[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.

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.

Love is like playing checkers. You have to know which man to move.

The teenagers aren't all bad. I love 'em if nobody else does. There ain't nothing wrong with young people. Jus' quit lyin' to 'em.

[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.

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

Anytime you see me with my arms around an old man, I'm holding him for the police.