Cedric the Entertainer | |
|---|---|
 Cedric in 2023 | |
| Born | Cedric Antonio Kyles (1964-04-24)April 24, 1964 (age 61) Jefferson City, Missouri, U.S. |
| Education | Southeast Missouri State University (BA) |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1987–present |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3 |
| Awards | SixNAACP Image Awards OneGotham Award Star on theHollywood Walk of Fame |
| Comedy career | |
| Genres | Observational comedy,blue comedy,surreal humour,insult comedy |
| Subjects | Everyday life,pop culture,self-deprecation |
| Website | iamcedric |
Cedric Antonio Kyles (born April 24, 1964), known professionally asCedric the Entertainer, is an American stand-up comedian, actor and television host. He hostedBET'sComicView during the 1993–1994 season andDef Comedy Jam in 1995. He is best known for co-starring withSteve Harvey onThe WB sitcomThe Steve Harvey Show, as one ofThe Original Kings of Comedy, and for starring as Eddie Walker inBarbershop. He starred in theTV Land original seriesThe Soul Man, which aired from 2012–16 and hosted the 12th season of the daytime version ofWho Wants to Be a Millionaire from 2013–14 . He has also done voice work forIce Age, theMadagascar film series,Charlotte's Web,Planes andPlanes: Fire & Rescue. He currently stars on theCBS sitcomThe Neighborhood. In 2019, he received a star on theHollywood Walk of Fame.[1]
Cedric was born on April 24, 1964, inJefferson City, Missouri, the son of Rosetta (née Boyce), a schoolteacher, and Kittrell Kyles, an employee of theMissouri Pacific Railroad.[2][3] He has a younger sister, Sharita Kyles Wilson, a communications professor atPepperdine University inMalibu, California.[4][5]
Cedric was raised inCaruthersville, Missouri, but after junior high school he moved toBerkeley, Missouri, anorthern suburb of St. Louis. He is a graduate ofBerkeley High School.[6]
Cedric majored in mass communication atSoutheast Missouri State University[7] and worked as aState Farm Insurance claims adjuster and substitute high school teacher before becoming a full-time comedian. He is a member ofKappa Alpha Psi.
Cedric's stage name came about when he felt that his real name, Cedric Kyles, sounded too formal. Inspired by an entertainer named Kodak, he came up with the name "Cheerio", but received a cease and desist letter fromGeneral Mills over their cerealCheerios. He settled on his stage name when someone introduced him as "an entertainer, Cedric the entertainer" and the name stuck.[8]
After appearing onIt's Showtime at the Apollo in 1992, Cedric hostedBET'sComicView during the 1993–1994 season, andDef Comedy Jam in 1995. He then moved into acting, auditioning for and receiving his first-ever role as The Cowardly Lion in the 1995Apollo Theater Revival ofThe Wiz. He expanded his career by playingSteve Harvey's friend Cedric Jackie Robinson onThe Steve Harvey Show.[9][10]
While his acting career grew, Cedric continued to performstand-up comedy and traveled the country as one of theKings of Comedy headliners with Steve Harvey,D. L. Hughley andBernie Mac. The act was later made into aSpike Lee film,The Original Kings of Comedy (2000).[11] From 2002-2003, Cedric had his own sketch comedy show,Cedric the Entertainer Presents, but after being renewed for a second season, it was canceled byFox before the season began. He took time to write a book,Grown-A$$ Man.[12] He appeared in the 2003 video gameTiger Woods PGA Tour 2004. He recorded comedic interludes on twoNelly albums,Country Grammar (2000) andNellyville (2002) as well as onJay-Z'sThe Black Album (2003).[13] A more recentHBO Comedy Special wasCedric The Entertainer: Taking You Higher in 2006.[a]
Cedric began appearing in films, includingRide (1998),Big Momma's House (2000),Barbershop (2002),[14] and its sequelsBarbershop 2: Back in Business (2004)[15] andBarbershop: The Next Cut (2016),[16]Serving Sara (2002),Intolerable Cruelty (2003),Johnson Family Vacation (2004),Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004),Man of the House (2005) andBe Cool (2005).
