'm going to make music that's true to me."

(about comments that Deborah has "resorted" to Broadway)

• "Resorted? Who would resort to doing eight shows a week? It's the most grueling thing you could ever do. I do like keeping my feet in both. A lot of people tell me their first Broadway show was 'Les Miz,' and they saw it because I was in it. It's all still show business; it's all performing. What used to be known as being versatile is now known as being unfocused."

From Home & Family (March 31, 1997):

• "I actually initially changed the name from Deborah to Debbie, so I just feel like, you know, as you get older you feel more comfortable with yourself and you want people to call you by your name. Darn it!"

(about being influence by any kind of music program)

• "Actually we had a, a program called W.I.N.G.S. Which was Widening Interests through New-experience for Gifted Students. And it was, really a creativity program, and you left the normal curriculum a day and a half a week to do brainstorming and independent study, and it's great because there's more to school than just what you learn in books."

(about music being a creative outlet for kids)

• "Absolutely, it gives kids a purpose, and I work with a boys home on Long Island, St. Mary's, and every year I do a benefit, and I have them sing back-up for me, and they spend a good part of the years working toward that, and you know, it definitely gives them an outlet, and, and a feeling and a sense of purpose and accomplishment."

(what Deborah is planning to do next)

• "Well, actually I've got two independent films I'm going to be doing in the Spring. And hopefully some more theatre endeavors. I've actually written a musical, co-written a musical, I'm doing the music and the lyrics, and working on that with Kenny Ortega. So hopefully you'll see that on Broadway in the next couple of years."

(about her new house in Los Angeles)

• "Well, renting a house, I'm back and forth between NY and LA. I've got movers coming in, well about an hour and a half."

(about the song "Only Words")

• "No, this is really a song about kind of, you can say the same words over and over in a relationship, but there comes a point where they really click, you really feel that you really mean it. That's what this song is about."

(talking to the audience after performing "Only Words")

• "I wanted to see everyone up close. You guys were hijacked off a tram, you thought you were going to see Jim Carey shoot over there. They got me instead."

From Newsday (April 11, 1997):

(about the "Deborah" album)

• "I'm going out on a limb... in terms of production values. One song, 'Butterflies Are Free' is kind of gospel and then there are a couple of ballads that sound to me like songs I wrote in the past."

(what happened to cause Funny Girl's cancellation)

• "On opening night the Denver promoter... said he didn't like the set, didn't like the production values, didn't like other things, and he canceled. And yet we got standing ovations wherever we played. He had a domino effect, and other promoters pulled out."

From Deborah's America On-Line Chat (May 27, 1997)

(why she's going by Deborah now)

• "I actually always preferred to be called Deborah. Anyone who knew me for more than 10 minutes has always called me Deborah but professionally, I guess it is a statement. Because, it symbolizes being so myself that I want people to call me by the name I prefer and it also is a richer, fuller sounding name than Debbie and fits the music I am doing now."

(asked if she thinks pop music of the '80s will make a comeback)

• "I think Melodic pop is definitely back."

(asked if enjoyed playing Sandy or Rizzo more)

• "I have to say I preferred the London production of Grease to the American production but I would say Rizzo was the spicier role."

(asked how she began her recording career)

• "Oh boy, do you have an hour? It started with making demos in local recording studios and eventually producing my own demos on my own recording equipment which led me to get a 12 inch dance single deal with Atlantic Records followed by an album deal."

(asked if her image changes were intentional, and how they affected her career)

• "When I was with Atlantic Records, there was definitely at time some confusion in my own mind as to whether I was getting far away from myself, imagewise, or just being versatile and just doing what was called upon me to do. But, I don't believe there is such a thing as making a wrong decision. I think that every transition I went through was a necessary part of my growth and has led me to the place I am at today, which is a place that I am very happy being in."

