--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Real progress will have been made when…" description: "\"Real progress will have been made when people don't care or even notice the color of a comedian when they'll just be concerned with whether he's funny...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fd/nipsey-russell-13910_comedian_real-progress-will-have-been-made-when-p_2832072.png" --- # Real progress will have been made when people don't care… ![“Real progress will have been made when people don't care or even notice the color of a comedian when they'll just be concerned with whether he's funny.” quote by Nipsey Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fd/nipsey-russell-13910_comedian_real-progress-will-have-been-made-when-p_2832072.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fd/nipsey-russell-13910_comedian_real-progress-will-have-been-made-when-p_2832072.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fd/nipsey-russell-13910_comedian_real-progress-will-have-been-made-when-p_2832072.png) > “Real progress will have been made when people don't care or even notice the color of a comedian when they'll just be concerned with whether he's funny.” [Nipsey Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nipsey-russell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True merit should be judged by substance, not superficial traits like race or appearance. **In simple terms:** Judge people by talent, not skin color. Key Takeaway Focus on skill, not appearance. Themes equality talent judgment Mood thoughtful optimistic Type social commentary inspirational When to use this quote - comedy shows - casting decisions - public speaking - media representation Key Concepts social bias meritocracy Questions to Reflect On - How can we ensure talent is recognized fairly? - What barriers still affect perception of talent? A Different Perspective It may ignore systemic biases that affect opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Color Comedian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/color-comedian-3664718/) [Comedian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedian/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Concerned Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concerned-funny-3664719/) [Don-t-care](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/don-t-care/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress/) [Progress People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress-people-1035606/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Real Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-progress-581312/) [Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/will/) ## Related quotes > [Well, one of the things I should tell you is that if you look at the very long sweep of history what you see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-romer/well-one-of-the-things-i-should-tell-you-is-that-if-you-look-at-the/) [Paul Romer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-romer/) > [Are machines getting more and more powerful? Absolutely. It's been going on since 1940. We are making progress, and for many people, it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moshe-vardi/are-machines-getting-more-and-more-powerful-absolutely-it-s-been/) [Moshe Vardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moshe-vardi/) > [We make progress only when people are willing to speak about what their lives are like and what they care about. We make it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-hassan/we-make-progress-only-when-people-are-willing-to-speak-about-what/) [Maggie Hassan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-hassan/) > [If we can't look at the good, bad and ugly of who we are, we are never going to progress as people - ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosie-perez/if-we-can-t-look-at-the-good-bad-and-ugly-of-who-we-are-we-are-never/) [Rosie Perez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosie-perez/) > [I'm a patient person. I think that's one thing that I feel comfortable I can deal with - the downfall and the errors, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-jackson/i-m-a-patient-person-i-think-that-s-one-thing-that-i-feel-comfortable/) [Phil Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-jackson/) > [I do believe that fundamental to any real hope is that we do need to reconstitute what has been generally handed out as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/i-do-believe-that-fundamental-to-any-real-hope-is-that-we-do-need-to/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [There can be no progress if people have no faith in tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/there-can-be-no-progress-if-people-have-no-faith-in-tomorrow/) [John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/) > [I've learned to never take anything for granted and that people are all works in progress. Some people are just actively working on progressing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-fishel/i-ve-learned-to-never-take-anything-for-granted-and-that-people-are/) [Danielle Fishel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-fishel/) > [As Vietnam increasingly opens its doors, it will reap the rewards of progress for its people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-blinken/as-vietnam-increasingly-opens-its-doors-it-will-reap-the-rewards-of/) [Antony Blinken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-blinken/) > [If we're gonna progress as a people we are going to realise that, as one of my favourite poets says, the other is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-williams/if-we-re-gonna-progress-as-a-people-we-are-going-to-realise-that-as/) [Saul Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-williams/) > [People who take risk intelligently can usually actually make a lot more progress than people who don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reid-hoffman/people-who-take-risk-intelligently-can-usually-actually-make-a-lot/) [Reid Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reid-hoffman/) > [The measure of progress of