The legendary (and hilarious) cast of ‘In Living Color’ was honored last night at the 10th Annual TV Land Awards in New York City.

The Wayans clan–Keenen Ivory Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Marlon Wayans and Kim Wayans– were joined by their superstar cast members Jim Carrey, Tommy Davidson, Kelly Coffield Park, T’Keyah Crystal Keymah and David Alan Grier to accept the evening’s “The Groundbreaking Award,” which was presented to them by funny gal Whoopi Goldberg.

Even former Fly Girls Carrie Ann Inaba from ‘Dancing With The Stars,’ Laurieann Gibson, Lisa Marie Todd, Deidre Lang and Michelle Whitney-Morrison were honored for their contribution to the show’s mega success.

Here’s a sneak Peak!

Carl Jones of The Boondocks orchestrates the voice talent of the film’s stars, Michael Jai White (Black Dynamite), Tommy Davidson (In Living Color), Kym Whitley and Byron Minns and the animation is being done by Titmouse, Inc. This 20 minute animated series will premiere in the spring of 2012 and continue the adventures of ex-CIA agent and ladies man, Black Dynamite (White) as he kicks the shit out of kung-fu masters, pimps, and of course, The Man, blaxploitation style, animated that is. Too bad we have to wait until next year though, I need this kind of sweetness on my TV now!

May 16, 2011

Comedian and D.C. native Tommy Davidson has made two visits to say hello to some of the wounded troops at Walter Reed Army Medical Center: Once in September and again on Friday. A lot has happened since that first visit, most notably the death of Osama bin Laden. We caught up with Davidson after his Friday visit to find out how that reality has changed the type of comedy he employs when he jokes around with the troops. After all, many of these wounded soldiers have been on the hunt for bin Laden or fighting the brand of terrorism he encouraged for nearly a decade.

“You can feel the relief,” said Davidson. “I can personally feel the relief myself in my audiences when I bring up Obama because there was a lot of anti-Obama sentiment out there before the capture of bin Laden. … That seems to have lifted now. I mentioned the word ‘Obama’ and people start clapping. Whereas, before, months ago, I’d say ‘Obama’ and I’d actually hear some boos.”

Davidson, whose television career has included stints on such shows as “In Living Color” and “MADtv,” said he particularly enjoys doing his Obama impersonation when he meets the troops.

“I can take simple words or simple phrases and make them sounds important,” said Davidson in his best Obama voice. “I can say something like, ‘Honeycomb’s big!’ or ‘Tony the Tiger is part of a complete breakfast’ and make those sound important.”

On a more serious note, Davidson said after his visit that “the morale is very high to be under the circumstances that they are. I think that emotionally they’re handling it very well. I don’t know that I’d do the same actually.”

• Today’s Cover Story source: http://www.politico.com/click/stories/1105/comedy_postbin_laden.html

Interview with Tommy Davidson

March 15, 2011 by Mike Gencarelli

Tommy Davidson is one of the funniest comedians in the business.  He started his career with “In Living Color” and has since started in many films ranging from “Booty Call” to “Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls” to “Black Dynamite”.  Tommy is currently touring the stand up circuit and took some time to chat with Movie Mikes about his roles and his tour.

Mike Gencarelli: Going back to the “In Living Color” days, how it was working on that show?

Tommy Davidson: It was the best! It is like being with the Pittsburgh Steelers and like every other team is like boring. I learned everything I know about TV from that show. To this day I can still say it is a staple in my career.

MG: Did you have a favorite character you played on the show?

TD: I did this karate teacher, Sweet Tooth Jones who was pretty funny. But I would have to say it would be my major impressions, like Michael Jackson and when I did Spike Lee. It is pulling those things off that were the best for me on the show.

MG: When did you realized that you were able to impersonate various celebs ranging from Michael Jackson to Sammy Davis, Jr.?

TD: I didn’t until I got out to California and started in the business. Someone told me that was I was doing was impressions. I said “That is what I have been doing all that time”? [laughs]

MG: “Black Dynamite” was such a fun movie, was it fun to play Cream Corn in the film?

TD: It was a piece of cake. I was running around being half pimp. I got to come up with all kind of different ideas. It was great because that was the kind of stuff I did on “In Living Color” and you can’t beat that.

MG: You worked with the late Bernie Mac on various projects, how was it working with him?

TD: Wow…it was great. Bernie would let me do what ever I wanted man. Bernie really loved me sincerely. All I had to do is show up to the set and he would say “Just do what you want”.

MG: How did you get involved with “Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls” as The Tiny Warrior?
TD: Oh yeah man! Jim called me to come on and do it and I felt very special.

MG: Tell us about working with first time director, Cedric the Entertainer on “Chicago Pulaski Jones”?

TD: He was very good. He really knew what the hell he was doing man and I wasn’t surprised. I started in the business before him but that is the way things turn out. He definitely has paid attention over the years.

MG: You are currently touring doing the stand-up circuit, how do you enjoy doing stand up?