(asked if Deborah would be going on tour)

• "I will be doing a lot of promotion this summer so I am sure I will be doing something, somewhere near you. If you want a concert, badger your local radio station. Maybe I will be able to do something with a full band. I will be doing several Learning Annex dates so check to see if I will be doing a lecture/acoustic performance in your city."

(asked what prompted her to do the Learning Annex "tour")

• "I've often, throughout the course of my career done question and answer type talks. I've always felt that I had a lot to say on many different subjects and I love people, and this talk satisfies all of those urges."

(asked what song she's performed that's been her favorite)

• "Hmmm. I recently did some live concerts at venues like The House of Blues and The Westbury Music Fair and I would have to say that one is Ode To A Would Be Lover off of the new album (due out officially on June 3) and also Butterflies Are Free. Going back in time, Only In My Dreams is always a favorite."

(asked if she'll be doing any Broadway shows soon)

• "Funny you should ask. I am not allowed to announce which one yet because it is produced by a big company and they are very strategic about when they do their announcements and how they do them but I will be on broadway, starting in the fall for 9 months in a classy show and in a role that I can't wait to do."

(asked if the 1996 Deb Convention video project would be revived)

• "Oh, yes, we still have the footage and would like to assemble it but with getting the new label off the ground, and keeping so busy, it has been delayed. Sorry!"

(asked what her most memorable moment is in her career)

• "One of the most (there have been many) musical highlights for me was being invited onstage by Elton John to play a song with him and Billy Joel and the very next week being invited onstage just by Billy Joel. It was some week!!! Les Miserables and playing Madison Square Garden were also highlights."

(asked who she thought should win Tony awards)

• "I actually haven't seen a lot of the newer shows but I hear that the show "The Life" is amazing. I also hear that Daniel McDonald is amazing in "Steel Peirs"."

(asked about the films Deborah worked on)

• "I just finished the two of them on Saturday night and I am still excited and exhausted. The first is called "Wedding Band" and also stars Dom DeLuise as a drinking, cursing priest and Mo Gaffney, an incredible actress/comedienne. I play the Jewish bride at a wedding reception. It is kind of like Tony and Tina's Wedding meets Spinal Tap. The other is a screwball comedy very much in the tradition of "What's Up Doc" and it is called "My Girlfriend's Boyfriend". I play a suburban want a be papparazzi photographer who has too much of a conscience to be really good at it. I am also doing all the music for that film. I hope to see them both on the big screen within a year."

(asked if Deborah is interested in doing a TV sitcom)

• "I am. But, the more I think about it, the more I feel that the time to do one would be when I decide, some day, to get married and have kids because it is more of a stable job. But for now, I still have more running around and working on different projects to do."

(asked if there's anyone she'd like to write with but haven't had the chance)

• "I recently met Desmond Childs and he is incredibly gifted. I would love to work with him as well as Billy Joel."

(asked if she wanted to stay out of the spotlight to take a break)

• "No, I did not take a break. In fact, sometimes, even though you aren't in the spotlight, you are working harder than ever. In 5 years, I have done 5 major musicals and 3 albums. I don't think that is taking a break, do you?"

(asked what got her into Broadway)

• "Broadway was a part of my life ever since I was bitten with the "Annie" bug at the age of 5. I spent my entire childhood from the age of 5 to 15 doing theater and was thrilled when I was able to finally incorporate theater into my already fulfilling career in pop music."

(asked if she loves listening to Oldies, and what else she listens to)

• "Yes, I have always been into oldies. I love really melodic fun songs but I listen to all kinds of music. If it is good and it moves me, it doesn't matter what genre it is.

(asked what was the best/worst part of filming her movies)

• "My Girlfriend's Boyfriend was filmed partially outdoors and I had many days that were cold and rainy that found me standing outside in a tank top. For Wedding Band, it was very chaotic because there were hundreds of people brought in to recreate a wedding reception. Imagine being at a tacky wedding reception in uncomfortable high heels, a tight gown and lots of makeup, every day, all day for weeks on end. I guess that just about sums it up."

