Keenen Ivory Wayans Quotes

Sometimes people say I'm a political comedian, which, actually I'm not. I'm a comedian who sometimes discusses politics, culture - again, the word 'politics' to me is just life.

All comedy is really talking about social issues and things that are affecting our lives.

Mimicry artistes and comedians are supposed to incorporate incidents around him in his acts in a satirical way. For that, he should be well aware about the things happening around him.

You can't make up anything anymore. The world itself is a satire. All you're doing is recording it.

Bill Maher fancies himself the reincarnation of Lenny Bruce.

For me, comedy is a day-to-day report on the human condition. It's what's happening right now. I get maybe 20 minutes of my act straight from the newspaper.

I think up until the point when we started in the business, which was in the early '70s, most of the humor was political. The smart humor was political satire.

Jon Stewart, Bill Maher, Stephen Colbert. Those are the guys I look at who are telling me pretty much the truth. And they throw humor into it which makes it much more interesting to listen to.

Comedy has become, I think, a very important branch of public intellectualism. But it still ain't Washington.

I consider myself to be doing comedy in a post-Jon Stewart world to a certain extent.

I love, for example, 'Full Frontal with Sam Bee.' I just love her show.

I thought that through the strip, I could vent my spleen and be funny at the same time. But when it comes to humor, there's no substitute for reality and politicians.

I have the comedic chops and intelligence to raise points and discuss both sides of whatever is on our mind as a society.

The first show I worked on was 'In Living Color.' I think 'The Daily Show' was the culmination of having that point of view - being able to look at this third rail in our society.

I might do cartoonish sexual jokes, but it's my way of saying what's going on in the world. How people are animals, really.

A really good stand-up comic is a poet; it's about the use of language. It can be really poetic. And I like politically conscious comedy.

In the present state of the world it is difficult not to write lampoons.

I'd rather do comedies that strike at some bigger ideas.

Good satire hopefully provides thought-provoking conversation.

Comedy, we may say, is society protecting itself - with a smile.

Comedians are always hitting the topical notes that are on everybody's minds.

Every day I think, 'Gosh, I wish I could be like George Carlin, Bill Maher: I want that edge.' But every time I start to get that edgy thing, I get kind of mean.

Comedy is a reflection. We create nothing. We set no styles, no standards. We're reflections. It's a distorted mirror in the fun house. We watch society. As society behaves, then we have the ability to make fun of it.

Jokes are grievances.

In a more intellectually rigorous age, I wouldn't be talked about as a satirist at all. I would just be a topical comedian.