>> wow. you know, i've been thinking about all of this since medical school, nearly 20 years ago. many of the people you met tonight simply wouldn't have survived. instead, they're cheating death. as medicine moves forward, more and more of us are going to cheat death as well. i'm dr. sanjay gupta. thanks so much for watching. -- captions by vitac -- www.vitac.com >> larry: tonight, queen latifah. like you've never seen her. >> where's the camera? come close. >> larry: the music and movie superstar confronts aging in hollywood. >> good, lar. >> larry: the wake-up call that saved her. >> using alcohol to numb whatever emotions i was dealing with. >> larry: and why her personal

life is nobody's business. >> don't go there, larry. >> larry: i'm not. she's a role model who's real. >> i don't need to be queen latifah, the brand, 24 hours a day. >> larry: queen latifah for the hour is next on "larry king live." >> larry: queen latifah, grammy winner. oscar nominated actress. entrepreneur, philanthropist, great talent and author of a new book "put on your crown: life-changing moments on the path to queen-dom" with us for the full hour. always great to see her. tell me about this title. what do we mean by "put on your crown"? >> first of all, thank you for having me here, larry. >> larry: you're welcome, darling. >> i feel like every woman is a queen, and we should be treated

as such and we should request that sort of treatment from others. so putting on your crown is really like accepting the fact that you are a queen. you're a great woman. wherever you are in life, just keep on that path, and so for me, sometimes as women we forget -- we forget that about ourselves. so putting on your crown is sort of reminding yourself that, hey, i'm a queen, and i can do what i want in this life, and take it, you know -- >> larry: this is a how-to book? >> actually more of a conversation. just a conversation that i'm having with the readers, sharing some of my experiences and how, you know, i wemt through certain life changing moments, where they were positive or negative, and how i responded to those situations and just continued to move on through life. >> larry: written any particular age group? >> no. i think it's for maybe teenage girls through 65-year-old women. you know? because it's about those moments, and i'm 40 at this point. so i'm sort of in the middle.

i find that we need inspiration all through life, and self-esteem is something that you don't just get a self-esteem card that lasts for the rest of your life. sometimes you have to be reminded and maintain that high self-esteem, to do things that really encourage you to be in a positive place and surrounding yourself with positive people and that kind of thing. >> larry: you write that sinatra's "i'm going to live until i die" great song. a lot of people recorded it. >> yes. >> larry: it's your anthem. right? >> it is. i mean, to me, life is for the living, you know? it's about living every moment to the full, as best you can. >> larry: that's hard though. isn't it? >> it is hard sometimes, but to me, it's a goal. it's a goal, if you will. i try to keep it in mind. whatever i do, i try to make sure i have a good time doing it, that i enjoy it and that i get every full moment out of everything that i do.

>> larry: you write, frankly, in the book, being molested as a child. >> yes. >> larry: that had to change your whole career. how old were you? >> 5. >> larry: that doesn't leave you, though, does it? >> no, it doesn't. >> larry: so how do you apply it? to being a queen one day? >> i mean, luckily, my parents really just raised me to be that way, and they didn't know. and it took me to lose my brother to actually tell my parents what had happened to me. because once i lost my brother lance, it was -- >> larry: how old was he? >> efs 24 at the time. i was 22. >> what did he die of? >> he had a motorcycle accident. but after that, we were very, very close. so after that happened, i just couldn't hold it anymore. so i told my mom. she was devastated. >> larry: did they know the party? >> yes. >> larry: that's more

devastating. >> and i was scared to tell my father, because i thought, my father's going to kill him. and i was like, i don't want to do that. but i had to. i had to let them know what i had gone through. so that they could understand maybe more my mind-set and free myself of that burden. it was enough carrying it for too long. >> larry: you also write about being broke at one point. >> yeah. >> larry: you were broke broke? >> maybe not quite broke broke. >> larry: how close to being broke? >> pretty -- well, what had happened was, i had overinvested in my company. and just poured money into it. and really didn't pay attention to what was coming in and going out. i was relying on other people to take care of things for me. i wasn't signing my own checks. i was doing the work, but i wasn't paying attention to the dollars how they were flowing in and out from my personal expenses to my company expenses. we just were investing in this

