“font-family: Verdana;”>“It’s like that Jay-Z song where he says ‘allow me to re-introduce myself,” Cedric The Entertainer said. “I’m looking forward to that initial moment – that high – of people knowing me and seeing me, but saying ‘I totally forgot Ced was this funny.’”
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>It’s been about five years since he’s been on stage at home, and his reputation as a ‘King of Comedy’ means he has absolutely nothing to prove. But as he speaks of the anticipation of his headlining New Year’s Eve gig at the newly remodeled Peabody Opera House, there is the hunger, drive and conviction of a fresh faced performer.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“I’ve had some great opportunities, but I’ m a stand-up comic,” Cedric said. “And I’m coming to make you laugh. There’s going to be smart material about what’s going on in the world, being a father, being a celebrity and all the stuff that’s going on in the news. Plus there will be a little singing, a little dancing. I do it all – I’m Cedric the Entertainer.”
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>And while he’s been on television as an actor/writer/producer/host, in movies and on stages across the world and on shelves as a best-selling author over the course of a career that has spanned nearly twenty years, there are two things that he will never let anyone forget as he continues on his grind. The first, he is a comic; the second, he is from St. Louis.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“Even as I was first coming up, it felt positive for me to represent,” Cedric said. “I feel so blessed. And it all started from my days of being over at The Wiz doing comedy over on the east side. I’ve been living in L.A. for almost 20 years and I still let people know I’m from St. Louis. I just love being from here.”
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Because of legends like Dick Gregory and Redd Foxx, St. Louis has a rich and historic comedy foundation. But when the world began to watch Cedric – thanks mostly to his role as host of the second season of BET’s Comic View in the early 1990s – he became a source of inspiration for a new generation of rising funny men and women out of the area.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“I can’t really say how Prince would feel, but to me it feels like I imagine he felt when he put Minneapolis on the map,” Cedric said. “There was this whole resurgence of the music scene.”
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>His work on shows like “The Steve Harvey Show,” countless films and the record-breaking Kings of Comedy franchise, gave a new class of comics – and an entire movement in the area STL funny men and women who came after him – something to strive for. The experience is not one he takes lightly.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“It’s really something. You feel like you are looking outside of yourself,” Cedric said. “Here you are still trying to strive, but then you have people saying they see me as a light – a lighthouse to say ‘this is the direction I can go. This is a person who comes from the same city and the same streets as me.’” “font-family: Verdana;”>
The
secret to Ced’s success
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“I tell people first and foremost you have to love what you do,” Cedric offered as words of wisdom to anyone who decides to hustle towards a successful career in the entertainment industry – comedy in particular. “I come home all of the time and I see a lot of talented cats coming up who are still looking for that opportunity.”
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>He was eager to point out local comedian Lil’ Roc – who know goes by Lil’ Roc-Obama – as one of the comic talents that he’s seeing growing and improving over the years.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“I would tell him and others like him that some folks get a shot and what you have to do is love your craft – and be thankful that you can do this for a living,” Cedric said. “Keep believing in the dream of a greater opportunity. You have to embrace the good with the bad and keep showing you love it.”
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>With upcoming roles in the film Madagascar III, his spin-off show stemming from TV Land’s “Hot In Cleveland” and a sketch comedy show pilot production deal with Comedy Central, Cedric is still busy showing love to the career he has built on the strength of his St. Louis roots.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>And when he takes the stage Saturday night, he is confident that his hometown crowd will feel the unconditional love Cedric has for his craft. And to do so at home and in a venue where he will be the first urban event since the Peabody re-opened is the icing on the cake.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>“I come home all of the time and while I do see certain friends and family, I couldn’t possibly see all of the 3,000 people in the audience during my visits,” Cedric said. “But being there with them knowing me and me knowing them while recapturing them and proving this is what I do – it’s going to be such an honor.” “font-family: Verdana;”>
The
Cedric The Entertainer and Friends Comedy Jam will take place at 8
p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 31 at the Peabody Opera House (1400 Market
St.). For tickets and/or additional information, visit
www.ticketmaster.com.
“font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana;”>
