Black women, white women- all of them. I'm colorblind. I don't know the difference. I only know you're a human being and you're my children.

You know Moms has been accused of liking young men, and I'm guilty.

[On turning down an invitation to appear for four minutes on the Ed Sullivan Show:] Honey, it takes Moms four minutes just to get on the stage.

If you don't want your children to know the truth about life don't send 'em to the theater to see Moms 'cause I'm gonna tell them THE TRUTH, hear?

Advice to children crossing the street: damn the lights. Watch the cars. The lights ain't never killed nobody.

A woman is a woman until the day she dies, but a man's man only as long as he can

It's no disgrace to be old. But damn if it isn't inconvenient.