In Black America; Actor and Comedian, Cedric The Entertainer

From the University of Texas at Austin, KUT Radio, this is In Black America. I would definitely say that I'm an observational kind of comedy. I look at people, situations, not that I'm an impressionist or whatever. But I do like the mimic folks or attitudes, dispositions, cadence in which people talk. I look at scenarios and say how we will respond in this kind of situation. And that's probably been pretty much my early on material. I know it was one of my first jokes. It was like a preacher going to McDonald's, you know? So, you know, I preached that out on Luther Bad Drums doing the Alphabet. Those kind of things were just, you know, my point of view on things that we already knew. Actor and stand-up comedian, Cedric, the entertainer.

The self-dubbed title, the entertainer came some 10 years ago when he added singing and dancing to his stand-up routine. While in junior high school, he discovered his uncannotability to make people laugh. He was voted most popular and most numerous by high school classmates. He began his career doing stand-up comedy, winning several comedy contests and performing as various comedy clubs around the country. In 1992, he made his first television appearance on its Showtime after Apollo. Soon after, he would appear on HBO's Def Comedy Jam and BET's Comic View, which you would later host from the 1994-95 season. In 1994, he also won the Richard Prior comic of the Year Award from BET. In 1996, he moved to acting, playing Steve Harvey Stren, Cedric Jackie Robinson. On the popular sitcom, The Steve Harvey Show, his acting career grew and began playing in several movies including Richard Mama's House, Dr. Doolittle II, Barba Shop, Barba Shop II, serving Sarah, Johnson Family Vacation,

and Tolerable Cruity, Man of the House, and V. Koo. Traveling the country is one of the kings of comedy headliners with Steve Harvey, D.L. Ugly, and Bernie Mac. The comedy act would later be put into a film by Spike Lee entitled The Original Kings of Comedy. Cedric briefly had his own skit comedy show called Cedric The Entertainer Presents, but it never caught on and was counseled after two seasons. I'm John L. Hanson, Jr. and welcome to another edition of In Black America. On this week's program, Cedric, The Entertainer, In Black America. So I'm inside this coffee house because I want one of those caramel Frappuccino things. When I was informed that it's poetry night. Likes damn candles of burning, African drums beat. I hear that little instrument that goes, I don't know what it's called, but I like it.

It's just about that time that I started to think to myself, even pray. Oh, Lord, please don't let this be another cliche. You know, the dreadlock hair in, air kabadou music, soul, child, headwrap wearing, brother desk, you know, talks like this. And gonna tell me way too much about his childhood or how the white man keep keeping a brother down. Or use the word molasses and so many forms that I don't even want to put syrup on my damn page. I'm just saying you see sometimes for the layman. And in this case, I claim to be spoken word or poetry as is known.

And it's more pop cultural form can be just one meteoric metaphor too much. Angling part of sip was too long. Just let out too damn deep. But don't sleep. Matter of fact, I want y'all to pee this. Many of these wordsmiths possess amazing superpowers. Just by throwing words at you, they can send you on cerebral vacations and mind excavations, dig that. Again, there's probably another one of the great experiences of my life. It was a, they were called that rock star comedy. I mean, we was out like we used to roll the stones or something, man. It was big. Like we were doing rena tours, flying in on private jets, you know, landing doing, you know, 17, 18,000 people. You know, in one night at a rena just crazy for comedy.

And, you know, again, you know, Steven, I was doing the Steve Harvey show at that time. So it was just fun. We would work all week doing a TV show, go hop on the plane, go somewhere and perform all weekend. And DL and I had been good friends from the BT days. We had dinner tour together before knowing Bernie Mac for years. So it was just a really good idea and the right time for it to come out. And, you know, it's a honor to be a part of something like that. It was, you know, it's definitely history. You know, you know, no full comics that's gotten together and done something like that since all before. So, you know, it was like just knowing that we had such an impact on culture at that time was just great to be a part of. We had a ball, man. That was fun times right there. Cedric, the entertainment has celebrated many career successes spanning television, live performances, and film. Some notable accolades include Nabbing the AFTRA Awards for excellent television performing for its Fox TV series Cedric, The Entertainment Presents. A record breaking for consecutive NAACP Image Awards for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series