(asked if it was difficult to give up so much control on Deborah)

• "It wasn't at all because I had complete creative faith in the people that I worked with and still maintained complete creative control while also remaining open to and excited by new ideas."

(asked how Deborah hooked up with Junior Vasquez)

• "His name came to mind because I thought he could add to what was already on tape."

(asked if Deborah would like to play Miss Hannigan in "Annie")

• "That is actually a very clever idea. I will have to keep it in mind. Although, I don't know if I could be mean to the kids. They are so adoreable. I saw it last week with my nieces."

(asked if Deborah likes the current music played on MTV - rap & grunge)

• "I am not a big fan of either although there are some artists in those genres of music that are really great. I personally, and not only for selfish reason, would love to see some more pop music being played."

(asking for more "close up" pictures on album covers)

• "Well, then the new album is for you because it is a super super closeup. My eyes alone are probably as big as my whole body was on "Out Of The Blue"."

(asked if she had to do in her career that made her feel uncomfortable)

• "When I was first starting out at the age of 16, I was not comfortable with all the clubs that I was playing at. A lot of those performances came about through a manager that I no longer work with. I have to say that all of my career decisions have been my own and sometimes I push my own comfort level in an attempt to grow, change and get a better sense of myself."

(asked if she's ever had any problems with body image and weight)

• "I think that everybody, especially young women, struggle with weight. My weight has gone up and down within 10 to 15 pounds in the past 10 years and I have finally struck a balance between being conscious about my health and weight without it interfering with my sanity. In fact, my advice is to keep active through things like dance classes and other fun activities and don't go overboard because I really believe you look your best when you are happy and peaceful and comfortable with yourself from the inside out."

(asked how being young and successful has affected her life and how her friends and family handled her success)

• "In high school, I could have let it have its negative effects but I decided instead to use everything as a learning experience. Kids can be cruel and not so understanding when it comes to things relating to jealousy and resentment but overall, my experiences have been great. My family and friends are super supportive and so long as I am as interested in being a good friend, aunt, daughter, etc., as I am about being a successful performer, then my life works beautifully."

(asked if Deborah's still the youngest artist to write, record, and produce a number one single)

• "That records definitely still holds. I believe I am also the youngest and the first female to win the ASCAP Songwriter of the Year award. Today, I was at a luncheon for a group of young performers call "City Kids". I think I better watch my back, someone is going to break that record soon."

(asked where Deborah gets inspiration for her "soul stirring" songs)

• "From soul stirring people and a vivid imagination."

(asked how Deborah enjoys doing on-line chats)

• "It's kind of wild and pretty amazing to think of, to think about communication on this scale and it is pretty painless and relaxing being that I am lounging around in my pajamas right now."

(asked what her favorite kind of car is and what kind she currently drives)

• "I currently drive nothing because living in Manhattan is not conducive to owning a car so I would have to say my favorite kind of car now is a yellow cab."

(asked if she's been to Denim & Diamonds lately)

• "Funny you should ask, because I am watching Beavis and Butthead right now and they are making fun of the "Cotton Eyed Joe". I actually have not been there lately but I do love line dancing and country music."

From the Questions & Answers in DGIF 9.1:

(about doing a Broadway album)

• "I am waiting for a window of opportunity that allows me to be super disciplined with voice lessons and preparation so that it will be the best possible work that I could do."

(what she enjoys most about DGIF)

• "Reading that question made me shake my head and wipe a tear from my eyes. Does that answer it? It's the faithful members who, as Barry Manilow puts it, 'Stick up for me no matter what!'"

(the funniest thing that has happened while on stage)

• "Well, in Grease in London, when they were trying to get the finale wig right during previews, I came out in my black spandex, leather jacket, and kind of homely lookin', hair do and my co-star Craig said (in his Australian accent) 'My God! It's Florence Henderson!'"

(the highest personal achievement in her career)

• "Winning ASCAP's Songwriter of the Year Award, performing with Elton and Billy and doing Les Miz -- Okay -- that's 3...I cheated!"