He was the subject of controversy when hisBarbershop character made unpopular remarks aboutMartin Luther King Jr. andRosa Parks. These jokes (about the pastor's promiscuity with women, and Parks just being tired to get to the back of the bus) were spoken in character, as part of the script. Rev.Jesse Jackson publicly asked for those jokes to be edited out of the movie on the DVD and VHS releases.[17][18]
Cedric also voiced the character of Bobby Proud in the seriesThe Proud Family (2001-2005), and starting in 2022, its revival seriesThe Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, and characters in several films including Zoo Bear #1 inDr. Dolittle 2 (2001) and Carl inIce Age (2002). InMadagascar (2005), and its sequelsMadagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008) andMadagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (2012), he voiced Maurice, theaye aye. He appeared in the filmCharlotte's Web (2006) as the voice of Golly the gander.[19] He also voiced Leadbottom, a biplane in the filmsPlanes (2013), and its sequelPlanes: Fire & Rescue (2014).
In October 2005, Cedric joined theChamp Car auto racing series as a part owner.[20] Cedric appeared as the lead comedian at the 2005White House Correspondents Dinner, but jokingly remarked that he was unprepared because he thought that he would follow a humorous speech by PresidentGeorge W. Bush. He instead followed First LadyLaura Bush, who called him "hilarious" and "probably the funniest person" she had ever met.[21][22]
In the 2007 comedy filmCode Name: The Cleaner, Cedric played Jake, a janitor with amnesia who may be a secret undercover government agent involved in an illegal arms conspiracy. He starred in the 2008 filmsWelcome Home Roscoe Jenkins andStreet Kings.[23][24]
Cedric has won many awards, beginning with $500 in the Johnny Walker National Comedy Contest in 1990 and coming in first in the Miller Genuine Draft Comedy Contest in 1993.[25]BET named himRichard Pryor Comic of the Year.[26] He has also won fourNAACP Awards.[27] He was inducted to theSt. Louis Walk of Fame on June 7, 2008. His star is at 6166 Delmar.[28]
He was the special guest host forWWE Raw on September 21, 2009, in Little Rock, Arkansas. During the show, he participated in a wrestling match, defeatingChavo Guerrero Jr. bypinfall. The match also featuredSantino Marella as aguest referee. Cedric also got help from an unknown wrestler dubbed The Sledge Hammer (played by Imani Lee) andHornswoggle.[29][30]
In March 2010, Cedric made his directorial debut withDance Fu, produced and funded independently by his company Bird and a Bear Entertainment with producer Eric C. Rhone. It starred comedianKel Mitchell. Cedric made a cameo appearance in the film as a homicide detective. It was released straight to DVD on October 4, 2011.[31]
Cedric appeared in the Broadway revival ofDavid Mamet's playAmerican Buffalo.[32]
In a June 21, 2011, interview, Cedric said his latest reality game show,It's Worth What?, would air onNBC on July 12, 2011,[33] but the start date was delayed by one week to July 19. From 2012-2016, he played the main character in theTV Land original seriesThe Soul Man, featuringNiecy Nash. The series ran for five seasons.[34]
Cedric was the host of the American TV game showWho Wants to Be a Millionaire, beginning with its 12th season in national syndication, which premiered on September 2, 2013.[35] On April 30, 2014, Cedric announced that he was leaving the game show after the 2013–14 season to focus on other projects.[36]Terry Crews took over as host on September 8, 2014.[37]
In 2016, Cedric starred as Lou Dunne in the comedy filmWhy Him?. Starting in 2018, he played the character of Calvin Butler in the televisionsitcomThe Neighborhood.[38][39][40]
He was the official commentator for theJake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing match in 2024.
