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The Ceddybear cuts loose

By Dalia Colón, Times Staff Writer
In print: Friday, September 12, 2008

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ADVERTISEMENT [Getty Images (2005)] Cedric the Entertainer learned early in his career how to stretch his act beyond comedy. That’s how Mr. Kyles earned “the Entertainer” part of his name.

Coming to Broadway in October: Cedric the Entertainer.

It's true. The funnyman's latest project is a revival of the 1976 play American Buffalo, about a bumbling trio of crooks. It co-stars John Leguizamo and Haley Joel Osment.

In the past decade, Cedric "the Entertainer" Kyles has bulked up his acting resume. But the 44-year-old is still best known for his stand-up comedy, which he brings to Ruth Eckerd Hall on Saturday. A 2000 movie crowned him one of the Original Kings of Comedy, alongside Steve Harvey, D.L. Hughley and Bernie Mac, who died last month at age 50.

In a call from Los Angeles, Cedric discussed the late Mac, Stuff White People Like and how he got his stage name.

What's something that hasn't been said about Bernie Mac that you want people to know?

I did appreciate and respect the way the media handled his passing. ... I don't think he would've really wanted a whole lot of hoopla about his funeral, but it's to be expected, as well. But he was a pretty quiet, private man. But at the same time, you've got to appreciate people making you a big deal at any rate.

I was watching some of your clips on YouTube. I never realized how physical your comedy is, like when you imitate a gay kangaroo. You also do salsa dancing. How did you decide to incorporate physical comedy into your act?

I didn't do a lot of prat-falling, but I do like to give you a visual example of what it is I'm saying, so that's always been a certain aspect of my comedy at all times. Part of the way I got the name (is) because I would do so many things onstage that I just didn't want to be considered a regular comedian, because comedians at that time were straight orators, like Richard Pryor. They'd just get on the mic and talk.

I'd become pretty popular in St. Louis, where I'm from, early in my career. People would hire me to do shows, and they'd pay you according to time — how much time you can do (on stage). To do 30 minutes meant I would've got $500. I wanted that $500. I only had maybe three jokes early on in my career, so I would sing, I would do whatever I could to get the 30 minutes worth of time. So as opposed to introducing me as a comedian, I had the people introduce me as an entertainer. And that's how the name came.

A lot of your comedy is about observing everyday people. Does that get harder as you get more successful?

No, one thing about me: I really do embrace people. ... I like the interaction with people, and it allows me to pick up little nuances about their personalities, quirks or habits, and these are the things that I try to recreate on stage. I think that they become really funny when they're specific in a way. Then I take it to the absurd.

Are you familiar with the blog Stuff White People Like? It's a list of cliches — soccer, classical music ...

No, there's a blog? (laughs) Iced tea is on there, right? Iced tea and cheese sandwiches.

American cheese?

No, that's the thing about white people. They know a lot about cheeses. So you learn things. Like, I'd never even heard of Gouda 'till I was with a white person. Muenster. These are the kind of cheeses that you go, "Wow! White people know about cheeses."

You also talk about how when "white" shows like Friends or Sex and the City go off the air it's this epic event, but when "black" shows like Girlfriends go off the air, they just slip away quietly.

Martin is a great example. Martin was just a funny show at the time. It was silly, and he was free to be silly, and he didn't have to follow any kind of politically correct rules. ... At that time, Martin just got to be silly, and that's what comedy is. I don't really have to hold up the rules of the society right now, do I? That's not my responsibility.