story, this is piers morgan tonight. >> you only have to hear melissa ethridge once, you only have to hear it once. she's an outspoken person on all kinds of things close to her heart. welcome. >> thank you. >> you have a wonderful fiery soul offstage, don't you? >> i'm just making some choices? >> when you look at your extraordinary life, professional and personal, how do you feel now about where you've arrived, where you are right now? >> i think at this point, i'm 51 now. i've realized, oh, it's just a journey. you never get there. you never get it done. it's all about how you're doing it. >> that is so true. you will never actually arrive, are you? >> no. >> this train never gets to a station? it does not. there is no there there. for myself, who, you know, i've achieved some of those markers that you think, oh, the oscar, those things, and each time, i go, there's no there here. that's nice, that's great but it's about how am i doing and how's this journey? >> what's been the best pitstop on your train so far? what's been the moment, if i could replay it for you, you'd relive. >> oh. >> can't be children, all the women in your life? >> no. i don't want to relive that. >> something else. >> it's been great. >> tell me something else. >> on stage with bruce springsteen. >> when was that? >> 1994, unplugged, mtv. they said, do you want to duet with anyone? i said, i've always wanted to sing with bruce, who doesn't. he said yes. if i could stop time right now. >> at that moment as the door opens and out comes "the boss," unplugged. >> him and i singing on the road. >> wow. >> yeah. wow. i wanted it to stop and it went on. i couldn't hold it but i have the video. >> was it as good as you always hea heard? >> yes. look back on it. in the moment. moments are funny. in the now, you have to learn to love when you're going through it. look back on it. absolutely. >> i want to play a clip about "come to my window" about love and romance. you write about it all the time. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ come to my window i'll be home soon ♪ >> that, to me, is what -- that is american music at its best. that's the kind of music, you want to get in your little chevy, get on the -- i don't know, pacific coast highway, get the shades on, ramp up the ethridge. >> i write songs for people who drive in cars, i really do. >> your right to do that. most people spend a lot of time in cars listening to music wanting to feel something. >> i want to help them get from point a to point b. >> one of my favorite questions i ask all my guests, i normally leave it to the end when they're all warmed up. >> i'm pretty warm. >> i look at them in the eyes and say, come on, how many times have you been properly in love? you sing aut love and heartbreak and agony and torment and the joys and despair of love and romance, come on, you great love writer singer you. >> love, love. >> how many times have you been properly in love? >> how many times i thought i was in love. >> that doesn't count. >> properly in love. i love the way you english say about that, like there's anything properly in love. i am for the first time properly in love because i am now in love with myself. that this is only way i can be properly in love with someone else. >> before you felt you had been in love but you hadn't been able to give that person the whole you? >> myself was -- i felt they'll fill this up if i have that person, i can fill this up. and you can't and they can't. we're living two different realities, everyone is. so to think that something -- to think that adding someone to you is going to make you whole, you're in for a big drop. so now, understand it's about loving myself, the only way i can be in a good relationship is to love myself, to work on myself, to be the best me for my children, for my partner, that's being in love. then you can offer love to someone else. >> have you cracked it then? have you cracked the holy grail of love now? >> have i cracked the holy grail of love? >> a terribly cheesy phrase. you know what i mean. >> i am. i'm trying to think of a good king arthur back to -- genevire is out there. it's a journey, no getting it done. >> my theory about songwriters, you have to basically go about a lot of misery to write best songs. all your work, unless i'm wrong, all the negative stuff, when you're the most searing, isn't it? >> depends how you look at it, even my most searing, i'm the only one, still -- i try never to be, you just killed me, i can't go on. i tried to be, oh, that really makes me angry you're doing that. i'm better, nobody loves you like i do. >> can you write good stuff if you're really happy? >> yeah. >> can you? >> yes. >> doesn't it become inevitably -- >> am i writing about being happy? no. i can be happy. understand i still -- there's still a shadow side to me. >> from a purely professional point of view, from the artistry of your song writing, if i said write, you can be in this extensional stated pure bliss for the next 30 years or torment, which would produce the better music, the better songs? >> see, as you ask me that, this state of bliss you're talking about cannot exist without the darker side. >> i have the power to give you just bliss or misery. >> i don't want just bliss. >> you know what i'm getting at. if i were able to be stow the power, what would produce the better songs? >> the contrast of misery, the desire to be out of that into the bliss. >> bob dillon would have been absolutely hopeless if he hasn't basically been incrediblincre incredibly -- off. >> yes. relatively nice. >> and let me ask you about your olympics. you've been relatively vocal about this. it's been a big year for the gay and lesbian community in america. are you happy with the speed and advances and rights now bestowed out? are you still thinking a lot of talk not enough action? >> having been on the journey of getting towards gay and lesbian rights equality, understanding, diversity in america, 20 years ago, started, no, i was hoping in 10 years it would all be -- we'd all feel comfortable about it. this is deep-seated fear that comes. religion