dre dream. we were these kids that had all this idea, had this drive, determination, trying to create things and make things happen. but we never went to business school. like certain things we just didn't do right. and i wound up with big tax bill that was due. and i had paid all these bills for all these things, and i didn't have the money to cover it. so i was kind of broke. >> larry: what did you do? >> just talked to my accountant and figured out. obviously we had to negotiate with the irs, get on a plan to pay off these, you know, payment plan. >> larry: they can be good about it, though, right? they're not out to -- >> they were agreeable. they were pretty dpreebl. they worked with us fairly well on it. and i was able to kind much knock it out. but the shock that you have, you know, $1 million bill to pay with the irs, and it's not there is like, oh, my god. it freaked me out. >> larry: all these things, you're close to your brother. in fact you said his loss took

you so far into darkness you had a hard time coming back. you were broke. how can you put on your crown? >> that's what it's about. it's about those moments that happen in your life, those things, those times that happen in your life and how you respond to them. it's not just about what happens, it's about your response to it. so the response is not to lay down and die. you know, to just take it. the response is to challenge it, to fight back, to fight through, to fight through it. and these were very difficult things. i mean, just reading the audio book for this book really -- i mean, just reading a chapter about my brother, i was in tears in the studio reading this thing. because it took me right back to all those -- you know, to that whole experience. but, you know, god is good. i'm going to tell you that, larry, god is good, and god really brought me through that, because it was a very, very difficult -- it's the most difficult thing i've been through in my entire life. to lose someone that you are so

close to. i remember like my hands got weak. i lost the strength in my hands. i couldn't make a fist. we're fighters in my family. we like to wrestle and have fun. but i lost the strength in my hands. and i was like, wow, we were that close, that i'm losing, you know, that i became weak. but, you know, he's an angel. and i have many people praying for me. and i was able to kind of get through it. >> larry: you're very candid in this book. we'll talk about that when we come back.

♪ >> larry: "put on your crown," the book, terrifically talented queen latifah. it's always great to have her with us. you also write about a dui incident that led you to a wakeup call about alcohol. >> oh, boy.

>> larry: were you addicted? >> no, no. but i think -- you know, when we do -- what we do for a living, you're in the spotlight and you have to wear a lot of hats. and you -- i think at that time i was just maybe using alcohol to numb whatever that i was -- whatever emotions i was dealing with, whatever i was exhausted about. and i just didn't pay attention. and it was kind of like -- god just pulled my skirt a little bit and said, wake up, girl, get it together. you know? >> larry: did you have to go to court? >> i didn't actually have to appear in court. i did have to go to court to deal with it. but for me, more importantly was about paying attention to my own emotions, and my own feelings. and the things that i'm dealing with. and not to use alcohol as something to mask anything else. you know, but really, just get on point, pay attention. and i thought about -- and i'm so thankful that i had that

wakeup call, because i thought about all the times, you know, all the people who, you know, are killed in drunk driving accidents. and i was -- i could have been -- it could have been a lot worse. it actually wasn't a dui. it was reckless driving. i was not actually impaired. but i was over the legal limit. and it just made me think, that's not responsible. that's not the right thing to do. wake up. get it together. you know, i'm fine with checking myself when i'm, you know, when i'm not doing the right thing. >> larry: do you think maybe u lindsay lohan can get it together? >> i think anybody who has an opportunity to have treatment for an addiction, and she obviously has some addictions that she's dealing with, can bounce back from it. but it can take years. you know, i have a lot of people in my family who have dealt with substance abuse, and some of them, it took 20 years. but they did get it together

eventually. but you have to deal with that as a disease, as an addiction, not just as, here's a wild party, crazy girl. you know, this is just a human being who's dealing with an addiction. and you have to look at it like that. and if they get the proper treatment and they're able to, you know, really face it, then i think anybody can overcome. >> larry: in this day and age, you're candid about many things. you don't discuss your personal life. >> no, larry. don't go there, larry. >> larry: i'm not. how do you protect in this day and age, 24/7, internet, how do you protect any kind of privacy? anybody? how do you protect it? >> how do you protect it? you can't protect it. >> larry: i can't. you can't. you walk down the street, they take your picture. why? >> you know, for me, i just feel like -- i don't read all of the blogs. i'm not media hungry like that. i don't have to look at myself online every day. i live my life.