for his portrayal of coach Cedric Robinson on the Steve Harvey show, which ran for six seasons. Born Cedric Kyle on April 24, 1964 in Jefferson City, Missouri. In January of 2002, he released his first comedy book, Grown As Man, which sold out across the country. In 2001, a viewing audience of over 144 million saw him starring the Bud Light commercial that landed in the number one spot during Super Bowl broadcast. Subsequently, USA Today dubbed him Madison Avenue Most Valuable Player. And in 1994, he received the Richard Pryor Common Go The Year Award from Black Entertainment Television for his work as host of Deaf Comedy Jam and BET's Common View for the 1994-95 season. Now with his own production company, a bird and a bear entertainment, Cedric would develop and produce feature films. Johnson Founding Vacation was the first feature under this new venture. As a philanthropist, Cedric found the Cedric the Entertainment Charitable Foundation, which revised scholarships and outreach programs to enhance the lives of inner city youth and their families in his hometown on St. Louis, Missouri.

He plans to extend the foundation nationally. Recently, in Black America, spoke with Cedric, the inner chainer. For the most part, living in St. Louis is, you know, it's one of those working-class cities where people get up, go to work, do the job, come home. You know, it was a stylish city when I was coming up, brothers, you know, warded in the slacks and the shirts and hats, which kind of came from my dress style on stage. It just changed a lot since, you know, the whole, Nellie and blew up just the whole air by hip hop now. I understand. When did you get your comic thing on? I started comedy about 87, 88, not a fact, yeah. So I started doing their local clubs in the St. Louis area and they just, you know, we basically just kind of grew from there. I was working a job, stay farm insurance, and I would do comedy at night and just kind of, you know, go on the stages and build my craft up until I got enough name to where I can quit my job and start doing this full time. Were you the funny guy at school?

I was, you know, I was, I wasn't a class clown. I definitely was, was funny though. Like, I got voted most humorous in my high school, you know, and, you know, most likely to succeed those kind of things. But because my mother was a school teacher in the district, I wasn't necessarily the class clown. No, I couldn't really afford to do that. Somebody bet you to get up on stage and do a routine. Yeah, I had a, I had a group of friends that was, you know, they, they, you know, they thought I was funny. This was after I went to college and everything. Graduated was working, you know, but, you know, like, I was funny through high school, funny in college. And so, but to group my friends, they dared me to go on stage and, you know, I did it in the first time I ever did it. I mean, I, I want a $500 for the first time I ever did comedy. What was it like getting up there in front of all those people who are just natural? I mean, you know, I mean, the biggest thing is just being confident about the material you're going to do because, you know, like, through high school and, and in college, I had, like in myself, to a finger. I was, you know, I was in a little group. So I've been in the school plays, stuff like that, even in college.

So, you know, I was, you know, I wasn't really intimidated about, you know, being in front of a crowd. It was more or less, you know, what they, you know, what they think I'm funny, you know. So, I mean, that's, you know, you get that little nervous, you know, twitch out with the first few minutes or the first joke that get a laugh. And once that happens, then, you know, you, you're only popping from there. And it seems that you draw your comedy from every day's situation about us. After marrying so people in general, was it like that back in the day? Yeah, I mean, pretty much, I would definitely say that I'm an observational kind of comedy. I look at people's situations, not that I'm, you know, an impressionist or whatever. But I do like the mimic folks or attitudes, dispositions, the way, you know, cadence and which people talk. You know, I look at scenarios and, you know, you can say how we were responding this kind of situation. So, and that's probably been pretty much, you know, my early on material. I know it was one of my first jokes. It was like a preacher going to McDonald's, you know.

So, you know, I preached that out on Luther Badras doing the Alphabet. You know, those kind of things were just, you know, my point of view on things that we already knew. Look like you look kind of lighter on your feet. You was going to be a dancer? I mean, you know, I was always a dancer. I don't know if you know this, but I was on soul training for like seven years. I'm joking, man. I used to be there kick me out because I couldn't do the scramble board. I was the only person that never dispel OJ's room. Go ahead, I'll. No, but I was always like, you know, I definitely was, you know, again, when I was younger, definitely the dancer. You know, I would actually get into clubs because I was considered one of the dancers, you know, like certain clubs that would, you know, let people that's going to dance all the time to get the party going. They let you in free. So, you know, I was actually considered one of those folks, you know, it was a group of people that come in, they dance and make sure to put the club always hopping and looking like everybody having a good time. And so, you know, that was one of my things.

