I don't have no story. Everybody wants this Hollywood story, but the world don't owe you nothing, man. It's what you owe the world.

Suffering is a good teacher. It keeps you in its grip until you've learned your lesson.

I'm funny. I'm a comedian. I'm not a clown.

I was in love with a lot of people, because I was a student of the game of comedy - Carol Burnett, Jack Benny, Red Skelton, Jackie Gleason, Don Rickles, Red Foxx, Moms Mabley - who gets no credit, Richard Pryor, Bill Cosby, George Kirby. I loved them all, and I used to just take a page out of all of them.

I've never been no superficial cat.

My family are police officers, detectives. My brother Mitch is FBI. Mitch is like that - a stern enforcer.

When I go onstage, I want to relieve your mind, your pressures.