Skip to content
Brick Wall Comedy
Brick Wall Comedy

Cedric the Entertainer

Old-school showmanship driven by the physical grace of a favorite uncle.

5 specials · 2000–2016

Start with The Original Kings of Comedy, the breakout (2000 · 1 h 56 min · Paramount Pictures)

Log in to follow

Get an email when there's a new special. You'll need a Google account.

He works the stage like a guy hosting a party that is going exactly as planned. Cedric the Entertainer does not just recite material; he acts out scenes with his entire body. He will slide across the floor, adjust his fedora, and drop into a gravelly baritone to mimic an older relative. If he describes a man trying to look cool after making a mistake, he demonstrates the precise shoulder-dip and stutter-step of the recovery. His cadence feels closer to a musical performance than a standard monologue.

Specials

On stage

As a veteran of the Original Kings of Comedy tour, he occupies a foundational spot in modern standup. He helped bridge the gap between nineties club crowds and the arena tours that followed. Younger comics study his pacing, watching how he holds a room’s attention without needing to raise his volume. He plays the room like a professional who still genuinely enjoys the mechanics of a live audience.

His strongest bits lean on exact character mimicry rather than verbal punchlines. He has a specific talent for reproducing the behavior of people who take themselves too seriously. He will recreate the exact way a man holds a cigarette when dispensing bad advice. When his material occasionally dips into well-worn relationship tropes, his sheer physical commitment keeps the momentum up. He prefers to sketch a scene and live inside it until the laughs peak.

His early years working as an insurance claims adjuster in Missouri give his material a grounded, everyday perspective. His decades-long television career relies on the exact same mechanics he uses on stage: making broad, theatrical choices and anchoring them in absolute confidence.

Turning points

  1. Historic Kings of Comedy Tour and Film

    Teaming with Steve Harvey, D.L. Hughley, and Bernie Mac, Cedric co-headlined a historic tour that Spike Lee filmed at the Charlotte Coliseum, grossing over $38 million at the box office.

  2. Hollywood Walk of Fame Star Honor

    Cedric was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame recognizing his three decades of contributions across stand-up comedy, television, and film.

At a glance

Born
, Jefferson City, Missouri
Style
observational, cultural, storytelling
Breakout
The Original Kings of Comedy
Topics
Elsewhere
Website, Wikipedia

Fans also like

  • Steve Harvey

    Co-starred on The Steve Harvey Show and headlined the landmark Kings of Comedy tour together, sharing a core fan base and warm, dynamic stage presence.

    Source

  • Bernie Mac

    Co-headlined The Original Kings of Comedy tour, delivering raw, relatable examinations of Black family life and cultural norms.

Also on screen

1996–2002
The Steve Harvey Show Coach Cedric Robinson
The Original Kings of Comedy Himself
2001–2005
The Proud Family Uncle Bobby Proud (voice)
Barbershop Eddie Walker
Johnson Family Vacation Nate Johnson

A clip to start with

A clip of Cedric the Entertainer