(asked if she enjoys singing, writing, or doing theater the most)

• "They all balance each other out and I could never pick one! To me, it's all related and all part of being a performer."

(does Deborah plan on signing up and coming artists on her label)

• "Yes! Clarissa Dane who sang 'Cry Tonight' with me at House of Blues and Westbury Music Fair is someone we're working with as well as former dancer (One Step Ahead Tour) and former Rent Boston cast member Ray Garcia."

(what movies she's seen recently)

• "Eight Heads in a Duffel Bag and on video, Welcome to the Dollhouse. I love those screwball comedies and Dollhouse was quite moving."

(what she likes to do to keep in shape)

• "Performing is my number once choice for fitness, but unfortunately when I'm not doing that I have to force myself onto the bike. I love dance class and I've concoted an 'in-room' workout to do in hotels, anytime, anywhere!"

(will there be another convention in 1997)

• "It's crazy that it's almost been a year, and with all the stuff that's been going on (House of Blues, Westbury, the films, etc.) it doesn't seem likely to be in the summer, but I'd love to do another. I'd love to do a show in which I play unreleased material, let me know what you guys think of that idea."

(what inspired her to include so many nature references on Deborah)

• "I'm an earthy kind of gal! I think its a natural thing to make references to things that are grand and far away, but still accessible. I guess that says something about what I demand in relationships."

(why "Naturally" was changed on the album)

• "I didn't have the time to do live guitar on the Sneak Preview version and I love the human touch. Also, I liked the lush vocal, but I wanted the album to be slightly edgier and raw so I backed off the reverb."

(the songs on the album that are most personal and from real experience)

• "'I Will Let You Go,' 'Butterflies Are Free,' 'I Can't,' 'Where I Wanna Be' and 'Naturally.' 'Naturally' was from someone else's view, but from a real situation."

(what Deborah's top priority is for her career at the moment)

• "To enjoy it, to be spontaneous, to slowly inform the public as to what I'm about... oh, the top priority? To kick some butt!"

(why "Only Words" was chosen as the first single)

"I dig the groove and energy. In my opinion, it sounds like 'Debbie Gibson' but ten years later."

---

From Dance Music Authority (August 1997):

• "It seems that dance music is really dance, pop again, like it was 10 years ago. It's not as hard core as it had become. It feels like there are fun, dance pop tunes on the radio again And it feels like I fit in again. I didn't feel like I wanted to fit into that hip-hop, techno house thing going on a few years ago. I was in a ballad mode last year. But now I'm definitely feeling the dance groove again."
• "When I wrote 'Only Words,' I heard it one way. But when I sat back, I knew I wanted a remix of it. I knew I want to boogie to it. When Junior first played it for me, over the phone, I was blown away. Junior can really cook up a happening remix to my tunes. He can cook up a perfect remix with his edge and my melodic thing. The combination really works. We were totally on the same page. Once he got his hands on it, the song was a fierce club song. It became a different tune."
• "I'm on a Junior kick right now. I always wanted to work with Lil Louis again, he did the first version (of 'Only In My Dreams'). But, it's hard to top Junior. He's the diva of all divas."
• "Those mixes take time to adjust. To hear what's coming out of the speaker, it's a lot different from the song I wrote. But then it's for a whole different audience. You have to be in a dance mode. That's when you shift gears as an artist and realize that your opinion isn't the only one that counts. That's the thing about remixes. You have to learn that it's not always about the music. Sometimes it's about the groove or vibe. Sometimes people like to trance. I've got guys who dance with me on stage, who flipped over the new version of 'Only In My Dreams.' These are guys who go to the clubs all the time and understand that mind set. I figure, for the people who can't stand to hear me sing, there's a version for them too."
• "I've always seen the dance community being about fun, being about energy. I love to do ballads. But I'm also a hyper person. I have that kind of personality. Put me in a club and I'm at home. I'm at home dancing by the bar. With the kind of dance music that has energy, I fit right in. Everyone's had an anecdote about when they first played 'Only In My Dreams.' They forget that it was a decade ago. It's a really nice vibe."

