"You do what it takes. It was on me to deliver"
About this Quote
No punchline, no wink. Just the blunt math of pressure: "You do what it takes. It was on me to deliver". Coming from Keenen Ivory Wayans, a comedian who built an empire by treating comedy like infrastructure, the line lands as a quiet rebuttal to the myth that show business runs on vibes and luck. It frames creativity as obligation, not inspiration.
"You do what it takes" carries the survivalist pragmatism of a Black creator navigating gatekept industries. It implies compromise and hustle, yes, but also strategy: learning the rules well enough to bend them. Wayans' career arc (from stand-up to In Living Color to a pipeline of film and TV that made room for other voices) gives the phrase a specific cultural charge. He wasn't just trying to be funny; he was trying to get a whole sensibility on air, despite executives who often wanted "safe" versions of Black humor.
"It was on me to deliver" sharpens the subtext into accountability. Not "we tried", not "they didn't get it", but ownership. For comedians, delivery is literal (timing, cadence), but Wayans uses it as a producer's ethic: if you're the one asking for the budget, the slot, the trust, you can't outsource the outcome. There's also a hint of protective leadership here. When you open a door that hasn't been open, failure doesn't just reflect on you; it becomes ammunition for people who never wanted the door opened. The sentence reads like a private mantra turned public standard: make it undeniable, because the stakes are never just personal.
"You do what it takes" carries the survivalist pragmatism of a Black creator navigating gatekept industries. It implies compromise and hustle, yes, but also strategy: learning the rules well enough to bend them. Wayans' career arc (from stand-up to In Living Color to a pipeline of film and TV that made room for other voices) gives the phrase a specific cultural charge. He wasn't just trying to be funny; he was trying to get a whole sensibility on air, despite executives who often wanted "safe" versions of Black humor.
"It was on me to deliver" sharpens the subtext into accountability. Not "we tried", not "they didn't get it", but ownership. For comedians, delivery is literal (timing, cadence), but Wayans uses it as a producer's ethic: if you're the one asking for the budget, the slot, the trust, you can't outsource the outcome. There's also a hint of protective leadership here. When you open a door that hasn't been open, failure doesn't just reflect on you; it becomes ammunition for people who never wanted the door opened. The sentence reads like a private mantra turned public standard: make it undeniable, because the stakes are never just personal.
Quote Details
| Topic | Work Ethic |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
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