civilization is the progress of the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bancroft/the-measure-of-progress-of-civilization-is-the-progress-of-the-people/) [George Bancroft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bancroft/) > [I believe I and all the Chinese people have such a conviction that China will make continuous progress and the people's wishes for and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wen-jiabao/i-believe-i-and-all-the-chinese-people-have-such-a-conviction-that/) [Wen Jiabao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wen-jiabao/) > [Progress, real progress, makes me cry harder than anything. When the world itself grows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-mckinnon/progress-real-progress-makes-me-cry-harder-than-anything-when-the/) [Kate McKinnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-mckinnon/) > [When the path becomes difficult, that's no reason to give up. In fact, it means you're making real progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-marston/when-the-path-becomes-difficult-that-s-no-reason-to-give-up-in-fact/) [Ralph Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-marston/) ## More by Nipsey Russell > [In all my years in show business - on stage, clubs and TV shows - my audience has been 75 percent white. In Las…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nipsey-russell/in-all-my-years-in-show-business-on-stage-clubs-and-tv-shows-my/) [Nipsey Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nipsey-russell/) > [You see, the patience of an audience is very short, particularly with a non-entity. You're an intruder, and you must make them laugh within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nipsey-russell/you-see-the-patience-of-an-audience-is-very-short-particularly-with-a/) [Nipsey Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nipsey-russell/) > [I talk about things that are front page news.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nipsey-russell/i-talk-about-things-that-are-front-page-news/) [Nipsey Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nipsey-russell/) > [I'm all for ERA. I want to see women equal to men - not so damn superior like they've been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nipsey-russell/i-m-all-for-era-i-want-to-see-women-equal-to-men-not-so-damn-superior/) [Nipsey Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nipsey-russell/) > [For artistic fulfillment I prefer to work live. For career advancement, I go to the media.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nipsey-russell/for-artistic-fulfillment-i-prefer-to-work-live-for-career-advancement/) [Nipsey Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nipsey-russell/) > [If the social evolution leads to jokes, I use them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nipsey-russell/if-the-social-evolution-leads-to-jokes-i-use-them/) [Nipsey Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nipsey-russell/) > [One character mistook me for the model and remarked 'That Man-Tan sure works wonders!' That ain't Man-Tan. I'm tan, man. From my head to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nipsey-russell/one-character-mistook-me-for-the-model-and-remarked-that-man-tan-sure/) [Nipsey Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nipsey-russell/) > [If you owe too much on American Express, and your Diner's Club notes are too hard, take a loan on your Visa, and pay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nipsey-russell/if-you-owe-too-much-on-american-express-and-your-diner-s-club-notes/) [Nipsey Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nipsey-russell/) > [Word games are very easy for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nipsey-russell/word-games-are-very-easy-for-me/) [Nipsey Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nipsey-russell/) > [I've dropped a lot of race humor from my routines, not because I think it is in bad taste, but because I don't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nipsey-russell/i-ve-dropped-a-lot-of-race-humor-from-my-routines-not-because-i-think/) [Nipsey Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nipsey-russell/) > [I'm living the life of liberty, happiness and pursuit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nipsey-russell/i-m-living-the-life-of-liberty-happiness-and-pursuit/) [Nipsey Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nipsey-russell/) > [Jack Paar was my first TV patron saint.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nipsey-russell/jack-paar-was-my-first-tv-patron-saint/) [Nipsey Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nipsey-russell/) > [I start with the joke line and write backward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nipsey-russell/i-start-with-the-joke-line-and-write-backward/) [Nipsey Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nipsey-russell/) > [Divorces are getting so common that a woman I know doesn't bother getting a new marriage license. They just punch her old one and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nipsey-russell/divorces-are-getting-so-common-that-a-woman-i-know-doesn-t-bother/) [Nipsey Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nipsey-russell/) > [I feel the life expectancy of a comedian is 30 seconds. If you don't hook an audience in half-a-minute, you're dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nipsey-russell/i-feel-the-life-expectancy-of-a-comedian-is-30-seconds-if-you-don-t/) [Nipsey Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nipsey-russell/) [Explore all 48 Nipsey Russell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nipsey-russell/) ## More Comedian quotes > [I would say most comedians have a very cynical worldview of the way the world can work. It's almost like if you didn't, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-quinn/i-would-say-most-comedians-have-a-very-cynical-worldview-of-the-way/) [Colin Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-quinn/) > [At one point when I was very young, when I was first starting out, I thought, 'Well, one day I'll be able