Author says he suffered from both "a craving to be famous" and "a horror of being known to like being known.

I've always had a lot of ambivalence about fame and celebrity.

If I weren't as talented as I am ambitious, I would be a gross monstrosity.

Fame, celebrity - it's not such a big deal in Europe. People seem to understand that you just have a weird job. They're not running after you, trying to carve chunks out of you. It's strange in the states. Most fans here are great, but there's a handful who have seen the movies and feel they know you. They think it's alright to touch you and ask personal questions.

The most important thing for everyone in Gringolandia is to have ambition and become 'somebody,' and frankly, I don't have the least ambition to become anybody.

Nothing arouses ambition so much in the heart as the trumpet-clang of another's fame.