I just want to take a moment to thank my fans. My fans have given so much to me and I am so grateful. I love my fans.

When I first started in this business I had no fans. Not one. Other than my mom, who was my number one fan, and still is. But then things changed. I got more popular and started getting fans. At first just a few, but the number of fans grew and grew. And now I have more fans than I can count.

And that’s why I have so much love and respect for my fans for being my fans. Because I used to not have fans, but now I do.

Doing what I do is hard. Day in and day out, working as hard as I do — it’s tough. But when I’m burning the midnight oil, putting my everything into a project, what keeps me going are the fans. Knowing my fans are out there supporting me means the world.

I owe my fans so much. I’m indebted to each and every fan.

Once, early in my career, a fan emailed me. He told me he loves what I do and is a fan for life. That he’s so grateful I do what I do so that he can be a fan of mine. I’ll always remember that email.

I love hearing from my fans — fan mail is my lifeblood.

Sometimes fans will approach me on the street, when I’m just walking around. They’ll come up to me and say things like, “Hey, I’m a huge fan” or “I just want you to know what a huge fan I am.” I always love talking to my fans. Often times fans will want to take a photo with me, and I always oblige, just as long as I don’t have somewhere to be.

I have such loyal fans. Fans have written and said they would take a bullet for me. And I believe them. Although I would never want a fan to die on my behalf — I can’t stand the thought of a dead fan.

Nothing upsets me more than when fans dies.

Last year a fan got cancer. I found out when he tweeted at me and told me. I retweeted that tweet. He died shortly after, but I think that my retweet meant a lot to him. I know it meant a lot to me.

Once, a fan began visiting my house late at night, breaking in through the back door. She was a stalker, and my lawyers decided I should press charges, so I did. Now that fan is in jail. I’ve never visited her, but I think of her often. A fan who resorted to breaking and entering – I can’t imagine a more devoted fan.

Except for the fan that kidnapped and locked me in his basement for three months and fed me only celery and lean grilled chicken breasts. That fan not only wanted to keep me close, but showed me tough love by putting me on a diet. A diet that eventually led to my wrists becoming emaciated enough to slip out of the shackles and escape.

And I’m proud to say I kept the weight off. Who would have thought a fan would be responsible for me looking the best I have in years?

I’m truly lucky to have such incredible fans. I am a fan of my fans for being fans of me. So I just want to end by saying this: thank you. Thank you to all of my fans. Without you, I wouldn’t have fans.