So, I was always fairly light on my feet forever. Even though I was, you know, considered a big fella, you know, but, you know, just always smooth with him. When did you start winning for Doris, the hats? The hats came pretty early in my career. I mean, like I said, it was a, it was a, it was a thing that St. Louis was just a big thing for, you know, guys to wear hats like back in the day, you know, you know, the early 80s, you know. And so, I would see a lot of my older cousins and, you know, uncles and stuff. They would all, you know, when they dress up and got clean, they would all top it off with a nice hat. So, when I started, you know, kind of getting my dress style for the stage, trying to come up with something that was an individual to me, then I always added the hat to my look. And, you know, at the time, I used to wear the glasses and everything. And so, it was that whole look, you know. So, I still rock it out. I still mix it up. I do, you know, I do the paperboy cap sometimes, when there's some time on, necessarily, rock the for Doris all the time, but it's always some kind of put a lid on it. I understand. When did you hook up with Steve Harvey?

I hooked up with Harvey probably. It would seem like it would be early 1990, maybe 1990, somewhere in there. He had a comedy club in Dallas. I don't know a lot of people. I remember this back in Texas, the Vuku Ray, which was a little club in the mall, like a part of the mall. And, you know, I would come through there and, you know, I actually was down there to do another club, when I got there, they didn't book me. And Steve was doing this thing. I went by. It's so happened. The headline wasn't doing well. And he was like, yo, I heard you's pretty good. If you want to go on stage and do five minutes, I might be able to take care of you, you know. Give you a few little dollars to get back home. I was like, cool. And I went up and rocked the stage. You know, he brought me back to headline, like a month later when he was just boys every since. Tell us about working on the Steve Harvey show. That's probably one of great experiences as well. I mean, you know, as you come up as a stand-up, you never really think about, you know,

you have ideas of where you want your career to go. But you never really, you know, see exactly what's going to happen. And the Steve Harvey show just came at a good time. I'd host the BT comic view, you know, I'd become, you know, a household name of amongst, you know, my folk, black folk. And we were, you know, doing well, doing live shows and everything. And then Steve got a TV show. And I had a deal to do a TV show. And they asked me that I want to do my own show or what I want to be on Steve's show. And, you know, at the time, you know, Steve and I was just good, you know, I mean, even to this day, but we just good partners at that time. And it made sense for me to learn from him. He had already had a TV show meeting the boys. And so he had that experience. And so I looked at it as a situation for me to go in and learn. So we had a great run, six years, fun, you know, good money. You know, we just had a great run as one of those shows that mean a lot to people to this day. So it was a great experience for me and it gave me, you know, the type of experience going to do movies and other TV shows

and stuff like that. So... As Eddie and the barbershop sequels, did you ever cut anybody's hair? You know, I did one. I did learn how to do the razor shave. And one cat let me do it. And, you know, after the lawsuit, I just decided not to do it no more. You know, we did have to go to a barberschool for the movie. So, you know, we practiced once or twice. I used to do, you know, I used to line people up in college. You know, I college everybody got to get your hustle on. So I had a pair of clippers. So I trained a few people up. So I was decent with the razor already. Was it fun doing those beer commercials? Now, that was great too. That was a super great experience. I mean, you know, from St. Louis and high to Bush St. Louis main cornerstone. And it was just, you know, being in business with Bill is a great deal of fun. It's a big company. So you always do it up big. And we were able to create, you know,

and co-create the commercials. So I had a lot of fun doing those. I mean, you know, we won the Super Bowl a couple of years, you know, Wall Street game. Very interested in me as far as marketing. So it was just a great experience being a part of those blood-like commercials. When you all did the honeymooners, how did you drive that big old bus around New York City? Oh, man, that was, you know, I did. I had to drive the bus. I mean, I did have to practice driving the bus. That was your own private transportation. That was your own private transportation. That was your own private transportation. That was your own private transportation. That was your own private transportation. That was your own private transportation. I mean, you know, I was driving a lot. You know, they added it that way. I would drive from here to the end of the driveway. You know, and then they would cut and put a real bus driver in. Because they didn't want me to tap the streets. Tell us about the Kings of Comedy, too. And I'll get ready to let you go hanging out with D.A.L. and Bernie Mack. Again, that was probably another one of the great experiences of my life. It was a, they were called that rock star comedy. I mean we was out like we used to roll the stones or something and it was big like we were doing rena to us