(about having a "sweet, virginal image")

• "People definitely expect that I will be fitting that image. But I don't think about it. I just figure I'll be who I am. I will let everyone else deal with his or her own preconceived notions. For the first time, I'm not out to prove anything. Not going for anything. I'm just out there doing my thing. I get to sit at the piano and entertain people. It is honest."

(about working with the Circle Jerks in 1995)

• "People were shocked. People like to use that [my virginal image] for their own jokes, that's why I did the song. It was the angel and the devil. I loved putting myself to that extreme. I have a gutsy side. And I have a sensual side. They're sides that everyone has."

(about "transitioning" from teen to adult)

• "I'm an artist who is versatile. I don't know how to be put into a little box or a category. It's frustrating. I just keep working. I know people will continue to say, 'hey, here's little Debbie,' with these crazy perceptions about who I am. But I can't let it phase me. I don't find (the transition) hard at all. I'm definitely aware of the fact that other people do. But, when you try to think of what someone's image was, or should be, it gets too analytical. People have to have the new image in their head to get it. It's kind of a hassle. Sometimes I just want to say, 'grow up and listen to the music. You might like it, even if you don't want to.'"

(about "bubble gum pop")

• "What's a 16-year -old supposed to do but bubble gum pop? I had no angst. I grew up in the suburbs. I felt like, 'hey, I'm gonna the good stuff I'm feeling. That kind of music obviously connected with millions of people.' Call it what you want, but it does have value."
• "Personally I think 'bubble gum pop' is a stupid phrase. Spice Girls can come out with a song that sounds like something I wrote when I was two and everyone embraces it. I think it's cool that you can do fun music for fun. If I released the same song that the Spice Girls did, radio would have said it was bubble gum music and wouldn't have played it, simply because my name was on it. If you are trendy, loud and new, you get a shot."

(about doing dance remixes of Broadway songs)

• "I was so happy when Madonna did 'Don't Cry For Me Argentina,' as a dance song. I always wanted to do 'Don't Rain On My Parade' (from 'Funny Girl'). I talked to Junior about it. It's in the works. It's really possible that it might happen soon, There's also one other tune that we are working on, but I don't want to say what it is. It's going to blow people's socks off. I don't want someone to steal it."

(about hoping to shed her former image)

• "Everyone told Cher she'd have a tough time being taken seriously after shaking her thing in Vegas and becoming known as a movie star. But people knew her name, which is half the battle. The perception will change through the music. I like the idea that whatever perception people have, at least they do know my name. At long as the door is open, I'll kick it in."

---

From Billboard (August 16, 1997):

(about having worked in theater from such a young age)

• "I think that's why I was successful so young. I had a theater work mentality as opposed to an 'I want to be a pop star' mentality."

(about people's prejudices behind the name "Debbie Gibson")

• "At this point, I hope that people hear the music before my name. If there are no expectations, there are no prejudices. People hear my name and still think 'Electric Youth.' Hey, I'm almost 27 now. If people can get past their prejudices, they could really enjoy a good show."

(about working for Atlantic Records)

• "I was tired of so many chefs when it came to making an album. For my first two albums, I had no A&R person. I think that they thought I was a one-hit wonder, then a one-album wonder. I was able to just deliver the album. Then the label [Atlantic] started to over-analyze things, and suddenly everything was becoming brain surgery where it was supposed to be instinctual."

(Deborah's views on her ealy days in the industry)

• "When you're that young, you're fearless. I was just projecting all positive energy and was such an optimist. My perspective changed quite a bit over the years. You come out and have natural instincts intact, then go through this phase of analyzing, then you get back to yourself. You learn how to be a kid again, but you're conscious of it. I still try to hold on as much as possible to that raw enthusiasm. That's what makes it enjoyable."