In 2025, Cedric the Entertainer competed onseason thirteen ofThe Masked Singer as "Honey Pot" where the bees on the mask part of his costume sported his trademark fedoras. He was the first of Group A to be eliminated in the season premiere.[41]
Cedric is married to Lorna Wells. They have two children, Croix (born 2000) and Lucky Rose (born 2003).[42] He also has a daughter, Tiara (born 1989), from a previous relationship.[43] He continues his involvement with his high school by awarding a scholarship each year to a graduating senior through the Cedric the Entertainer Charitable Foundation, whose motto is "Reaching Out...Giving Back". In May 2015, he was awarded an honorary doctorate in fine arts and humanities byLincoln University of Missouri (his parents' alma mater). In 2018,St. Louis honored him by renaming the street in front of theKappa Alpha Psi Alumni House to Cedric The Entertainer Way.[44][45]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Ride | Bo | |
| 2000 | Big Momma's House | The Reverend | |
| The Original Kings of Comedy | Himself | Also writer; Documentary | |
| 2001 | Kingdom Come | Reverend Beverly H. Hooker | |
| 2001 | Dr. Dolittle 2 | Zoo Bear #1 | Voice[46] |
| 2002 | Serving Sara | Ray Harris | |
| Barbershop | Eddie Walker | ||
| Ice Age | Carl | Voice[46] | |
| 2003 | Intolerable Cruelty | Gus Petch | |
| 2004 | Barbershop 2: Back in Business | Eddie Walker | |
| Johnson Family Vacation | Nate Johnson | Also producer | |
| Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events | Constable | ||
| 2005 | Be Cool | 'Sin' LaSalle | |
| Madagascar | Maurice | Voice[46] | |
| Man of the House | Percy Stevens | ||
| The Honeymooners | Ralph Kramden | Also executive producer | |
| 2006 | Charlotte's Web | Golly The Gander | Voice[46] |
| 2007 | Code Name: The Cleaner | Jake Rogers | Also producer |
| Talk to Me | Bob 'Nighthawk' Terry | ||
| 2008 | Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins | Clyde Stubbs | |
| Street Kings | Winston 'Scribble' | ||
| Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa | Maurice | Voice[46] | |
| Cadillac Records | Willie Dixon | ||
| 2009 | Un-broke: What You Need To Know About Money | Himself | TV film |
| Merry Madagascar | Maurice | Voice; TV film[46] | |
| All's Faire in Love | Professor Shockworthy | ||
| 2011 | Dance Fu | Detective | Also executive producer |
| Larry Crowne | Lamar | ||
| 2012 | Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted | Maurice | Voice[46] |
| 2013 | A Haunted House | Father Doug Williams | |
| Madly Madagascar | Maurice | Voice[46] | |
| Planes | Leadbottom | ||
| 2014 | Planes: Fire & Rescue | ||
| A Haunted House 2 | Father Doug Williams | ||
| Top Five | Jazzy | ||
| 2016 | Barbershop: The Next Cut | Eddie Walker | |
| Why Him? | Lou Dunne | ||
| 2017 | First Reformed | Pastor Joel Jeffers | as Cedric Kyles |
| 2020 | Poor Greg Drowning | Narrator | |
| Son of the South | Reverend Ralph Abernathy | ||
| The Opening Act | Billy 'Billy G' | ||
| 2020 | SHE BALL | COUNCILMAN | |
| 2022 | The Black Karen | Sergeant Warren | Short film |
| 2023 | The Plus One | Alfred Anders | |
| How I Learned to Fly | Louis | ||
| 2024 | Outlaw Posse | Horatio | |
| A Hip-Hop Story | The Notorious B.I.G. | ||
| Unfrosted | Stu Smiley | ||
| 2026 | Swapped | TBA | Voice[47] |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | It's Showtime at the Apollo | Himself | |