you write about my life. you write about what you see. i share with the public the things that we should share. >> larry: it's nobody's business. >> we should share my music. let's share that. let's share films. let's share that. let's share thoughts about, you know, positive things. let's share those things. but what happens in my personal, personal life is my personal business. >> larry: do you think the public has come to expect things? >> i mean, i think they do. i mean, i think it's -- it's become a media frenzy to kind of feed on people's personal lives. and some people put their personal lives out there. they like to share all that with the public. i'm not that person. i'm happy being, you know, just la. when i walk out of this studio, i'm just la. i'm just dana. and i enjoy just being dana. i don't need to be queen latifah, the brand, 24 hours a day. >> larry: who came up with the queen bit? >> i did, thank you.

i'm pretty good at coming up with things like that, larry. >> larry: one day sitting around and you said, i think my name is going to be queen? >> this might sound crazy, but i was 8 years old. and my cousin, shiranda, brought this muslim book of names over. and each name had a meaning to it. so when i read the name latifah, it said, delicate, sensitive, kind, nice. and i was 8 years old. but i was big for my age. i was usually like the biggest girl in class. but i was a teddy bear on the inside. i was all those things, delicate, sensitive, kind, nice. and i thought to myself, that should be my name. i know. but this is where my brain went. so latifah became my nickname when i was 8. and when i started rapping and it became time for me to decide what my professionally known name would be, my lawyer asked me what do you want to be professionally known as? i kicked a bunch of things around. i didn't want to be emcee

latifah, all these different monikers that you could put on. but i thought queen. my mom raised me to be a queen. queen. queen latifah. i asked all my boys and they thought it was cool. i went with it, larry. >> larry: good move. we'll be back with the queen -- >> with the queen. >> larry: the book is "put on your crown" right after this. granola nut clusters from nature valley. 100% natural nuts and granola in bite sized clusters. it's a little bit of nature... a little bit better. and nature approves. granola nut clusters from nature valley.

about this "dedicated claims rep" thing. okay, well... calling yourselves "dedicated"? we're all dedicated, okay? the entire web site team worked late every night this week. look at sanjeev. he's a mess! what? no... guys, we're called dedicated claims reps because we each stay with an esurance customer throughout the automobile claims process. it's not because we think we work harder than you. well, you don't. [ sanjeev ] am i a mess? [ joey ] you slept in the vending machine. [ male announcer ] call today or go to esurance.com.

queen latifah! ♪ >> larry: back with queen latifah. the book, "put on your crown." this is a guaranteed best-seller, of course, because of who wrote it. you recently hosted the b.e.t. awards. >> i had a blast. >> larry: singing chris brown, a tribute performance, michael jackson's "man in the mirror." becoming very emotional. you later said, he needs to be

forgiven in connection with the abuse thing with rihanna. why does he need to be forgiven and some thought he was not sincere. what's your overriding thought on all this? >> for me, being there, and seeing that performance, i think he was completely sincere, number one. and i'm sure many things were going through his mind. number one, it's a michael jackson tribute. so just to the hear michael jackson's music and to see the dance and to feel that energy was one thing that was already happening. but i really feel like he was also, you know, taking responsibility for what he's been through. and he's a young guy. i mean, how long are we going to beat the guy up for? i mean, they both moved on. both accepted what happened. he's paid the penalty, and hopefully he's learned from it, but he's young. he needs an opportunity to learn and grow. i'm not saying he was right by any means. like i completely disagree with any man putting their hands on a

woman, ever. however, people, when they're young, and emotional, they need to learn how to deal with their emotions. and especially if you've grown up around abuse, it's something that is, you know, you've seen, and you've -- you know, accepted it, or you desensitized to it to some degree. so now it's time to get more sensitive to it. to really never do it again and learn from it, but, i mean, at some point we can't keep chris browning him to death. you know what aye mean? >> larry: during the b.e.t. awards queen latifah changed costumes many times, putting on outfits she had worn for various movies and tv shows. look. ♪ first name queen, latifah, new jersey swagger covergirl features ♪ >> i would like to take this moment to thank ron artest. no, no, no, no. not for winning the championship but for introducing me to a psychiatrist. ♪ walk it out, walk it out walk it out, baby ♪

