Deon Cole

“Comedy is like magic. If you don't see where the trick is going, it's entertaining.”

“Bernie Mac was a god in Chicago.”

“I just like being able to voice my opinion. That's all comedy is. Comedy is just a different perspective. Perspective of what you think opposed to what other people think. I try to uphold it and make it educational as well as inspirational, as well as funny. All around, I think it's very important.”

“Back in the day I used to do a whole bunch of tours for the troops, Germany, Korea. I used to go all over the place to perform for the troops.”

“Sometimes a joke that's not working is just as hilarious as one that does.”

“The clocks in my house are set to Pacific time, but my watches are set to Chicago time. It just reminds me of home and keeps me in that mindset.”

“You have to allow someone to grow with the times.”

“I'll do a joke on purpose that really doesn't work just to show that that's funny.”

“I really related to Ellen more than anybody. I loved the way she had a way of taking small details in life and make something very funny out of them in her stand-up routines. She's someone I modeled myself after - and really admire.”

“There's nothing that I would never not talk about, but I would do it in a classy way.”

“When I come out on stage in the bits that I do on 'Conan,' that's a one-time deal. There's no retakes, there is no, 'Let's shoot it over.' It has to work there. You have to know your lines, you have to deliver. So you have to be on point.”

“I learned from mistakes. If I ride my bike and I don't hold the handlebars and I fall, I know to hold them next time.”

“A lot people don't know that I'm a stand-up.”

“I would do anything under the sun for Kenya Barris. Put that on a T-shirt. Hashtag it.”

“You can change the world, sometimes, with the opinions and thoughts we have as comics.”

“I've been preaching it. I've been getting the word out. I've been telling people 'Stop talking white at work. Talk how you talk and if they fire you, you got a lawsuit. Simple as that.'”

“You've got to give people an opportunity. But I also think that a lot of black writers don't know how to submit themselves.”

“Stand-up is always most important because that's what got me here. It's always first.”

“People were telling me I should do stand-up. I would just shake it off. One day my friend bet me some money to go on stage. I went up there and never looked back.”

“When it comes to writing, I don't want to cheat the people. I don't wanna rush that.”