| 1993–1994 | ComicView | Host[48] | |
| 1995 | Def Comedy Jam | 1 episode | |
| 1996–2002 | The Steve Harvey Show | Cedric Jackie Robinson | Main role |
| 2001–2005 | The Proud Family | Bobby Proud | Voice, 14 episodes |
| 2002–2003 | Cedric the Entertainer Presents | Himself | Main role |
| 2004 | Eve | Episode: "Porn Free" | |
| 2006 | Wild 'n Out | Episode: "Cedric the Entertainer" | |
| All of Us | Clarence DeWitt | Episode: "Pass the Peas" | |
| 2007 | The Boondocks | Cousin Jericho Freeman | Voice, episode: "Invasion of the Katrinians" |
| 2009 | WWE Raw | Himself | Special guest host, 1 episode |
| 2011 | It's Worth What? | Host | |
| Take Two with Phineas and Ferb | Episode: "Cedric the Entertainer" | ||
| 2011, 2014 | Hot in Cleveland | Reverend Boyce Ballentine | Episodes: "Bridezelka" and "Stayin' Alive" |
| 2012–2016 | The Soul Man | Main role, 54 episodes | |
| 2012 | 2 Broke Girls | Darius | Episode: "And the Pre-Approved Credit Card"[49][50] |
| 2013 | Real Husbands of Hollywood | Himself | Episode: "Blackstabbers"[51] |
| 2013–2014 | Who Wants to Be a Millionaire | Host[52][53] | |
| 2015, 2020 | Whose Line Is It Anyway? | Season 11 Episode 1, Season 16 | |
| 2015 | Cedric's Barber Battle | Host[54] | |
| 2016 | Another Period | Scott Joplin | Episode: "Joplin"[55] |
| 2017 | Master of None | Kenny 'The Magnificent' | Episode: "Door #3"[56] |
| Drop the Mic | Himself | Episode: "Niecy Nash vs. Cedric the Entertainer /Liam Payne vs.Jason Derulo"[57] | |
| Nightcap | Episode: "Spinster Code"[58] | ||
| The Comedy Get Down | Main role[59] | ||
| Superior Donuts | Reggie Wicks | 2 episodes[60] | |
| Funny You Should Ask | Himself | 4 episodes[61] | |
| 2018–2020 | The Last O.G. | Miniard Mullins | Main cast[62] |
| 2018–2021 | Summer Camp Island | The Moon | Voice, 11 episodes[63][46] |
| 2018–present | The Neighborhood | Calvin Butler | Main role; also executive producer[64] |
| 2018 | Black-ish | 'Smokey' | 2 episodes |
| Nobodies | Himself | 2 episodes[65] | |
| 2019–2020 | Power | Croop | 3 episodes[66] |
| 2020–present | The Greatest #AtHome Videos | Himself | Host[67] |
| 2020 | Woke | Trashcan | Voice, 3 episodes[68] |
| 2021 | 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards | Himself (host) | Television special[69][70] |
| 2022–present | The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder | Bobby Proud | Voice[71][46] |
| 2023 | The Daily Show | Himself (guest) | Episode: April 5 |
| 2024 | John Mulaney Presents: Everybody's in LA | Himself | Episode: "Earthquakes"[72] |
| 2025 | The Masked Singer | Himself/Honeypot | Season 13 contestant |
The New York Times characterized Cedric's performance [inIntolerable Cruelty (2003)]] as one in which he "delivers the crassest lines with what can only be called hammy understatement; his years of stand-up have taught him that less is all."
The unveiling ceremony of Cedric The Entertainer Way was held Saturday morning at the corner of Olive Street and Vandeventer Avenue in front of theKappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Alumni House as MayorLyda Krewson proclaimed it Cedric The Entertainer Day!.Coordinates:38°38′29″N90°14′21″W / 38.6412548°N 90.2391825°W /38.6412548; -90.2391825.
...Cedric The Entertainer Way really suits him, because Cedric did it his way...Alt URL
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