Wanda Sykes

“I have a funny family, but none of them are remotely in show business.”

“It's not until you develop your own voice, your own persona onstage that you become your own comic, who you really are.”

“Actually, I majored in marketing and I have a bachelor of science.”

“My voice is distinctive: there's a rhythm to it, and also, it's funny. I was just blessed with a funny-sounding voice.”

“I have a lot of breast cancer history on my mother's side of the family.”

“I have a very diverse crowd from old, young, black, white, straight, gay. It's a little bit of everybody.”

“I'm a stand-up comic. I'm always doing dates; it's just that, if I'm working on a project or I'm busy, I can't get out on the road or book any shows. Since the beginning of my career, I'm usually out for at least 10-15 dates throughout the year. If I have time, then I try to get at least 30-40 dates.”

“If you're passionate about your work, it makes the people around you want to be involved too.”

“I watch Jay. I watch 'Letterman'. I flip back and forth between 'Conan' and 'Letterman', especially the top of the show for those guys.”

“When I'm not on T.V. or working on a movie, I'm on the road doing stand-up. That's my roots.”

“My wife asked me if I ever thought I would ever retire from stand-up. And I thought about it, and I was like, 'No, because it's my job; it's what I do, and I enjoy it.' It's still the most challenging thing for me to do.”

“I have problems with YouTube and things like that, when you catch it mid production. If I'm doing a show and I'm working on a bit and someone's there with a phone, they record it and put it online - it's not the finished product.”

“I had breast cancer. Yeah, I know it's scary.”

“I'm shy. I am. I mean, if I get around, you know, in a room of a bunch of people especially I - you know, I don't know or - it takes me a while to warm up. I'm - and the real me, I'm not as witty as, you know, as the comic Wanda. The comic, she's had time to work on some things.”

“I enjoy stand-up because it has the biggest reward: instant gratification. You can hear the people laughing.”

“People - I hate to use the word 'fans' - are very respectful. It's not like I'm some pop idol or big movie star. I'm very approachable, and I love the people who enjoy me, because they react like they've run into a friend. Usually, it's like, 'Hey, Wanda! How ya' doing?'”

“Men are dogs. Men are dogs. We got to stop it. Men are not dogs. Uh-uh. Dogs are loyal.”

“D.C. is where I started. That's home for me. I always love coming back to the area. They treat me so well, and people show up. They're excited and claim me as their own. I love it.”

“I have to be socially aware; I feel like that's my job.”

“If I did a talk show, this would allow me to speak on what's happening at that moment. I can be current, and I get to flex my stand-up muscle but stay at home without doing the traveling.”