and all kinds of things involved. so this changed -- this change of paradigm with understanding, love, relationship, family, society takes time. are we moving in that direction? absolutely. >> you grew up in kansas. you came up -- i know when i grew up, gay was a bad word, homo, and -- there were so many then, blacks and poor, the immigrants, them, now the them is me. it was a very poignant way of putting it. do you feel the then that is you and those who are then has been like you, are in a much better position now that you have a president prepared to go on television and say, i support. >> absolutely. i do think that was a big tipping point in this movement, in the movement toward equality and recognition towards diversity. it's very important to say, well, my president said he's for it. it actually having it be enacted at a federal level, that's a ways off. >> when you go back to kansas. >> yeah. >> is it better there in reality? is there more tolerance? >> tolerance. i don't even like to use the word tolerance. >> what's the right word. because it sounds like i'm doing something you have to tolerate. >> diversity recognizing there is no us and them. you can divide us up anyway between anything, sexually, color, religion, we're all different. >> you feel it's getting better even in places like kansas? >> especially in kansas. i came from kansas in the '60s, the middle of the civil rights movement. kansas was always that neutral, even in this civil war, that neutral state, we're not south, not north. they've held that. good hard working people that want to do up to others and understand what that means. >> we're facing an election in november. you actually performed at t democratic convention in 2008 and barack obama is facing one hell of a fight, many people assume in november. what do you think of his record in the last four years and what do you think of the potential of a mitt romney presidency? >> okay. my olympics have evolved from very similar actually to the us and them we're talking about. i think it has done us more hamp believing in the huge differences between left and right democrat and republican and that there definitely is differences socially. now, i'm a little skeptical, having seen the last 20 years, of democrat-republican. they're still moving the same multi-national corporation agenda forward, so i have -- i'm starting to go, wait a minute, i think there needs to be a little alternative. i'm starting to get really progressive here, whether it's democrat or republican. so socially, of course, i would love to see the democratic party still control some of these issues moving forward. physically, i think it's the same thing. that's what i think. >> that's quite depressing. >> i know. >> you feel depressing as you say that. >> not depressed. again, it feels like i actually feel what a lot of people are feeling. i'm really tired of this us and them. republicans and democrats and the horrible things. it only makes us -- when we all really want the same thing, we want lower taxes, we want a better system, better schools, we want strong businesses. and to divide ourselves like this is just hurting us. we've got to learn to get together on this or we're sunk. >> i could not agree more. >> let's take a break and we'll come back. we'll talk about music, obviously. i've been handed this exotic thing. very cool. also, i want to talk to you about your extraordinary battle with cancer and the effect on your life. very profound. that whole period on your life. ♪ [ male announcer ] start with a simple idea. think. drink coffee. hatch a design. kill the design. design something totally original. do it again. that's good. kick out the committees. call in the engineers. call in the car guys. call in the nerds. build a prototype. mold it. shape it. love it. give it 40 mpg. no, 41. give it a huge display. give it a starting price under 16 grand. take it to the car shows. get a celebrity endorser. he's perfect. 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why don't i believe in myself the way my audience does, my fans do? i went in the studio, played all the guitars, had a blast. made songs that i wanted to pl live and really didn't think about anything else. >> i once interviewed andrew lloyd webber and he told me that he came up with the music to "memory" i think it was whilst buying tomatoes at his spanish grocery store. and i was, like, is that really how this happens to you musical geniuses? do you get this? do you literally -- just random places suddenly hear some incredible melody -- >> there's one right there. >> do you? >> yes, you can. sometimes it's quite annoying. and you have to say, later, please come back to me later. the iphone is great to put something done or whatever. it does -- it's the -- i think bob dylan once said there's a -- there's a whole stream of consciousness that you grab on to something at the moment. if you don't get it, it goes on to somebody else. i do believe that artists just know how to reach into there and open that channel and bring that in and part of the craft of it is knowing, okay, i'm at the store, i can't do this now, but i'm going to set some time aside. and be able to pull and do it. >> what is the longest period you've ever had where you literally couldn't write a song? of any quality at all? >> wow. i started writing when i was 10. >> did you get long blank periods, though? >> no, i don't. give myself periods where i don't try to write. especially -- like right now, i'm in a not writing period. songs will come to me and i'll jot stuff down but i don't have to write. i've never really held it in a way, like, i have to write. i'm not writing at all. i've never gotten that way. i just believe it will be there when it's supposed to. >> you famously battled breast cancer. you came through. 