TD: I love it man. I am out there all the time doing stand-up comedy. I am not rusty at all.  In fact, I am at the best and even getting better. It’s like if you compare a professional martial artist to some people who get into a street fight once in a while [laughs]. On this tour, I am doing a lot of observation material. I will probably also do a couple of impressions maybe a few new ones. But for the most part, I will just stand there and just do what comes to me.

Click here to find out where Tommy’s is appearing next.

http://moviemikes.com/2011/03/interview-with-tommy-davidson/

Tommy Davidson LIVE from LA, 1:45 pm (PT)/ 4:45 pm (ET) Discussing his commitment to Japan Disaster Relief.

In the Los Angeles area tonight?

Come check out Tommy at Flappers in Burbank, CA!

Where?

BURBANK: 102 East Magnolia, Burbank CA 91502
Phone: 818–845-9721 |  FX: 818–841-6222

When?

Tonight! February 27th 2011 at 9pm!

Click here to buy tickets!

Tommy Davidson on The Morning Blend

In celebration of Black History Month, TV One is presenting “Way Black When,” a month-long, high-profile programming designed to “reflect back on the golden age of black culture” that emerged during the 1970s, ‘80s and ‘90s.

All month, the one-hour talk show will air each weeknight, showcasing black pop culture icons across three decades — including athletes, comedians and actors. During a TV One promo shoot in Los Angeles, The Wave dropped by the set to visit funnyman Tommy Davidson, whose landmark show, “In Living Color,” is central to the discussion of the final decade to be explored by the special series.

Some would say that the ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ was able to cross color lines. What are your thoughts on that?
Will Smith was somehow able to make the black experience palatable for White America — who wasn’t in contact or hadn’t been exposed to either the black or urban experience, which are sort of intermixed. He was a good representation that gave them more absorbency and a little more open-mindedness because the images that the media puts out are so bluntly to the other side that America doesn’t understand. I think he was able to do that on the show.

Which decade — the ‘70s, ‘80s or ‘90s — was best for black pop culture and why?
I think the ‘70s was best for black pop culture because it was the first time after the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement that black Americans were accepted. It was our time to go out there and show people who we were. Just as a people, our minds were changing. It was a different movement. All of a sudden living amongst each other was a good idea, peace became a good idea, education became a good idea. It was a good time. There was a lot of coming together of the cultures and it created this landscape of tolerance.

What movie best captures the ‘90s black culture?
I would say somewhere between “New Jack City” and “House Party.” They had the styles, the trends and what we were all about. But you would also have to include “School Daze.”

What song or artist best captures the ‘90s black culture?
I think Biggie and Tupac coming on the scene really set the stage for every hip-hop artist that is hot right now. That is when hip-hop lyrics took on a certain individuality and a certain personality that was able to transcend all social lines. They were an important force in music and hip-hop. They are what music is now. Had they not been gone, you might not even know who Jay-Z and Kanye West are.

Was there clothing or a hairstyle that you once rocked that if shown to you today would have you embarrassed?
[Laughing] In the ‘90s Puffy tried to tell me. I went through a high-top fade phase, where it was short on the sides and had a box on the top. Everyone had one. [Puffy] asked me to cut my widows peak off and I was like ‘Naw, I’m not going to cut my peak off.’ When I watched “Strictly Business,” the movie I starred in with Halle Berry back in the day, this thing was sticking out so big that I was like, “That’s what he meant.” On the big screen, that little thing looks like Dracula’s cape, [some how] I turned into the hip-hop Eddie Munster, I don’t know.

If you could relive any moment from the ‘90s, what would it be?
It would be my “In Living Color” experience because we were able to finally get something really funny on TV.

What was it like revisiting the ‘90s today?
It was good. I took another look at that period in time. That was my foundation, that is where I became a star. It happened so fast. I started out doing stand-up, then TV and movies and ended up here. I was just blessed to be a part of it.

Are there any fond memories you have of that era?
My favorite thing about the ‘90s was that all of the actresses and actors that I worked around all saw each other, still talked and had dialogue. Competition didn’t influence our relationships. There was no separation between our relationships; we were all friends. That is the one thing I do miss. What Hollywood has the tendency of doing is creating competition and if you are not able to assimilate, you will stop friendships believing that will give you success. I miss the genuine moments.

This show is supposed to take viewers on a trip back through ‘Blackness.’ What does ‘Blackness’ mean to you?
I guess I can construe it as when blacks use to be on TV, with new shows and movies coming out all the time. That has seemed to slim up. Now you mainly just have your Tyler Perry. The ‘90s was an explosion of creativity. It was sort of like the Harlem Renaissance, where there were African-American poets, jazz musicians and others. We brought forth a whole new level of movie making, directing and producing. The ‘90s was our growth period where stars were made — Samuel L. Jackson, Halle Berry, Wesley Snipes, Martin, Will Smith. The ‘90s were actually responsible for the lucrative position that Hollywood is in today, yet we find ourselves asking why we aren’t on TV as much any more.

