I was 16 years old and my mother told me, and you know, only the reaction on me was,' Gee, I got the greatest genes in show business.'. Carol Channing More Quotes by Carol Channing More Quotes From Carol Channing At first I felt terrible, then I realized... that no matter what I do the rest of my life... I'll never do anything as distinguished as getting on Nixon's enemy list. Carol Channing my-life rest never life I kept thinking that the audience had gone to so much trouble, working their schedules to be there. They had arranged for babysitters and even traveled in from out of town. Oh, how could I not be there for them? Carol Channing how audience trouble thinking We couldn't let anyone know about it at the time, but I wasn't all that healthy at times. I was battling cancer and had to have treatment in New York once a week, so Mr. Merrick arranged for me to fly out after the show on Sunday, from wherever we were touring, to see my doctor on Monday and fly back in time for the show on Tuesday. Carol Channing fly doctor me time I can't remember if I had any stage fright at the first Bowl. But I did the second time. Carol Channing first stage time remember I just never had time to follow sports. When you're working as often as I was, eight shows a week, you just don't have time to develop interests outside of the theatre. Carol Channing never you time sports I can't understand people missing a show because they're sick: They've missed their best performance. You have an obstacle to overcome, and you reach for the heavens, and, doggone it, the heavens answer you. Carol Channing best you sick people It's a terrible thing to admit, but I'm not sure I know what Women's Lib is. Carol Channing admit know women terrible The distinction between male and female will never stop existing. We are not alike, and I wouldn't want to be. Carol Channing stop will never want I felt like jumping out a window when I heard Streisand was doing it. I'd played it four and a half years - I thought Dolly was mine. But after the initial shock wore off, I realized no great part is ever exclusively anybody's. Carol Channing doing thought great window He wrote himself into the role of Dolly. Dolly was hilariously funny and didn't know it. And that's what Thornton Wilder was. He was an adorable man. Carol Channing he know man funny My version of Dolly was mine, and it shouldn't be anyone else's. Carol Channing version anyone else mine You just have to stick to it beyond all reason and all sanity; you just keep at it. You have to believe that you've got to be in the theater. Carol Channing beyond you reason believe I've gone on in a wheelchair. Another performance I did with no voice - and I had to apologize to the audience and whisper. Carol Channing apologize performance audience voice I don't hate Charles. I just want my life to count for something. Everyone thinks I just walked out on a paralyzed man. But after he had his stroke, he couldn't hang on to me. And I realized for the first time that I was at peace. Carol Channing me man time life I am finally a lady of leisure, and it suits me fine. For the first time in almost 10 decades, I don't have an agenda or a structure to my days. Carol Channing i-am me suits time