2004, you were diagnosed. your father had died of cancer. you said after it was the best thing that ever happened to me. why did you feel that? >> i -- i was being a good grown-up. i was working very hard. i was trying to be thin. i was eating power bars every day and drinking lattes -- >> disgusting, power bars. seriously. >> and it's not food. it's not. and so by my body breaking down and forcing me to be still, that was the biggest thing. to actually just -- i'd never been still. been working since i was 12. and be still and let the whole world pass me by and actually give me time to contemplate my life, my spirit, my health. what is my health? what is this cancer? and then getting back up after the treatment. saying, oh, i'm going to walk now. remembering what it was like. like that. and start my life in a balanced health. everything i eat, everything i feel, everything i think. that's health. >> you publicly supported california's proposition 19 in favor of medical marijuana. you said at the time, i don't want to look like a criminal to my children anymore. i want them to know this is a choice you make as a responsible adult. if, god forbid, you were struck again by cancer, it came back or whatever, would you take marijuana? >> oh, yes, absolutely. i actually -- i'm a card holding medicinal marijuana register person in california. i use it as medicine to help the gastro gastrointestinal issues i had after chemotherapy. at that time i was going through chemotherapy, i used it as sleep to help with the pain. there's not just cannabis but there are many plant medicines that are available to us that have a lot of stigma around them that i hope in the future our medical community can look at because i would absolutely go to those alternatives first before i went back to western medicine. >> now, you're currently on tour, hitting 27 cities in the next three months. the new album set for september the 4th, we're talking about, what is next in the empire building of melissa etheridge? where do you want to be in five years time? >> i want to still be creating. i would love to create more for stage. >> do you have one great ambition? broadway show? >> yes, i do. i do have an ambition for a broadway show. i'm working on one right now. a couple of these songs come from the project i'm working on. i would love to write for more film. i just love creating. and touring. i love what i do. i just want to keep doing it. >> the most important thing to me is you keep writing music for me and my car. >> me and your car. >> melissa, it's been a real pressure. good luck with your album. your tenth. >> 12th. >> it will be 12 soon. don't worry. dying to meet the lovely gina gershwin. ♪ i'm falling up now tdd# 1-800-345-2550 let's talk about fees. tdd# 1-800-345-2550 there are atm fees. tdd# 1-800-345-2550 account service fees. tdd# 1-800-345-2550 and the most dreaded fees of all, hidden fees. tdd# 1-800-345-2550 at charles schwab, you won't pay fees on top of fees. tdd# 1-800-345-2550 no monthly account service fees. tdd# 1-800-345-2550 no hidden fees. tdd# 1-800-345-2550 and we rebate every atm fee. tdd# 1-800-345-2550 so talk to chuck tdd# 1-800-345-2550 because when it comes to talking, there is no fee. want my recipe for healthier hair color? natural instincts! formulated with aloe, vitamin and antioxidants natural instincts has a system that's a healthier way to radiant color. indulge... with natural instincts. less guilt, more gorgeous. indulge... with natural instincts. it's something you're born with. and inspires the things you choose to do. you do what you do... because it matters. at hp we don't just believe in the power of technology. we believe in the power of people when technology works for you. to dream. to create. to work. if you're going to do something. make it matter. good-bye. >> in the 1995 cult classic "showgirls." played the result tri seductre s 25 years ago. movies, tv and broadway shows. her new movie is "killer jokes." as amazing as ever. welcome, gina. >> thank you. >> i had to start the interview with that clip. i know you were groaning and mo moaning. that was iconic. that was the clip. >> this says more about you, that's how you decided to start the show, out of all the shows but hey, it's, you know, whatever. >> you must be proud of it. >> i actually haven't seen that for a long time. it's kind of difficult to watch. >> difficult to film i should think, isn't it? >> oh that scene was easy. i was just laying in a bed in a hospital. didn't have to wear much makeup. that was an easy day. i quite enjoyed it. >> it's nearly 20 years since that film. unbelievably. you don't look a day older. >> oh, well, thank you. >> what is the secret? >> what is the secret? >> to eternity vitality? >> lots of virgin blood. no. i don't know. i feel, you know, i think just have a good life, have fun, i'm fairly healthy, i guess. i think having fun and not taking yourself so seriously. not taking the age thing too seriously either. >> what's it like for women in the movies now compared to when you started? i've heard many sides of this coin. >> i don't really know because i was a lot younger when i started becae i don't have the same issues now as when i was older. you know, i remember a long time ago sharon stone of all people at her 40th birthday party, she was asking me how old i was. i said -- she goes, you've got to start lying about your age. i said, why? she said, starting at 40, you're not going to get as many scripts. i just thought she was insane. i actually think there is a little bit of ageism that goes on, on that level. which -- i mean there's two conversations. there's that which, you know, to me you watch something like "benjamin buttons" and to me it's like you can play it from 15 to 102. it's called makeup and lighting. as long as you can bring it, it's great. >> you think women get a harder rap than men? you think men can be a lot older and still get hot parts and women get deliberately sidelined at a certain age? >> well, what do you think? i think so. >> i would put you in a movie tomorrow. i find it baffling. i look at someone like you. why wouldn't you? i find it fascinating if you have found it too. >> well, i personally haven't found it yet. although i notice that if i haven't, you know, met people and they say they look the age or say she's too old or she's too young. even when i was younger, i lied about my age for that, saying i was older