I feel like I wanna have a series of moments. It's scary when they say you're having a moment, because moments are momentary.

I'm very grateful that I'm the kind of actor where I'm not some character actor. I can't disappear into a world.

The thing for me is to always tell the truth. Not to preach, but to tell the truth.

I don't need an Emmy to tell me to go to work. I've been working.

You have to write and develop and wait for the world to catch up to your art.

When you're not as accessible, you get in a tent and get in your own head, and you start doing things that are a little out of touch. I think we've seen it happen with certain artists... people can't touch them; they're not touching people. They're only touching people in their circle.

I never want to feel too far away from people. I think that's when you get in trouble.

There's so many other talented women of color who write funny things every day, and I want them to be recognized, I want them to have a seat at the table because we're out here.

All the writers for 'The Chi,' they're all phenomenal, so I'm just working on projects with them. They have great scripts.

There's a lot of Donald Glovers, Jordan Peeles, Justin Simiens. And there's a lot of me's, too.

Wearing one hoop earring and playing with the androgyny - that's who I am. That's what I like to do. And I feel the world should see that. I'm not going to put a shield up or be more feminine to make people feel comfortable.

If you think you aren't valid for whatever reason, let my existence and the way the world embraces my existence tell you that you are valid. You deserve to look, live, and walk through the world however you see fit. That's why I find it extremely important to be so out, so black, and so myself.

When people think of the South Side of Chicago, they don't think about where I'm from. It was sort of a pocket: this idyllic community of black people who took care of each other, knew each other, spent time with each other.

I've been obsessed with television since I was 7 years old, and I've always been writing on some level.

I am always searching for something different or something fresh, something hasn't been done. But the truth is, at the end of the day, we're all sort of retelling something. We're doing a version of something that's already been done.

'The Breakfast Club' was one of my favorites.

Always maintain your composure.

I watched a ton of TV because I was raised by a single mom and spent a lot of time with my grandmother. Like most grandparents do, she would spend hours and hours in front of the TV box.

It's weird because I see black gay characters on television all the time, but do I relate to them? Not always, because they're set pieces.

With success always comes mimicry.

I always love where I can plug a black woman in anywhere, and when that comes up, I don't say, 'Oh that has to be a black woman.' I say, 'Why not a black woman?'

I don't like beating people on the head with the message. I don't like standing on the soapbox.

I can't stop my comedic voice.

My aesthetic is very black.

Growing up, I didn't just watch 'The Cosby Show.' I watched 'Growing Pains' and 'Family Ties,' too.

For me, my brand is good storytelling.

I love basketball! When I'm flying, and I have on sweats, a hat, and sneakers, people always assume that I'm a high school kid going to an away game. And I always say no, I'm a fan of the game.

It's been hard to gain acceptance in England without the clown makeup because I wore the costume as part of my act for so long.

Before I got married, I had a girlfriend who ran off in the middle of our relationship with a millionaire. She called from the South of France and said, 'I found one, I'm sorry. That's it. Goodbye!'

My hair is massive and fills the mirror.

I stand a lot better chance to go further than Elton.

There's nothing better than curling up with a good book and sitting in front of the fire on winter evenings.

I tend not to eat lunch because a midday meal makes me want to sleep in the afternoon.

Do you know what, I don't even like dancing.

I damaged my legs and ankles many years ago when doing concerts and falling off stage.

Being very dyslexic I couldn't even tie my own shoe laces until the age of 21 and I struggled at school.

When I was dressed as a clown in all that make-up I used to shed pounds every night and got agonising kidney stones because I was sweating so much.

There were people who went for serious mind enhancement, like Jimi Hendrix or John Lennon, although I didn't really need to do that. I was blessed with an incredibly fertile imagination.

I like my face. It's cheeky - dare I say, Chaplinesque.

I was never really keen to drive. I was always chauffeured around.

I'm impressed with Ed Sheeran. I think he has a terrific point of view and a great mentality but I sense there is someone in the background saying to him, 'We need more love songs, Ed.'

I've typical singer's jowls, a bit fat and soggy. If I was really vain, I would have a nip and tuck, but the knife isn't an exciting prospect.

In the past, it wasn't any big deal for people with talent to hang out together. Now we have the celebrity age, which has made a lot of things harder to do.

It's nice to feel wanted somewhere.

You don't necessarily have to write a song to make it your own. After all, Elvis never wrote a song in his life.

What keeps a good face is no stress, and I refuse to worry.

I have always preferred paper and ink to a computer screen and I still write most of my lyrics by hand.

Dancing as a thing to do is marvellous, but you've got to be bloody good at it. I was never good enough.

I remember showing Prince around Warners' recording studios. He was the nicest kid.

Everybody writes about love and cheating and heartbreak. We've done all that.