It was the Cosby issue that made me realize how much I really cared about women's issues and how much I realize it's important for me to be an advocate for issues that aren't necessarily my own, to be an ally for issues.

The fact that we live in a world where black people have to strategize so they're not brutalized by police is insane.

It used to be that the black comic figure had to have this bravado and always showed strength.

I don't have that kind of Southern experience of the fire-and-brimstone preacher type of thing. Certainly not in my comedy.

I was an athlete, so I hung out with the jocks. I was smart, so I hung out with the nerdy kids. I was also into theater, so I hung out with the misfits... So I was always in different groups, and those groups never quite overlapped. The racial part of it was just another one of those groups, in one sense.

I always compartmentalized so many different things.

'The Daily Show,' at its core, is the answer to the nightly news.

I'm not a homosexual, but if I can be an ally for that issue, I think it's fantastic.

My father was in law enforcement growing up. He was a probation officer. And I've always understood the point of view of the peace officer, you know, because of my dad.

I just believe what I believe.

I'm too tired most of the time. Why do I have to take a stand on everything? Sometimes, I'm just not mad at it.

I'm not trying to prove anything for the right or the left. Which gives me freedom to make jokes about either side, too.

You have to stay alert. You've got to keep raising your game.

Whenever I did sitcoms, that always happened on your show. Once the show was on the air, it takes on a life of its own. It develops, and it becomes something else.

In my time, I experienced a black man not being able to be the quarterback of a football team.

When you use the word 'fair' in television, you're already in a fantasy world. Nothing is really fair in television.

In my career, I'm always trying to do something different.

Many times, when you do what I do or work in journalism in general, people try to not explicitly present their opinions on topics.

It's a challenge to do satire when the thing you're satirizing is almost beyond satire, but I think that's a challenge for everybody.

Doing a TV show is different because it's more of a TV version of something. A more focused take on things.

I would consider myself more a passionate centrist.

Sometimes I'd say what's bad for the country is good for my business, unfortunately.

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 didn't even know how much of a feminist I was, and I realized, 'Oh my God, I was raised by a single mom who had to raise six kids. I have three sisters. Larry, you've been a feminist your whole life, and you really didn't know it until you've been presented with these issues.'