PBS Arts Talk

-Can I ask you a very personal question?

-Oh, of course.

-Okay.

-That's why we're here.

So, I am -- I'm fascinated by the scars on your face.

-Mm-hmm.

-When -- When did that happen?

Were you born with -- -That happened when I was 21.

-21.

-I remember, my 21st birthday, I remember sitting on a wall, and a small spot started on one side of my face, and then it kind of got progressively worse.

It actually turned out to be a discoid lupus.

-Mm-hmm.

But you didn't know at that time.

-I didn't -- Well, no one knew at the time.

I remember going to see doctors, and no one knew what it was.

And then they put me on steroids and they kind of prodded me around.

And no one really -- This went on for ages.

-Right.

-And no one really knew.

It wasn't until fame and fortune found me that I was able actually to go and see a top specialist.

And he looked at me with a magnifying glass, and he said, "Hm.

Young man, you have lupus."

-So here you are.

You're -- Now you're in your formative, young, beginning-life stage.

So what did that do to your confidence?

-Oh, it shattered my confidence.

-Right.

-But if you were to say, now at the age of almost -- Well, I'm 60.

Upon reflection, how -- would I change anything... -Yes.

-...if I could?

Not a thing.

-Not a thing.