Comedian

New York can be any city it wants to be.

If the social evolution leads to jokes, I use them.

During all the years I entertained at the Baby Grand night club in Harlem, 90 percent of the audience was white. But when I tried to break Into television, I was told that white folks wouldn't understand what I was talking about.

Jack Paar was my first TV patron saint.

I talk too much.

Some college athletes don't want to turn pro, they don't want to take the cut in pay.

The great part of appearing on game shows is that when you answer a question the camera takes a close-up of you every time. You get more close-ups than in a movie, and that's terrific for audience identification. The people have to see you to like you.

America is the only place in the world where you can work in an Arab home in a Scandinavian neighborhood and find a Puerto Rican baby eating matzo balls with chopsticks.

For artistic fulfillment I prefer to work live. For career advancement, I go to the media.