Flying in on private jet, you know landing doing you know 17 18,000 people You know in one night at a rena just crazy for comedy and you know again, you know Steven I was doing the Steve Harvey show at that time. So it was just fun We would work all week doing a TV show go hop on the plane go somewhere and perform all weekend And deal and I've been good friends from the BT days. We had dinner tour together before the knowing birdie Mac for years So it was just a really good idea and the right time for it to come out and You know, it's a honor to be a part of something like that. It was you know, it's definitely history You know, no no four comics. It's gotten together and done something like that since all before so you know It was like just just knowing that we had such an impact on culture at that time was No, just just just great to be a part of we had a bar, man. That was fun times right there What position would you put Richard prior and making your job in your life somewhat easier as a

I mean, he definitely be the king of it. You know, I mean, you know We we honored him at the premier of the Kings of comedy. I mean because we took you know We had the title for the marketing purposes of the movie, but all of us felt like man You know, and no way you really could walk around with that title right there. You know, Seth or We you know, we had Richard come out to the premier and we honored him, you know, but his his His comedy is forward thinking his freedom to be exactly who he was on stage to make people have to accept You know his truth and the way he put it out there is what a comedian should do and I think that you know and putting it in a way That makes people laugh And and being able and it was a it was just he was a really not even just on stage as a standup, you know a lot of the movies You know that he did where we're definitely forward. I mean to do direct that he wrote There's a lot of things that people don't necessarily give credit to Richard prior for doing

I mean he had a variety show when people weren't really doing it, you know as rich gay, you know Be even even before Dave Chappelle. He was doing the show like that in the 70s, you know, and so you think about Just how forward he was and his thinking and how trailblazing he was that he opened up many doors for you know All of us to be able to come behind and just do little things And you know like selling all fronts, you know even even the movie they were Jane Wilder to be in you know Always with a white a co-white star, you know again people weren't really doing that either you at that time, you know Especially in the comedies co-leading and in co-writing and just doing the whole thing. So there was just a You know you definitely the king of comedy in my books for sure Tell us about the city the entertainment charity foundation You know the city being a terrible child Charter of foundation has been in existence since 1996. I founded it in St. Louis with my sister myself It is a outreach program again. I come from a

Family my mother was an educator and she just made sure that we were you know interested in getting our education And had an opportunity to do that. So with the foundation. That's what we do. We provide scholarships for inner city youth my alma mater also for my church and and then I also do a family scholarship out of that as well So um, but uh, we we provide Those kind of opportunities for kids who want to go to school and then give it you know and have an opportunity And low income or don't have the finances to kind of go They write essays and they participate in some couple of workshops and uh, and then we qualify them for the scholarships And so we've been doing that since 1996 and well well over hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships We also do what I call the entourage program, which is again one of these things where it's a enlightenment program Where I get the underprivileged kids out of town out of their neighborhoods and let them see the world

So we take them to different cities be it you know Chicago New York Atlanta and watch the DC On a trip where they're educated there lighting there in a train. We try to take them to a you know a big Broadway musical to a you know Full-class four-star dining experience have them meeting, you know other celebrities where you know where there's an opportunity So I use my influence in that way that give these kids The division to see outside of the circumstance that they live in or that they're born into and you know And that's what the entourage is all about. So we've been doing both of those programs since 96 and It's just good work. We got a lot of support, you know from the companies in St. Louis. They all support me and behind me And it's just a good community for that and we're gonna try to broaden that program out to a little more of a national profile And the next coming years, but right now we still focus it for the St. Louis area. That's a good thing Any advice for young comedians coming up always give the same advice is that, you know, it's all about getting on stage