>> going to an awards' show, that's a bad idea. >> relax, homey. i just want to get this picture right quick. smile! >> oh, okay. >> cheese. >> please welcome, welcome to the tenth anniversary of the b.e.t. awards! >> larry: you've gone up and down weightwise. have you had to change clothes a lot? >> yeah. i lost weight during that show, changing all those outfits. i was exhausted, but i had so much fun and it was kind of fun having a little walk through time. no, weight's good. >> larry: you were a basketball player as a kid, right? pretty good? >> i was pretty good. i wouldn't say i'm a superstar, nothing like that there, but i think i was pretty good. >> larry: and craig robertson coaches oregon state, believes people reveal their true character on a basketball court. >> i believe that. i believe that. because, you know, and you know what, i love playing organized

sports. it taught me a lot. it taught me how to be a team player. it taught me how to sacrifice. how to share, how to celebrate, how to compete, how to be come polesed. one of the things my coach always drove into our head was composure, composure, composure. so all of these things that i learned playing basketball i was able to take into life, into this career, you know. how to be composed under pressure. you can't shoot a movie without 150 people. you know? they're all there. we all make it happen together. so that teaches you how to be a team player. i mean, to work with you, costumes, wardrobe, hair, lighting, grips. everyone has to work together. so a lot of those lessons you definitely can take into life. >> larry: queen played a die-hard basketball fan in her recent movie "just right." >> you must be talking about randolph versus mlk, 1993? sophomore year scored 23 points in the first half. another 32 in the second half.

18 rebounds, 10 assists, 9 steals breaking the high school record for double digits in a single game. i've been a basketball fan since before i could walk, so -- >> larry: you did a pretty wild love scene in that movie. >> easy, larry. >> larry: no. was it -- with 150 people around, was it hard to do it? >> you're not allowed to have 150 people around doing a love scene. >> larry: what? two cameramen? >> oddly enough, that was -- that was like a day off for me. i mean, because i produced as well as acted in this film. so i was wearing a lot of hats through the whole movie, and that day, when we had to shoot our love scene, i just asked calm, i said, calm, you got me? he's like, i got you. i said, all right. let me relax and just be a lady. you know? handle this woman right here, and he had me. in between him and the director center, who made sure everything

looked right, i felt quite comfortable. >> larry: the book is "put on your crown." what's it like to be a brand? queen latifah will tell us, ahead. ancan stream livdeo to t web. firshaan hdmi out.♪ rst shar wi-fi with 8 devic at ce. rst is notteen fur firshaan hdmi out.♪ pledunder in al hous firswh will do firsthing. with e, e rs4g? firshaan hdmi out.♪ ly fm rint,thnone deafhaand opitspee dit access www.sprinty

♪ how many nights i wish you if were you going to be late that you could have picked up the phone ♪ i'm not trying to nag you ♪ i just worry about you baby ♪ >> larry: we're back, the book, "put on your crown," the guest, queen latifah.

she was dana owens in newark, new jersey. do you ever feel like queen latifah has taken over, that you are a brand, and that's a big word these days? a brand. you're coca-cola. >> i'm coca-cola, pepsi and them. you know? let me get my soda on. no. queen latifah outgrew me years ago, and i remembered it. i remember i was 24 years old. i was doing "living single" and i had a record out, and so many things were happening. all of these articles and covers and -- i was like, this is way beyond who i am. this is now gone to a whole new level. and which made me even more so want to just be me. to stick -- i mean, i still have the same energy i had since the beginning, over 20 years now. we've known each other since high school. i still work with a lot of my

friends who i've known since high school. so i have real people around me. who can pat me on my back when i'm doing good and smack my hand when i'm doing something naughty, and it just keeps me more grounded. queen latifah has become a phenomenon in a sense, but underneath the queen is just la. i think that's what people really get from me, and they feel like -- when people approach me on the street, they just feel like they can hug me, you know? like they feel like they know me. and they say that to me. it's because i'm still me. underneath all that huge queen latifah business it's just la. >> larry: do you ever miss not being known on the street, not being famous? >> i remember losing my anonymity, especially growing up in new york, but new jersey. but i hung out in new york a lot. you could go to new york and just be anyone you wanted to be. you could disappear into 8 million people. and you could change your name

