Kelly Clarkson has an excellent new interview with Rolling Stone. I’ve been enjoying Kelly so much this year! I’ll admit it, she used to annoy me a little bit, but I feel like her overwhelming positivity and far-reaching love and tolerance is especially welcome these days. In this RS interview, Kelly talks about Jane Austen, the lawsuit against Robin Thicke and Pharrell, marijuana and so much more. Some highlights:

Her “Heartbreak Song” sounds like Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle”: “I didn’t write the song, I just sang it. But I didn’t catch that. Nobody behind the scenes did. What’s funny is that I was a huge fan of that Jimmy Eat World album! We actually thought our song sounded like the Postal Service – that was our big concern. I thought it was really cool of Jimmy Eat World to say, “Hey, no harm, no foul.” There are only so many chords. I felt so bad for Pharrell when he got sued – he’s a huge fan of Marvin Gaye, and you know he didn’t mean to rip him off. And he’s the sweetest guy ever. It sucks.

She’s pro-legalization of marijuana: “I’m not even a pothead, I just think it’s funny that we legalize something as destructive as alcohol or pills and not that. Don’t get me wrong, I love me some alcohol, but I don’t know anybody in rehab because of pot. And I know a ton of people that have died either from liver cancer or behind the wheel. We legalize things that are so disturbing for our bodies, but one that’s completely fine, we say, “No, that’s bad for you.” I’m like, “Okay, enjoy your scotch. Enjoy your Xanax.”

Her favorite Jane Austen character: “That is hard! Persuasion is my favorite book, but my favorite character – I’m going to be so cliché right now and say Elizabeth Bennet, even though Pride and Prejudice is not my favorite. I like her boldness. But my favorite character from a book is Jane Eyre, actually. She’s thrown every hurdle known to man – she was never shown love, she was thrown into that orphanage, she was fighting just to exist, and then she ends up falling in love with this tortured guy. And I love that she never caved or succumbed to a dark side. When you’re thrown into the worst parts of your life, that’s what really shows your character.

Putting a woman on the $20 bill: “Oh, Lord. I love that idea. We should probably put Oprah. I feel a little bad about taking someone else off, though. That’s kind of the worst slap in the face. Andrew Jackson is somewhere really pissed off.

She’s a Hillary Clinton fan: “I’m a fan of Hillary. She’s badass. I don’t just want a woman to win, I want the right person. And I think she’s also that.

She has a new line of greeting cards: “Well, they’re all based on humor. I like a good laugh. Even if you’re sad or it’s a birthday card or a sweet one for your mom, it can still be funny. My sense of humor is a little crass. I’m a little white-trash and a little class.”

[From Rolling Stone]

Ha, I think she’s joking about putting Oprah on the $20 bill. If we do get a woman on the $20, it would probably be Harriet Tubman (apologies to Raven-Symone), Rosa Parks or maybe…? I don’t know, Elizabeth Cady Stanton? Also, I have nerd-rage about Elizabeth Bennet as her favorite Austen heroine!! At least she says Persuasion is her favorite Austen book overall.

More good times at #symbiozoo River loves animals!!

A photo posted by Kelly Clarkson (@kellyclarkson) on May 3, 2015 at 3:29pm PDT

Photos courtesy of Fame/Flynet and Instagram.