(about Top 40 radio evolving back to positive and melodic playlists)

• "The music scene has evolved full circle. There's a lot less angst-ridden stuff out there, like the optimism in Jewel's music. Artists like her are making it cool to be optimistic again. It's nice to feel like the climate is right for my personality again."

(what Deborah feels her "niche" is now)

• "It's hard to say. I do in-store appearances and try to analyze the people who come. I think it's those from 20 to 35, those who have grown up with me, those who like music that's emotional and realistic but optimistic. My music dips into many different styles, for people who like hearing vocalists. There's also dancey stuff that's still melodic."

(about how the new material may not be enough to affect the prejudice)

• "I know, I know, I've heard that people wouldn't be caught dead at a Debbie Gibson concert. When you have a name and you're also rebuilding, you never know what you're walking into, whether a screaming crowd or one where you have to prove something."

(what Deborah says her message is)

• "My message is that I'm still half who you remember me to be, but half new and fresh and different. When I go onstage, I try to leave all of that behind and just perform and enjoy. It's wasted energy to bring that baggage onstage with you. I just get into my own zone. If 10 people walk out of that club and say they're going to buy my album, then I've done my job. I'm an entertainer, and I'm a good entertainer."

(about doing both recording and theater)

• "It's a cool message to send out to people. Being versatile bridges the gap between the recording studio and the theater. It's really the perfect match."

(how Deborah sums up her career to date)

• "I've seen a lot of things; I've learned a lot about people, some good, some bad. But the most important thing I know is it's most satisfying to be yourself, accepted or not. I'm doing it the way I want to do it."

---

From the New York Post (September 11, 1997):

What are you reading at present? What's your favorite book of all time?

• "Right now I'm reading 'The Ecstasy Club' by Douglas Ruskoff, and my favorite book ever is 'What Makes Sammy Run?' by Budd Schulberg."

What record's on your turntable? What's your favorite record?

• "The 'Chicago' cast album, and my favorite is Billy Joel's 'Cold Spring Harbor.'"

What's the last film you saw? What's your favorite film?

• "I just saw 'She's So Lovely' with Sean Penn, but my favorite film ever is 'Funny Girl' with Barbra Streisand."

In which restaurant did you eat last? What is your favorite restaurant in New York?

• "I just ate at the Candle Cafe (3rd Ave between 74th and 75th streets), and my favorite restaurant ever is Nobu (105 Hudson Street)."

In your profession whom do you admire most?

• "He's gone now, but Liberace. I own his glass-and-mirror 'Jonathan Livingston Seagull' piano."

What is humanity's most useful invention? Most useless?

• "Most useful is music and ways to record it and play it. Most useless: guns."

Who is the first person you'd invite to your birthday? And the last?

• "The first invitation would go to Billy Joel, and the last would go to the Spice Girls -- they'd probably break the china!"

If you weren't in your present career, what one would you have chosen?

• "I'd be a subway singer. Or I'd be in air conditioning and refrigeration (just kidding!)."

What period of history would you most like to have lived in?

• "The 1950's for sure. I'm a throwback!"

If you were told the world was ending tommorow, what would you do?

• "Sing, eat, see family and friends, maybe take in a show...I'd make today a good one! And, oh yeah... pray!"

---

From Newsday (September 25, 1997):

(about not being sure she was right for the role of Belle)

• "She's so cute and sweet and I've alwys thought of myself as gutsier. I'm a belter."

(about finding a lot to identify in Belle)

• "I'm from Merrick. I know what it means to want something more."

(about the cancellation of Funny Girl)

• "Sure it was disappointing, but I'll tell you one thing: It's a role I'll play again -- and on Broadway. Even if I have to produce it myself."

---

From CNN Showbiz Today (October 14, 1997):

(about the state of pop music)

• "It seems people do want to use pop music for entertainment again and not just to say how angry they are at the world. I do think radio is gravitating toward melodies again."

