How has sobriety changed you?
ES:
I’m a hit—a winner—not without serious problems, hang-ups, all that shit, but on my worst day sober, I’m a hit.
HS:
Why do you think so many of us experience such deep loneliness today?
ES:
Because we’re human and life is tough. Looking at life for real is tougher than hell. Here’s the medicine for it: Do something for somebody else. Get your mind off your ass and get it on somebody else’s. I have a list here [she picks it up from her dressing table] and every night I look at it and I find somebody who might get a kick out of my calling, and I call them. It makes me feel terrific.
HS:
You talk lovingly about your late husband John Bay and say you loved being married and would like to again. What qualities are you looking for in a husband?
ES:
I have an enormous amount of talent and most men can’t handle it. John could because he loved my talent. He didn’t care about competing with me or anybody—he was special and a looker of note. I wouldn’t mind meeting a guy who’s either 10 years younger or 10 years older that I loved being with.
HS:
Tell me about the Bay muffins.
ES:
I love money and a lot of people know that I do. I married John not knowing anything about his finances. Then I come to find out after we got married that his family was loaded—they’re Bay’s English Muffins of Chicago. I may go broke but I’ll never run out of muffins!
HS:
I know you don’t like undue attention placed on age.
ES:
It’s too much of a preoccupation today. I’m sad for women who distort their bodies with plastic surgery. If you’ve got good stuff going on inside of you it doesn’t make any difference if your face is the map of Texas. Even if your work demands it. If you want to play young women all your life, you’ll do a lot of dull f__king parts.
HS:
Do you want to win that Tony?
ES:
I’d rather win than lose. I’ve earned it. If they don’t give me a Tony for this, I’ll be more famous than I would if I got it. I’m doing what I want to do because it’s what I do best.
Diane Clehane is a contributing editor at TV Guide. Her work appears regularly in People and Rosie. She is the author of Diana: The Secrets of Her Style (GT Publishing).
