What ignited the rocket that sent you up into the vast regions of comedy, and why? I would say, for me, that philosophical treatise about having black beginnings and wanting love to compensate for that, wanting audiences and wanting attention - I say, "Au contraire." Completely opposite. I want the continuation of my mother's incredible love and attention to me.

I like Chris Rock. He's dangerous.

Immortality is a by-product of good work.

My job is to go out and entertain the most people possible. The job is to make people laugh. I don't have a mission. I don't have a torch to burn.

I love [Nikolai] Gogol's great eye for idiot behavior. Gogol said that life is so tragic, so stupendously sad that we'd better laugh a lot and enjoy ourselves. You either get a sense of humor going or you go under.

One day, God said 'Let there be prey.' And he created pigeons, rabbits, lambs and Gene Wilder.

My brothers went to work at 12 and put themselves through school and brought the family out of ruin into food and clothing.