--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes if I really want to get…" description: "\"Sometimes if I really want to get someone's attention, I'll start a sentence with something like, \"I'm not racist, but...\" I say, \"I'm not racist, but ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7eb/demetri-martin-511_attention_sometimes-if-i-really-want-to-get-someon_1226330.jpg" --- # Sometimes if I really want to get someone's attention… ![“Sometimes if I really want to get someone's attention, I'll start a sentence with something like, "I'm not racist, but..." I say, "I'm not racist, but you look great today." They say, "That wasn't racist at all." I said, "I know. I said I'm not racist. You never listen. Typical Mexican."” quote by Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7eb/demetri-martin-511_attention_sometimes-if-i-really-want-to-get-someon_1226330.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7eb/demetri-martin-511_attention_sometimes-if-i-really-want-to-get-someon_1226330.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7eb/demetri-martin-511_attention_sometimes-if-i-really-want-to-get-someon_1226330.jpg) > “Sometimes if I really want to get someone's attention, I'll start a sentence with something like, "I'm not racist, but..." I say, "I'm not racist, but you look great today." They say, "That wasn't racist at all." I said, "I know. I said I'm not racist. You never listen. Typical Mexican."” [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He satirizes the excuse “I’m not racist, but…” to expose hidden prejudice. **In simple terms:** People hide bias behind denial. Key Takeaway Examine your own language for hidden bias. Themes prejudice humor self‑awareness Mood ironic thought‑provoking Type satirical educational When to use this quote - daily conversation - media commentary - teaching diversity Key Concepts social critique implicit bias Questions to Reflect On - When have you caught yourself using a denial phrase? - How can humor reveal deeper truths? A Different Perspective Humor may downplay seriousness of racism. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Mexican](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mexican/) [Racist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racist/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) ## Related quotes > [Even though it might appear otherwise from what I've said, I am not a racist. 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And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-mencia/i-ve-gotten-in-trouble-with-every-race-you-can-imagine-they-say-i-can/) [Carlos Mencia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-mencia/) > [ They \[Muslims\] are backward and evil and if it is racist to say so, then racist I must be - and happy and proud,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kilroy-silk/they-muslims-are-backward-and-evil-and-if-it-is-racist-to-say-so-then/) [Robert Kilroy-Silk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kilroy-silk/) > [I don't say MMA fans are racist at all. What I said is that fans are opinionated, especially because we're the only professional sport…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyron-woodley/i-don-t-say-mma-fans-are-racist-at-all-what-i-said-is-that-fans-are/) [Tyron Woodley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyron-woodley/) > [“It’s not the word that’s important, it’s the right to say any word you want to and to form any sentence you want to,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arun-d-ellis/it-s-not-the-word-that-s-important-it-s-the-right-to-say-any-word-you/) Arun D. Ellis > [When someone makes a racist remark, that doesn't make him a racist, but you have to say, 'This the line. You've crossed it, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-davids/when-someone-makes-a-racist-remark-that-doesn-t-make-him-a-racist-but/) [Edgar Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-davids/) > [We've been conditioned to be incredibly avoidant. 'I'm afraid I'll be called a racist if I say something wrong,' is the familiar retort. Well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjorie-liu/we-ve-been-conditioned-to-be-incredibly-avoidant-i-m-afraid-i-ll-be/) [Marjorie Liu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjorie-liu/) > [“Okay, Drucker, we’re expecting you to kick ass for us at next week’s meet against Ridgefield Tech. The team is all Asian, so they’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-buxbaum/okay-drucker-we-re-expecting-you-to-kick-ass-for-us-at-next-week-s/) [Julie Buxbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-buxbaum/) > [It's not racist to say we can't take in the poverty of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marine-le-pen/it-s-not-racist-to-say-we-can-t-take-in-the-poverty-of-the-world/) [Marine Le Pen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marine-le-pen/) > [You'll hear people say it's racist to test. Folks, it's racist not to test. Because guess who gets shuffled through the system oftentimes? Children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/you-ll-hear-people-say-it-s-racist-to-test-folks-it-s-racist-not-to/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [People like Donald Trump because he embodies the things that they have in themselves that they don't want to say. He's racist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-the-drag-queen/people-like-donald-trump-because-he-embodies-the-things-that-they/) [Bob the Drag Queen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-the-drag-queen/) > [I've met Caucasians who are racist, but I've also heard black people say racist things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-david-washington/i-ve-met-caucasians-who-are-racist-but-i-ve-also-heard-black-people/) [John David Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-david-washington/) > [My friends often say I'm the most racist person they know against Asians. And it's sort of like, "If I make the joke first,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-tan/my-friends-often-say-i-m-the-most-racist-person-they-know-against/) [Pearl Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-tan/) > [We are proud to say we are racist and hate to see Whites fighting each other. I oppose the Wars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-metzger/we-are-proud-to-say-we-are-racist-and-hate-to-see-whites-fighting/) [Tom Metzger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-metzger/) ## More by Demetri Martin > [I think hair gel was invented to make it easier to identify assholes from a distance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/i-think-hair-gel-was-invented-to-make-it-easier-to-identify-assholes/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [Tic Tacs are the maracas of breath mints.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/tic-tacs-are-the-maracas-of-breath-mints/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [When someone describes themself as a taxpayer, they're about to be an asshole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/when-someone-describes-themself-as-a-taxpayer-they-re-about-to-be-an/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [I think they named the orange before the carrot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/i-think-they-named-the-orange-before-the-carrot/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [I like to go to concerts because I love to see my favorite band through the phone of the asshole who's standing in front…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/i-like-to-go-to-concerts-because-i-love-to-see-my-favorite-band/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [How fast does a zebra have to run before it looks gray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/how-fast-does-a-zebra-have-to-run-before-it-looks-gray/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [Skiing is my favorite sport, because, that's the only sport that is actually better to watch the worst the person is at it. 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I am less nurturing than a desert.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/i-bought-a-cactus-a-week-later-it-died-and-i-got-depressed-because-i/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [A Wednesday with no rain is a dry hump day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/a-wednesday-with-no-rain-is-a-dry-hump-day/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [THING TO TRY: If you are asked to describe a suspect to a police sketch artist, describe in precise detail, the features of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/thing-to-try-if-you-are-asked-to-describe-a-suspect-to-a-police/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [If you happen to catch on fire during the show, do not panic or wave your arms around or scream or we wil give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demetri-martin/if-you-happen-to-catch-on-fire-during-the-show-do-not-panic-or-wave/) [Demetri Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demetri-martin/) > [They say that structure is freedom, and in a sense it is. 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They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [What people don't normally know about us is the hustle is very real, and it's sorely driven a lot by how we consider ourselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lzzy-hale/what-people-don-t-normally-know-about-us-is-the-hustle-is-very-real/) [Lzzy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lzzy-hale/) > [For me, the term "psychotherapy" is limiting. It implies that we work with mind and emotions, but excludes the body and pays scant attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-diamond/for-me-the-term-psychotherapy-is-limiting-it-implies-that-we-work/) [Jed Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-diamond/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. 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