A Stand-Up Guy: Nationally acclaimed actor, comedian, and producer returns to The Comedy Zone

Tommy Davidson is a stand-up guy and has been for quite some time now.

The multi-faceted artist feels most comfortable on stage, making others laugh.

“All I need is a microphone. It’s not dependent on artists. I don’t need another actor there to read the parts. I don’t need to have musicians around me to make the song work,” he explained. “I just stand there and take what’s in my soul or my mind and push it out my mouth and people find that funny. It’s very entertaining. It’s a gift.”

That’s exactly what he plans to do this weekend at The Comedy Zone, located at 1126 S. Holden Road in Greensboro. The show runs from Friday to Sunday evening.

Davidson has been doing stand-up since he was a kid, so he’s had his fair share of practice.

“My mom used to take me on her busi- ness trips sometimes and she’d just stand me in front of the people and I’d just start talking. I knew how to mimic commercials and I knew how to mimic every singer. I was really smart in that way.”

He’s come a long way since then. Proclaiming himself to be one of the most popular comedians in America, the multigenerational comedian has had his fair share of experiences.

“For the last 30 years I’ve been on top of the four or five genres in entertainment: stand-up comedy, television, animation, music, producing. All of that.”

Davidson started his career as a standup comedian in Washington DC and was first booked as the opening act for Patti LaBelle, Kenny G, and Luther Vandross. Davidson has appeared in Partners in Crime, starred in the groundbreaking sketch comedy series In Living Color, Spike Lee’s Bamboozled, Juwanna Mann, Ace Ventura II: When Nature Calls, and Strictly Business

He’s had three Showtime specials: On Strength of New York, Illin’ in Philly, and Takin’ it to DC. Davidson also hosted and starred in the network’s Chocolate Sundaes Comedy Show, as well as three seasons of ABC’s Vacation Creation.

He has starred in Disney Channel’s animated series The Proud Family (2001-05) and recently returned to topline their new hit, The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder (Disney +). Other recent guest starring credits include the CBS comedy series The Neighborhood, VH1’s A Black Lady Sketch Show; the Nick Cannon-directed Miracles Across 125th Street, BET+’s The Ms. Pat Show, and the Netflix special Sarah Cooper: Everything’s Fine

Davidson voiced the series regular role of Cream Corn in the Adult Swim actioncomedy spoof Black Dynamite, and has made multiple guest appearances on shows like MTV’s Wild ‘N Out, BET’s Real Husbands of Hollywood, and ABC’s Celebrity Wife Swap. He also recently headlined The O Color Comedy Tour with Keenan Ivory Wayans, Shawn Wayans, and David Alan Grier, and co-headlines with Katt Williams, Mike Epps, and Martin Lawrence to sell out large venue audiences, according to the bio on his website.

Davidson attributes his longstanding success to love and faith.

“There’s just a lot of people from the very start who took interest in me and loved me,” he said. “The business part of it has everything to do with resilience, persistence, and a whole lot of faith. Faith when I didn’t even really know what it really was. In the early stages it was about believing and believing got me into Hollywood. Trust and faith got me through Hollywood.”

Davidson speaks about his life, navigating an interracial adoption and Hollywood in his book “Living in Color: What’s Funny about Me,” published by Kensington Books in 2020. The personal memoir recounts his triumphs having been abandoned as an infant, adopted and raised by a Caucasian family in Washington DC during the Civil Rights Movement, his sustainability in Hollywood, and his experience with race in the US.

“I guess I’m Black and white at the same time. I was abandoned in the trash in 1963 by a Black woman and then found by a white woman. I ended up on a show called In Living Color and my book is called ‘Living in Color.’ I think we are all living in color.”

Davidson said that navigating his adoption was an experience within itself.

“I didn’t have a choice about knowing what I was but when I found out I had to study it. I had to look at the world and say ‘Where does Africa fall into all of this’ to be able to understand what Black actually is. It is just as beautiful as the Asian world, the Latin world, or any other culture. We are not outside of humanity but we are all a part of humanity.”

Davidson encourages those looking to join the world of stand-up comedy to perfect the craft and live a little.

“In order to do comedy, you need all the things it takes. Watch a lot of comedy, listen to what people are telling you and, if you think you’re ready, run to the stage,” he said. “I didn’t get into stand-up comedy until I was 18. Comedy is not the easiest thing to do in the world but then again, nothing is.”

Most recently Davidson has established himself as a smooth jazz vocalist and is working on his production company. His music duets include “Sweet Reunion” with multi-Grammy winner Dave Koz, I Know with saxophonist Richard Elliott to name a few. He just finished his third single, “Stronger,” with Earth Wind & Fire.

“I want to make sure that the young people have the same positive surroundings and the same positive information and influences presented to them,” Davidson said. “I finally got to the point where I get to do what I want to do and what I want to do is make people happy. I want to make people happy with what I do.

For tickets and show times, visit www. thecomedyzone.com. !