(about people's perceptions of her)

• "I think that if people associate me with 'Shake Your Love' from 10 years ago, I'm quite different now."

(comparing herself to Belle [from "Beauty and the Beast"])

• "The character I think is a lot like me in that she's a dreamer. She's spunky and gutsy but she's still kind of girlish and kind of cautious."

(about having to adapt to the musical stage; reining in her impulse to embellish)

• "It's not that they want everyone to sound alike, but they don't want to stray too far from what the composer intended."

---

From The View (October 31, 1997):

(about playing two different roles in Grease)

• "Yeah, Sandy in London, Rizzo here."

(about being in Funny Girl)

• "I did a Fanny Brice. Yes, 'Hello, gorgeous!' Loved it. Being from Long Island, the dialect was no problem."

(asked what's the best and most exciting thing about playing Belle)

• "You know, well first of all what's funny, you know, you take your job on Broadway very seriously and you do your vocal warmups, and you know, you get out there and you hear 'Mommy, Belle's pretty!', you know, it's like-- It kinda takes the seriousness out of it and reminds you why you do it. It's fun and it's great to play the fairytale princess every night. And get the guy! It's fun, and wear those beautiful gowns."

(asked if Broadway was her ultimate goal before becoming a pop artist)

• "Yeah, I was one of those Annie wanna-bes. You know, belting out 'Tomorrow' and auditioning, you know, like, 10 times or whatever. When I was five, if you would've asked me what I wanted to be, it was a Broadway star. And once I started writing, I did want to get my music out there but-- It's great now that I can incorporate both."

(asked what she changed her name from "Debbie" to "Deborah")

• "Well, no, there's nothing wrong--I always just preferred to be called Deborah, even just growing up, I always preferred Deborah. And my family and friends called me Deborah and I just wanted to go back to it. It's just kind of the name I was born with."

(about the press calling her "The Artist Formerly Known As Debbie")

• "I know, that's kind of funny. Thank you, Prince, for that. But, yeah, no, it just feels more like my name."

(asked why she started her own record label)

• "It's a lot of work, but it's, you know, it's kind of like, sink or swim. It's all on you. And I prefer it that way because you don't have to go through 800 million channels to do what you want to do. It's very pure. You can record the music you want, the way you want to record it, promote it the way you want. It's like a slower process getting it out there, but it's really re--REwarding."

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From Fruitbasket Upset #9

I guess a lot of guys, 10 or 12 years ago, were in love with you right?

• "A guy called the Mark & Brian radio show this morning to say, 'I've had a 10-year crush on you,' which is longer than most marriages last, so good for you."

How'd you get involved with The Learning Annex?

• "I wanted an unconventional way of doing promotion and I'm a people person -- I love being in a room full of people. Two years ago I did a similar thing but in the form of a Borders Books & Music acoustic tour. That was more focused on performance than speaking; this time it's more speaking than performance. I do the whole thing at the piano working off questions that people ask. My sister Karen came up with the idea, she was, like, 'Hey, have you ever seen those...maybe that would be a fun thing to do'. A few cities wanted to do no piano just straight talking -- I said, 'I won't do that'. We even had to push for a piano at the Doubletree."

What was the problem with the piano?

• "I have no idea -- I think they're just used to lectures and lecturers. When people hear 'learning', they think I'm gonna show up with a bun in my hair and glasses and a blackboard."

How do you think you've been able to avoid the pitfalls that have claimed other teen stars?

• "The business demands that you be superhuman, and some performers -- when they are tired and can't keep up with a schedule that no human being on earth could possibly keep up with -- feel like there's something wrong with them, like, 'I'm not as professional as I thought I was,' so people do get into drugs and things that get them through the day. After I talk to you, I'm taking a 3 hour nap 'cause I got three hours of sleep last night and I'm doing something tonight that takes 3 hours and it takes a lot out of you."

You mean we're not going site-seeing?