Why do you think the black presence is not as frequent on television or in films as it was in the ‘90s?
I think it’s a liberal choice on behalf of the networks and studios because they control that. It sort of reminds me of the old Negro baseball leagues versus the major leagues. They knew the men in the Negro leagues were talented, they knew they could play and they couldn’t even beat them, but it was their choice if they were going to let them in the league or not. I think we are in that same position right now with television and film. It is their choice, but you would think that they would have continued to make the right choice, as they did then, since Black shows and films in the ‘90s provided not only lucrative benefits and creativity, but brought us together as a country.

Do you think we will ever see as many blacks on television and in film again?
I think we will. Things happen for a reason.

Photo: Tommy Davidson, who starred on the landmark 1990s series “In Living Color,” is featured in the series “Way Black When.” Credit: Courtesy of TV One.

Tommy Davidson LIVE at The Palms in Las Vegas

Come check out Tommy on Friday January 21st 2011 from 8-10pm as he headlines ‘Stand Up for Soldiers’

Click here for more info!

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Come see Tommy at the Ontario Improv on any of the following 5 show dates:

1. January 14th 2011 8:00pm
2. January 14th 2011 10:00pm
3. January 15th 2011 7:00pm
4. January 15th 2011 9:00pm
5. January 16th 2011 7:00pm

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Click here to purchase Tickets!

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Arlington Texas! Tonight is your last chance to see Tommy Davidson!

January 2nd 2011 7:30pm

_______________________________________________

Click Here to Purchase Tickets!

The event was a gifting party for children living in PATH’s transitional housing program. They received toys, clothing, and other gifts donated to PATH. Other celebrities at the event included former sportscaster Pat O’Brien and Sterling Beaumon of “Lost.”

Davidson knows what it is like to be without a stable home. He was abandoned as an infant and was adopted when he was two years old.

“It was hard,” Davidson said. “But everything I’ve been through has led me to where I am today.”

Mayra Bravo, a Mexican immigrant who came to the U.S. 12 years ago in search of a better life, currently lives at the transitional home.

“I am very blessed to be here,” Bravo said. “They are making it possible for us (Bravo and her son, Wilber) to have a beautiful Christmas.”

Bravo is in her third month living in the transitional home. She was referred to PATH by a social services case manager and is grateful for what PATH has done for her.

“They have a lot of great resources that we can utilize to better ourselves,” Bravo said.

Bravo’s son, Wilber, said he was very happy to see the celebrities come out for the event and was thrilled with all of the gifts he received. His favorite was a shirt from American Apparel.

Laquisha Thomas, 24, is another mother living at the transitional home with her seven year-old son, Maurice Jimenez. She has also been at PATH for three months.

“It means a lot to me right now,” Thomas said. “I’m going through a lot of stuff right now and this is really a blessing.”

Thomas’ grandmother died last month, and seeing Maurice with a smile on his face makes Thomas very happy.

“I feel like crying,” Thomas said. “I’ve had to step out a few times because it gets me so emotional, but they are happy cries.”

The smile could be credited to Davidson, who handed Maurice a plush, robot doll. But not before doing a little comedy.

“Where are my presents at?” Davidson asked in his signature, high-pitched comedic voice while waving the doll around manically. He then made the doll dance while Beaumon played Christmas music on his ukulele. The smiles on the children’s faces make the event worth it for Davidson.

“They can’t believe it,” Davidson said. “They got so much stuff, but you have to consider this is only a small percentage of the contribution from PATH, and that it doesn’t compare to what these kids have to face as a reality everyday.”

PATH is the largest homeless prevention provider in Los Angeles County, according to Jeremy Sidelo, chief communications development officer for the organization. It was founded in 1984 and helps more than 4,000 people a year with housing and support services. PATH is a $6 million organization employing more than 70 employees. The organization is funded by public and private donations, and government contracts.

The Rhonda Flemming Family Center is a transitional home designed to house families for six months while trying to get them into more permanent housing. PATH also has locations in West Los Angeles, Hollywood, in addition to the main facility at 340 N. Madison Ave.

PATH has 225 transitional beds at the three facilities and also has a service mall, which offers a variety of social services including a job center, health clinic, salon, education and mental health services.

“We give these people shelter but we also give them the means to become self-sufficient,” Sidelo said.

Davidson is happy PATH is around today to help the homeless and knows they would have been a great help to him when he was younger.

“They would have housed, fed, and educated me and given me a solid emotional foundation to grow on,” Davidson said. “The aim for anyone’s child is to become a charitable, law-abiding and caring person, and that’s hard to do if you have everything in place to raise a child. PATH is one of the things that is helping to do that for these kids.”

But Saturday night at UCLA’s Royce Hall, he’ll be doing something a bit different, blending American jazz with European orchestral traditions. Conducted by Mitch Glickman, the Symphonic Jazz Orchestra will feature Duke along with other special guests Luciana Souza and Raul Midón. Comedian-actor Tommy Davidson hosts.