or wear a different outfit and -- >> larry: do you ever miss some of that? >> i do miss it. but i mean, i've been doing this a long time. so at some point you just get used to it. that's why, like i said, it's really important that when i'm off, i just get to relax and do normal things. and not be in the spotlight. i don't crave it like that. >> larry: you believe in change, obviously that people can overcome things. >> i do. >> larry: can tiger woods overcome? >> you know, larry, you asked me about tiger woods before. and we're going to leave tiger alone. >> larry: i'm not -- i like tiger. >> i think anybody is capable of overcoming challenges. you know, with the right things in their life. the right -- number one, i think god can do all things. so -- and people praying for you means something. and i think he can overcome whatever challenges he faces. i think underneath all of that, i think maybe he lost himself in

there along the way and i think he has to get centered then. and i think he gets that. so why not. >> larry: have you always believed? in your darkest days? >> yeah, i have. >> larry: doubted? >> doubted, no. questioned, yes. but for me, i think it's -- god is much bigger than what we conceive in our minds. i think it's okay to be angry sometimes, or to be sad, or to shout or question. but i think the most important thing is the faith to know that you are covered. and you'll get these answers when the time is right. and just to know -- just to have that faith. even though you can't touch it or see it or things aren't exactly how you wanted at the time, you just have to know it's going to happen. he's got you. he got you, larry. >> larry: okay. >> stay strong, brother. you stay strong. >> larry: i'll try. >> do the five. >> larry: not always easy.

jennifer hudson, co-starred with you in "the secret life." suffered the murder of her mother, brother and young nephew. do you reach out to her? >> yeah. >> larry: how is she doing? >> she's doing great. >> larry: that's tough to recover from. >> when i see her, she is doing great. she's a strong, amazing woman. and, you know, what a tragedy. but i think she has god and he will see her through. that's where i'll leave that. >> larry: when you think of you, first, are you a singer, actress, entrepreneur, what? queen latifah, what is the occupation on the driver's license? >> daughter. daughter of rita and lance. i think i started daughter. i'm a sister, aunt, i'm that friend. i'm all those things before i become a rapper.

>> larry: are you the glue of the family? >> i don't think i'm a glue. i think there's a lot of glue in my family. we all keep each other together. >> larry: do you ever go back to newark? >> yeah. that's where my family's at, so i have to go back. i have to see my family, my friends. >> larry: now they're going to have the mets. they have a new soccer stadium. >> the soccer stadium looks amazing, too. >> larry: betty white was in the movie "bringing down the house." one of the funniest movies ever made. ever made, "bringing down the house." did you have fun doing that movie? >> i had so much fun doing that movie, it makes no sense. and betty white, that's my girl. ♪ >> larry: what do you make of her? she's now queen -- she's a queen. >> exactly. i cannot stop watching her on "saturday night live." i keep pulling it up online. i'm like memorizing scenes. she is so funny. and i'm -- i can't wait to see her new show.

i hope it's a big smash. >> larry: the whole thing was a snickers commercial in the super bowl, brought her back. >> she got tackled. it's hilarious. betty is great. because she's not afraid to laugh at herself. she doesn't take herself seriously. it's the people who take themselves seriously that look kind of ridiculous. >> larry: queen latifah, of course, is a new jersey girl. and how is reality tv treating her home state. her book is "put on your crown." we'll be right back.

♪ >> larry: okay. queen, your state is now a reality tv sensation, the jersey shore, the real housewives of new jersey. a tendency to poke fun at it. it's the middle state between new york and pennsylvania. >> i know. people find out we've got the cozy little spot there. >> larry: how do you feel about the way jersey is being imaged, if that's a word? >> jersey has always been imaged, in a weird way, you know? new jersey, you're from new jersey? what exit, you know? we're associated with mobsters or something like that. >> larry: somewhere out there. >> i know. new jersey is a great place to

live. and we have given some of the best talent to the world, from jack nicholson, to john travolta, to jerry lewis, to bon jovi, to frank sinatra. to the fujis, to latifah. i mean, we have something about us that i think just -- we just have this thing. and we're able to move around the world. everywhere i go, i seem to run into somebody from jersey. and they seem to know that -- we all seem to know we're from jersey for some reason. >> larry: do you mind the reality shows? >> i mean, it's just a reality show. aren't all reality shows reality shows? >> larry: what do you think of the popularity of reality shows? it's just chic. >> whatever you say, larry. you tell me. >> larry: i don't understand it all. >> people like watching other people's lifls. that's just what it is. this was predicted to happen a long time ago. and now it's here. and people just rely i are fascinated by watching other