• "I've just been able to do what I need to do for myself. I guess also 'cause my mom manages me, she's a person who understands and cares about me as a human being. She never liked the concept of record companies using you up and wringing you out. What's left at the end of the day? Nothing. That's a ridiculous way to live just to sell a record. I am a workaholic, but I've become a workaholic within reason. As long as when you do your work you do it good -- you're not squeaking out vocals, although there is some of that going on with this thing 'cause it's hard to speak for 20 minutes and then sing as opposed to already being in the groove and singing. I sing far more preppy than I speak. It's about priorities. I used to say yes to everything and the unfortunate thing about the music business that I've learned is that you can do everything for everyone and they still don't do anything for you."

After talking to your sister on the phone the other day, I feel quite loved...

• "There's a lot of energy and enthusiasm. Working with family at times is tough, though most of the time it's not really. It's unique, it's like you better have a good relationship with your sister if you're gonna be in business with her. The thing I love about my family is I would have chosen them as friends even if they weren't related. I love hanging out with my family 'cause I think they're really cool I have this cousin who's 20 and he gave up going to this really huge party to hang out with me 'cause I was sick and alone. My standards are high in my relationships and friendships because I'm so used to the way my family treats me."

Your parents are divorced, that always affects people in different ways...

• "For me, it was so much easier because I was 17, 18, and it wasn't we were breaking up any family routine. We were all adults functioning on our own. If I was going to have a relationship with my dad I was going to do it on my own with or without my mom. He's a very funny man, like a kid who never grew up -- like a 55-year-old kid. He works for TWA; he told me this story about upgrading Bill Murray and trying to be funny and finally Bill said, 'Listen -- I tell the jokes around here, Joe.' It was very funny..."

Does it concern you that some people are big fans of yours but they're big fans of, say, "Lost In Your Eyes" and stuff you did 9, 10 years ago?

• "I meet 10 people everyday with 10 different takes on me, including the one who say 'Who are you?' I'll be singing along to the radio and someone will say, 'You have a nice voice...' or they'll be somebody who says, 'Oh, where have you been? What have you been doing? Did you just take your millions and disappear?' and it's, like, no, I've probably been working harder in the past five years than I ever did before but in a different way. Then there are people who are, like, 'Oh, you've got something new out, I'm so excited,' and then there are people who simply say 'Aren't you that teenager who sang in the malls?' and I'm, like, 'No, that was Tiffany.' So I hear it all. Then there are those people who come to these Learning Annex things who aske me to play a song I played once live in a concert in Iowa and I don't even remember the song, or they'll ask me to play the B-sides to the Japanese import of 'Out Of The Blue'..."

Like notorious Debbie Gibson fan Myra Wong?

• "Yes! Myra Wong. She printed up lyric sheets to like five songs that she hadn't heard me perform in eight years and put them on the piano last night. I tried to muddle through them but I had her sing the verses to one of them 'cause she knew it better than I did."

What about the theater stuff?

• "There are some people who either say, 'I love the fact that you're doing theater', or they say 'Oh, you went and did that theater thing in your down time' and I'm thinking, yeah, Broadway in my down time -- eight shows a week is down time to some people because they think the music business is so glamorous...for some people there's nothing higher than being a pop queen."

Do you ever get embarrassed looking at an old video or listening to an old song?

• "Naah, it was a time in my life and I'm just glad I was out there doing it and I'm proud of myself for doing it. I've heard people say they were dragged to the concert of mine and what they didn't realize was that they only knew three songs and the singles are usually the simplest music made to appeal to the widest audience. The album tracks are always more interesting so people come to the show and they say, 'I didn't realize that's what you were all about. I didn't realize you were such a strong performer', and that's why I feel really empowered when I perform live."

Your realize, of course, that some people think of you with a bit of an iconaclastic chuckle?

• "I know that I'm really easy to take pot shots at and I get the jokes, but I hear people slamming Hanson and I love 'em. I mean, what are you going to write about at 13 except 'Only In My Dreams'?"

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