You know and in working your craft, you know, I never really try to I think that it's always gonna be somebody new is always gonna be somebody Next coming up. So, you know, I always encourage young folks to let that person be you and it's about having an individual book voice And a personality and having something to say that that you know comes from your point of view And that's unique and don't necessarily don't copy anybody else and don't, you know, do somebody else's style or try to create your own But you really developed that by getting on stage, you know a lot of times folks come up and they have You know one good night on stage and then they want to know how they can be on the King's a comedy tour You like, you know, bro, you need a little more experience though. It's not that you're not funny But, you know, you'll be surprised that being funny in front of 20 people is totally different than being funny in front of 2,000 people and even different than being funny in front of 20,000 people So, you know, get you some stage experience and that only comes from getting up there on the mic not necessarily worrying about blowing up

But just loving the craft and doing it and the money will come What can we look for too Friday night here in Austin? I was going to be off the chain. That's, you know, you know, how I do it. I don't come in to have fun, man I've been out, you know, I've been working hard of developing new TV show for ABC. I love getting on stage having been in Austin in a long time So, you know, just coming in, I'm having a great time on stage, man Just having fun, making people laugh, talking about all this that's going on in the world You know, it don't matter for Paris Hilton and Michael Vick to the president to, you know, the war I'm just, you know, I'm all over it, man, and you know, just kind of spreading the love and laughter, man Having a good time, a little music, a little dance, a few songs, you know, that's how I do it, man Can you give us a little insight on those future projects you're working on? I've got a development show for ABC right now, it's a half hour sitcom, family sitcom bringing it back You know, it's basically the story of a proud black man who's been taking care of his family and out of nowhere

My wife blow up and get all the money So now, you know, it looks like I'm being taken care of like Steadman So, you know, it's the question, am I the man or am I Steadman? You know, so it's just a funny perspective on that look on life when the tables turn You don't realize in your relationship that the tables have turned, but you still got to love and you still got to, you know, raise a family and do what you got to do So, we don't have a good time with that, that's being developed right now And I've got a couple of movies that's coming out, The Better Man, Me, Martin Lawrence, Monique, Mike Epps, Funny Movie, will be out top of the year Family comedy, you know about this crazy family getting back together And then as the night watchman, I did with Keanu Reeves and Forza Whitaker, L.A. Crime drama It's kind of like training day on steroids, so that's going to be a good one

And I've got a few other movies in development, we've got some movies, you know, at our stories that we're developing And in a couple of, we've got a script new script for Johnson Family 2 So we're trying to get all these things lined up and figure out when we can shoot them off I understand, Sandra is good talking to you and see you Friday All right, be safe, God bless We see y'all in Austin this weekend, how that's your boy? Take it easy You've been cool, this is cool to be here, you know, this is a great event I know a president's got, you know, his main girl wouldn't con to Lisa Rice, Connie, how are you, Connie Con to Lisa? Hello, good name, Connie Delise is so soft, she's very professional, but Connie Delise, come on, right there, Connie Delise? You know what, she was in charge of security, right there, be like, what? Connie Delise, what? There's two people, you know, the name is broken down, it's the Connie, who's the best person you see on television with the nice hair and very professional

Then there's Delise See the woman with a hair wrapped up on the phone with a girlfriend watching BET time like... Yeah? Hey, that's the fire, you know Connie, Connie is employee of the mud, Connie is the one that's employee of the mud, Delise is on the parking lot waiting for you at the work I know you took all my paper clips, what's up? Connie's the one, you know, being very diplomatic in the meetings, you know, well that's good, it's great, we're all on the same pattern because at the end of the day, you know, freedom is what we all want Delise will come out like, North Korea say, what?

Okay, all right, all right, all right, all my friends, Mr. President, all my friends The tale of two people Stand up comedian and actor Cedric, the entertainer If you have questions, comments or suggestions asked your future in Black America programs, write us Also, let us know what radio station you heard us over The views and opinions expressed on this program are not necessarily those of this station or of the University of Texas at Austin You can hear previous programs online at kut.org Until we have the opportunity again for technical producer David Alvarez, I'm John L. Hansen, Jr. Thank you for joining us today, please join us again next week CD copies of this program are available and may be purchased by writing in Black America CDs, KUT Radio One University station, Austin, Texas, 78712

This has been a production of KUT Radio