people's lives. but i think, you know, shows like the real housewives of jersey, and the jersey shore, they're just very entertaining. i did jay leno with mike "the situation," he was like ten minutes from me in jersey. he said, if you ever get a flat, call me. i'll come fix your tire. that's how we do. that's neighborly, you know? >> larry: did you run into -- was there a lot of prejudices as a child? >> there's prejudice in america, of course you run into prejudice. when the cab doesn't stop for me, and it stops for the white guy, that's prejudice. that's racism right there. >> larry: i think that would drive me nuts. >> you know what, it's hurtful. it drives you nuts. but you don't let it break you. we're strong, resilient people. we're not going to let something break us. we just bounce back. we find a way. and also, we try to build bridges, to combat that. that's why music, i love making music, because music is universal.

when i first started rapping, people thought hip-hop was a fad. it was going to die. it's ruining the people, the kids. don't let your child listen to this. but now you got people rapping all around the globe, in every language. >> larry: my kids. were there many when you started female rappers? >> there weren't a lot. there were never a lot of female rappers. there were a lot more when i started than now. >> larry: less now? >> yeah, there are less now. less that are out and have records playing on the radio. but i think there's going to be a resurgence. i think the call is on for more female voices in hip-hop. you have to have that balance. if you don't have it, then there's something missing. >> larry: how does it feel to be 40? >> it feels good. i'm going to say, larry, it feels pretty good. >> larry: is 40 the old 30? 60's the old 50. >> i don't know. >> larry: well, some people put an onus on 40, life begins at 40. 40 is middle-aged. >> you know, my grandmother,

ines owens, god bless her, passed away at 94. and when i tell you her spirit was that of a 19-year-old, at 94, i just never looked at age the same way other people do. like i wasn't one of those people that was freaked out when i turned 30. you know, i don't have this done, i don't put limits on -- time limits on when i have to do this, i'm going to do this at 25, and do that at 30. because life is change. it changes. and what happens along your path is what happens while you're going there. so you can't just limit yourself. what happens if you don't meet that deadline? do you just fall apart or do you push through it and keep going? or do you figure out a new thing, a new plan? so for me, like i always hung out around people that were usually about four years older than me. and they made life look so interesting, and fun, that i've never looked at age as being something that you had to behave

a certain way. to me, it's about how you feel inside. and how you live your life. so 40's good. 40's good, lar. >> larry: you'll be around a long time. we're going to ask you when we come back if it's true that characters that she plays in films cannot be killed off. we'll ask if that's true. we'll ask if that's true. don't go away. s...

♪ >> larry: some of your early movies, "your book "put on your crown," is it true there's now a

death clause in your contracts that queen latifah cannot die in a film? >> no dying allowed anymore. >> larry: is that true? >> it is. it was kind of a joke. but excuse me. i think i just died too well on camera. >> larry: supposing someone gives you a great script, phenomenal. oscar stuff. and you were nominated for an oscar. >> then i might -- >> larry: that you've got to die. >> i might -- >> larry: there's a death scene. runs about eight minutes, just you in front of the camera. >> wow, eight minutes? where's the camera. come closer. come, closer. >> larry: do you ever turn down a role or regret it? >> no. no. i've never turned down a role and regretted it.

because i usually go with my gut on roles. >> larry: your mom, rita, heart of the book in a way. >> yeah. >> larry: even wrote part of a chapter called "love." why is this close? why are you so close to your mother? >> my mom, there's nothing i can't talk to her about. there's nothing she can't talk to me about. >> larry: a lot of mothers and daughters divide along the way. you know that's true. >> it's true. because girls, we ast up. and mama wants to spank us. no, my mother and i, we've never had that relationship. even when i was being rebellious or challenging, questioning certain things, i still have respect for my mother. and i knew that i could rely on her. she's always been there. and i think my mother, she's an artist. she's -- she was an art teacher. she's a creative person. and she fed so many parts of who i am.

