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Live from the Ville

Cedric the Entertainer

Netflix · 2016 · 60 min

A veteran showman bringing song, dance, and generational grumbles to Nashville.

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Cedric the Entertainer starts his first televised stand-up hour in a decade by dancing onstage alongside the Tennessee State University marching band. Dressed in a classic three-piece suit and his signature fedora, he spends the hour pairing physical showmanship with critiques of contemporary culture.

Filmed at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee, the 2016 performance caught the veteran comedian at a transition point, shortly after his TV Land sitcom The Soul Man concluded. The material covers personal frustrations about getting older alongside the changing landscape of pop culture. He targets the unintelligible lyrics of modern rap, the vanity of the Snapchat generation, and public blunders like Steve Harvey’s Miss Universe mix-up. Along the way, he leans into physical comedy, whether doing a dramatic runway walk to mock skinny jeans or dedicating a national anthem to fried chicken.

Critics noted the contrast between his smooth, old-school stage presence and some of his traditionalist perspectives on modern masculinity. Still, the set remains a testament to his classic performance style, using song and dance to keep the energy up through lighter observational material and heavier social topics alike.

The set list

6 bits

  1. Law enforcement valuing dogs over Black lives

    Contrasts police officers who shoot Black children with those who risk their lives to rescue dogs, concluding that his son should carry a puppy wherever he goes for protection.

  2. 2016 presidential candidates

    Riffs on Donald Trump looking like he rubbed Cheetos on his face and Hillary Clinton seeking the presidency purely to assert authority over Bill Clinton.

  3. Son using improper profanity

    Recounts getting angry when his son got in trouble at school for saying 'shit-damn,' criticizing him for picking up weak white curse words while Cedric is an Original King of Comedy.

  4. Daughter asking if animals commit suicide

    Expands on his youngest child's morbid question by imagining how various animal species would stage their own suicides.

  5. Hip-hop's influence on country music in Nashville

    Examines how country music incorporates rap culture, citing the song 'Honky Tonk Badonkadonk' as definitive proof.

  6. Skinny jeans and heterosexual male etiquette

    Mocks modern men's fashion, declaring skinny jeans 'gateway apparel' and asserting men should never say 'bye-bye' to other men.

How it plays

Tone
Lively, boastful, playful, and lighthearted with flashes of social critique.
On stage
Dapper, old-school showman dressed in a three-piece suit and signature fedora, combining stand-up delivery with uninhibited singing and dancing.
Pace
High-energy and physical, opening by dancing with a college marching band and nimbly shifting between observational riffs and melodic parodies.
About
Aging and physical health, 2016 presidential election, Parenting in the Snapchat era, Hip-hop lyrics and country music culture, Police conduct and race in America, Modern men's fashion and generational differences

What the critics said

Critics praised Cedric's enduring charisma, personal storytelling, and dedication to classic theatrical showmanship, though some reviewers noted that his political jabs and gender commentary felt dated and lacked sharp bite.

In the room: A packed, raucous house at the historic Ryman Auditorium energized by an aisle-marching collegiate band entrance.

Summed up from reviews, articles and listings. Sources: imdb.com, media.netflix.com, allmovie.com, decider.com, avclub.com, thrillist.com, stltoday.com, thecomicscomic.com, huffpost.com.

Backstory

Filmed in the lead-up to the 2016 US presidential election and during widespread national conversations around the Black Lives Matter movement and police shootings; concurrent with his arena dates on The Comedy Get Down tour.

Details

Released
Taped
2015, Ryman Auditorium, Nashville
Runtime
60 min
Where
Netflix
Director
Troy Miller
Topics
Before
Taking You Higher (2006)

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