Deon Cole
I was never funny. There were funny people I was around, but I wasn't a funny guy. I was dead serious about everything. I was a thinker because I was an only child.
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.
The famous business is crazy. But if you can handle the streets of Chicago, you probably can handle any place.
Listen, most people go to movie theaters with an open mind - not knowing how they're going to react to the film they're about to see.
I hate it when people come to comedy shows thinking it's going to be simply all about laughing at jokes.
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.
I went over there to 'black-ish' to be a writer on the show, but Kenya Barris - for no obvious reason - asked me if I wanted to play this character. He looked at me and, I guess, saw the possibilities. I've just been so lucky to have had those opportunities given to me. But, you've also got to take advantage of those chances.
That's all that I do, stand-up and write.
A lot of people don't know, I had the 'Angie Tribeca' show before I had 'Black-ish.' I went over to 'Black-ish' just to write. Everybody knew that I wrote for 'Conan,' and they were looking for writers over there.
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 was waiting on 'Angie Tribeca' to start filming, so I was like, I can go over to 'Black-ish' and write until they're ready to shoot 'Angie Tribeca.' Then the guy who was supposed to play Charlie didn't show up, and Kenya Barris, the creator, asked me if I would play that role. Charlie is based on Kenya Barris.
I did Def Jam in '94 and 2006. There will never be anything like Def Jam, like it was.
For anybody that's looking at getting into comedy as stand-up or otherwise, the best advice to give is: Be original. Always.
Stand-up is always most important because that's what got me here. It's always first.
Cancel culture is horrendous.
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.
You have to allow someone to grow with the times.
If I decide to do a college, which is very, very, very rare, I just stay as P.C. as possible. My point of view really isn't important. Let me just make them laugh the best way I can, but I'm not trying to change the world. I'm not trying to give my point of view on anything at any college at all.
I heard that I was gay before, and I was like 'Really?' And then I started thinking: You haven't really made it unless somebody says you're gay.
I don't even do anything super crazy when it comes to eating. The most I would ever do is eat some kind of sushi raw. I keep it real light when it comes to food.
One of my favorite eras is the '80s. I'm an '80s baby to the world, love everything about the '80s. But my fashion was not the best in the '80s.
I used to wear my pants tucked into my socks and karate handkerchiefs around my wrist. It was ridiculous, how I used to dress in the '80s.
Yeah, absolutely - comedy saved my life.
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.
I actually had 'Angie Tribeca' before I had 'black-ish,' so I was filming those two shows and 'Conan' back to back. If I got off early on either 'black-ish' or 'Tribeca,' then I would go to the other show. Then, when I wasn't doing either of them, I'd go to 'Conan' and do a bit. And on weekends, I'd do stand-up. It was insane.
In the hood, there are no workshop classes and internships.
From a young age, I always wanted to act. I remember asking my mother to take me to acting school, but we didn't have money. It was just a dream.
In my early 20s, I started doing comedy. I started doing auditions in Chicago. It led me to writing my own sketches for Second City. The team we had was called Forgotten City - that was the beginning of my writing.
If anybody's in any kind of commercial, it's good to be a part of a brand, part of a system that can help the community Old Spice has been amazing, donating money to causes and needs. That's what it's about. Yeah, they would love for everyone to wear Old Spice. But it's more than that.
This is real beef. Me and Stevie Wonder. He took my girl from me. We went to this concert. I told her she can go meet him, and she went and met him, and she came back and she was like, 'Man, here go $100, why don't you take a cab home.'
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.
I like doing different styles of comedy.
A lot of people have their albums where they have their love song, party song, awareness song, song dedicated to their mama, a song for the homies, you know. To have a well-rounded album you have to touch on different situations and topics. That's how I feel comedy is. It doesn't have to be all just one way.
I want the freedom to be me.
Anything can be funny, man.
If I do a joke on stage and I feel like the energies a little off, I'll put my pride aside and ask someone who I feel is greater than me in order to just get insight.
My job is to make you laugh. It isn't to inform you, but it is to bring awareness of how I see things without making you feel extremely bad about it. If you want to change how you think, fine. If not, fine. But at the end of the day no matter what you're doing, I need you to respect me, love me, and love yourself.
My fashion was not the best in the '80s. I looked crazy as hell. I used to wear my pants tucked into my socks and karate handkerchiefs around my wrist. It was ridiculous, how I used to dress in the '80s.Collection: Fashion
One of my favorite eras is the '80s. I'm an '80s baby to the world, love everything about the '80s.Collection: Baby
No matter what barbershop you go to, there's always that guy who's just hanging around and doesn't do much, but knows everything that's going on in the community.Collection: Community
Trying to be like my uncle, because I was an only child. He and my cousins were everything to me.Collection: Cousin
I love Prince, thought he was super dope.Collection: Dope
I can't give my phone number out. My phone number would be everywhere - everybody and their mom would be calling me.Collection: Mom
I heard that I was gay before, and I was like "Really?" And then I started thinking: You haven't really made it unless somebody says you're gay. And I was like, "hm. I'm not gay, but thanks for the rumor!"Collection: Gay
I used to want to be the black dude in 'The Last Dragon.' I wanted to be Ralph Tresvant from New Edition - I thought he was super cool.Collection: Dragons