she was fascinated by my brother and i. like she spent a lot of time with us, and watched us, and allowed us to do things. to discover who we were. and encouraged those things, as opposed to forcing us to do one thing and limiting us, and so i mean, even my friends, my friends love my mom. they all know they can talk to her. when everything is crazy and no one else can calm me down, my mother just has this soothing voice, dana, you know, and then i'm good. >> larry: do you think you would be a great mother? >> i think i will. >> larry: want kids? >> i'm pregnant. just playing. calm down. thought you had the scoop. no. >> larry: you'll be a great mother. >> i think i would be a great mom. and i'm definitely planning on doing that. >> larry: you're doing a new movie in chicago. >> oh, yeah. >> larry: with kevin james and vince vaughn, right? >> yes. >> larry: i don't imagine this is serious drama. >> it is so dramatic. that i'm going to die. it's going to take me eight

minutes, but i'm definitely going to die. >> larry: ron howard's directing. >> ron howard is directing. it's going to be hilarious. our rehearsal was so much fun. >> larry: what's the title? >> it's tentatively titled "cheate "cheaters" right now. it may change by the time the movie comes out. vince is so spontaneous, so quit-witted and just funny. just dead funny, you know? that i can't wait to do it. i'm looking forward to it. >> larry: ron doesn't do many come dis. >> i know. ron is so good. >> larry: he must be a wonderful director to work for. >> oh, man. and it's hard for me, because when i'm around him, i'm like -- >> larry: he's opie. >> yeah. i mean, yeah. stars still get star-struck. you know? i just grew up watching him. and i watched, you know, how amazing a director he became and what kind of films he made. and it's just like -- i'm just very honored to be able to work with him. >> larry: was it tough to be nominated and lose? >> no.

i mean, i made a lot of money after that. >> larry: just get nominated? >> i got paid, larry. no. it was great to be nominated. because it's a small club. it is a small club. everyone doesn't get nominated for an oscar. and i was with a great group of people. it was the "chicago" sweep. you know? part of a great film. everyone fired on all pistons on that movie. to have the opportunities that came to me as a result of being nominated in that film. the weekend of the oscars when "chicago" was out bringing down the house was the number-one movie in the box office. so it made like $37 million. i'm sitting at the oscars. there's tom, denzel, meryl, you know, i get to say things like that. and my film just caked off, you know. so it was -- it was a good thing for me. >> larry: we'll be back with our main moments. i'm going to have queen latifah

read from her book when we get read from her book when we get back. the specialist?

>> larry: queen latifah, the book "put on your crown." what do you think of lady gaga? >> i love lady gaga. >> larry: because? >> she's avant-garde, she's extremely talented and she shook things up a little bit. and she worked very hard to get where she is. >> larry: this is from "put on your crown." >> this is, if i had ran into the 19-year-old version of

myself. if i ran into a 19-year-old version of myself, i'd just tell her to live full out. i might also tell her, go ahead and have a few babies and not worry about the timing of it. but mostly i'd tell her that she's stronger than she thinks. and she shouldn't doubt herself on her path. i'd say, dana, do you know who you are? guess who you get to be. and guess what, you even get to lose weight. no, no, no, you're good. just keep doing your thing. and i say the same thing to you, celebra celebrate. make every moment count. walk tall, wear your crown with pride. >> larry: how should the reader use this book? >> however they feel. this is not -- you know, i'm not preaching to people. this is really more of a conversation about my path through life. and i find by sharing true things about the ups and downs

and how i've responded to them, i find that people can share that. maybe someone can, you know, skip going through something i had to go through. or if they're going through something, and they need a little inspiration, maybe they'll find some of these words inspirational. i've found that a lot of fans have inspired me through the years. by just saying certain things to keep me going. so why not give back. why not share, you know, amongst ourselves some positive vibes. that's all. you know, just some positive inspiration, and maybe a few tools to get to where you need to go. or maybe if you've been stuck in a rut, shake it up a little built. you know? and shake it off. and try, try again. you know, just keep moving forward. >> larry: one other thing on "chicago," you looked like you were having so much fun. making that movie. but it must have been hard work. >> oh, it was very challenging.

doing musicals is usually at least six weeks of rehearsal. two weeks singing, two weeks acting, two weeks choreography or dancing. but i love that, you know? i live for that. and being in the hands of rob marshall, who was the most gracious and incredible director, to see, you know, especially at that time, i wasn't quite where i am now. in terms of status. so to see catherine zeta-jones, humble. renee zellweger, humble. in the hands of this guy. everyone checked their egos at the door and said, okay, what do i have to do. and worked so hard. he delivered for all of us. >> larry: have you seen the show on broadway? >> not yet. >> larry: you still haven't seen "chicago"? >> oh, yeah. >> larry: did that affect the way you played it? >> no. because i was -- my mama is a completely different mama. i had to be queen