When I got to the stage, it was like a release, you know what I mean? Because it was like, 'Oh, people like me. People like me. They're listening to what I have to say. They're not judging me on how I look; they're judging me on what I'm saying.' So to me, that's what's worth it, and that's what comedians have.

I'm from the burbs. I've been in the hood, but I don't live there. I have lived in the hood, but I don't live there anymore. I lived in Harlem, and that was crazy, even though Harlem is a lot nicer than it used to be.

I feel like I appreciate and love myself a lot more than I used to. At one point, I would look in the mirror; I just hated what I saw... and finally, when I was 17, I built some confidence, and now I try to keep that confidence going.

Jay Pharoah Quotes