Quotes from Jaleel White

I'm not one of those kind of people that likes to beat up the past to validate the present. Certain people think that it's cool to make fun of MC Hammer. I'm like, 'Yeah, but you owned all of his records.'

Sometimes our awards process can be very political in terms of just driving personal agendas, and I think we forget.

There's a bit of hazing when it comes to the youth performers and a disbelief that you're capable of handling dramatic or comedic material on an adult level.

You get hate in this business growing up. When you're a young performer, you just don't get the credit for the work that you did. And it is what it is. You can't walk around with a chip on your shoulder.

Oh, the first dish I learned to make, I think I was about 10 years old, I made my dad spaghetti and broccoli for dinner when he got home from work, and it was, like, a surprise.

I learned to be on time because, otherwise, you could miss a major opportunity. Also, it's important to live a balanced life, stay healthy, and not waste your money on things like $8 lattes.

You need fans in high places, I always tell people. I don't care how talented you are.

I like women who talk smack.

People are really into on-demand consumption. I watch everything myself on demand.

The conventions of an almighty agency tapping you for greatness and signing you up and telling you this is going to be the next big thing; that has not been my career.

Nobody is going to be more disinterested in your work than your own kid.

I wasn't a kid trying to become famous. I wasn't a part of any Disney Channel wheelhouse. I was basically a black kid whose parents put him into the business so he could go to college.

I will get in my car and get a chocolate souffle at midnight, and a glass of wine, and remind myself that most of my troubles are just in my mind.

If you have to go back and spell-check the text you're about to send, you're saying too much.

I was fortunate to work with some very powerful producers like Tom Miller and Bob Boyett.

I'm very proud of what I was able to do during the '90s, when baggy pants were in and East/West rap was relevant and all these different things.

I always connected renting a car with being an adult. If you think about it, it's the last frontier of your youth. You can join the military at 18, drink when you're 21, but you can't rent a car.

People don't necessarily identify me with doing adult things.

I love Italian food.

I took opportunities, big or small, to show that I was a constant professional. I feel like the Sam Jackson of network TV drama.

For directors and producers, you're not going to get competent performers on your set if they didn't start at a young age and understand professionalism.

Writing is still on my slate.

You have to be respectful of pop culture, because people interpret it in the way they want.

We live in an age of sound bites and buzz words.