to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/at-one-point-when-i-was-very-young-when-i-was-first-starting-out-i/) [Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/) > [I like to turn up my collar when I'm leaving the theatre and feel like I'm some heroic comedian figure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-skinner/i-like-to-turn-up-my-collar-when-i-m-leaving-the-theatre-and-feel/) [Frank Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-skinner/) > [The only difference between a comedian and someone else? We need to make people laugh more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-davies/the-only-difference-between-a-comedian-and-someone-else-we-need-to/) [Greg Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-davies/) > [When a soldier of the night's watch dies they say, "And now his watch is over." That's what they say when a comedian dies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-williams/when-a-soldier-of-the-night-s-watch-dies-they-say-and-now-his-watch/) [Brad Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-williams/) > [My mom is two people to me. She's my mom number one, and then she's this lady most comedians know as being a legendary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauly-shore/my-mom-is-two-people-to-me-she-s-my-mom-number-one-and-then-she-s/) [Pauly Shore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauly-shore/) > [If I had a choice, I would rather watch a comedian not involve themselves in politics at all but be hilarious than someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-richardson/if-i-had-a-choice-i-would-rather-watch-a-comedian-not-involve/) [Jon Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-richardson/) > [I wouldn't mind gigging around the same era as Jesus, after he gives his speech about the meek and how blessed they are and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-jefferies/i-wouldn-t-mind-gigging-around-the-same-era-as-jesus-after-he-gives/) [Jim Jefferies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-jefferies/) > [If someone doesn't like a comedian that's fine; a lot of people probably don't like my standup, and that's fine. But I think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-norton/if-someone-doesn-t-like-a-comedian-that-s-fine-a-lot-of-people/) [Jim Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-norton/) > [It's very rare that an older comedian sort of slips into an old-school clunker. You know, you don't hear too much of that anymore.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-ross/it-s-very-rare-that-an-older-comedian-sort-of-slips-into-an-old/) [Jeff Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-ross/) > [I was a kid, and I would watch standup comics do the 'Tonight Show,' and if Johnny Carson liked you, he'd wave you over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jo-koy/i-was-a-kid-and-i-would-watch-standup-comics-do-the-tonight-show-and/) [Jo Koy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jo-koy/) > [Gary Greenberg is a thoughtful comedian and a cranky philosopher and a humble pest of a reporter, equal parts Woody Allen, Kierkegaard, and Columbo.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gideon-lewis-kraus/gary-greenberg-is-a-thoughtful-comedian-and-a-cranky-philosopher-and/) [Gideon Lewis-Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gideon-lewis-kraus/) > [For me, comedians are like the epitome for everything great, and they terrify me. I just want to be them. I want to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tatiana-maslany/for-me-comedians-are-like-the-epitome-for-everything-great-and-they/) [Tatiana Maslany](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tatiana-maslany/) > [No matter what town we went to, if there was a comedian playing, I'd go watch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-waltrip/no-matter-what-town-we-went-to-if-there-was-a-comedian-playing-i-d-go/) [Michael Waltrip](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-waltrip/) > [I'm a comedian who happens to be Latino. What's the difference? The difference is, my special will air on Comedy Central, not Telemundo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-iglesias/i-m-a-comedian-who-happens-to-be-latino-what-s-the-difference-the/) [Gabriel Iglesias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-iglesias/) [Browse all 1,775 Comedian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedian/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Real progress will have been made when people don't care or even notice the color of a comedian when they'll just be concerned with whether he's funny.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Nipsey Russell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nipsey-russell/real-progress-will-have-been-made-when-people-don-t-care-or-even/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Comedian" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nipsey-russell/real-progress-will-have-been-made-when-people-don-t-care-or-even/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fd/nipsey-russell-13910_comedian_real-progress-will-have-been-made-when-p_2832072.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fd/nipsey-russell-13910_comedian_real-progress-will-have-been-made-when-p_2832072.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9fd/nipsey-russell-13910_comedian_real-progress-will-have-been-made-when-p_2832072.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Real progress will have been made when people don't care or even notice the color of a comedian when they'll…” — Nipsey Russell", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Nipsey Russell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nipsey-russell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Real progress will have been made...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nipsey-russell/real-progress-will-have-been-made-when-people-don-t-care-or-even/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nipsey-russell/real-progress-will-have-been-made-when-people-don-t-care-or-even/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```