HOLLYWOOD, Calif., July 24, 2000 — They’re off the stage, but today, at Hollywood’s House of Blues, the Kings are still “on.”
They’re here to promote their concert film, “The Original Kings of Comedy,” taken from their successful stand-up tour in 1998 and directed by Spike Lee. But before the interview, Steve Harvey is raving about his recent viewing of “The Green Mile” on video to his fellow Kings — D.L. Hughley, Bernie Mac and Cedric The Entertainer. Hughley is chatting about the merits of favorites “Coming to America” and “Braveheart” — “Because I like laughing real hard and watching large numbers of white people run” — and the others are debating Eddie Murphy’s underrated acting career.
But even during the interview, the four jump in with new jokes, finish each other’s sentences and begin tangential commentaries off the light-hearted questions. Here their individual personalities come out: Hughley is the branded the jaded, rapid-fire comic whose rants on race and sex can turns ears red; Mac’s buggly-eyed observations range from the “f-word” to the kids he adopted from his drug-addicted sister. Cedric is the lovable uncle, and Harvey sashays about as he shares his love for good old soul.
It’s no wonder their original tour, which began in 1997 (Hughley was added in 1998), grossed $19 million on 58 shows, $18 million in 40 shows in 1998, and reportedly outsold the Backstreet Boys’ tour in 1999.
Not only that, but all four Kings do double-duty in television. Harvey and Cedric co-star on “The Steve Harvey Show” while Hughley headlines his own UPN sitcom, “The Hughleys,” about a family moving from the inner city to the suburbs. Mac, who has co-starred in “Life” and “Players Club” and a variety of TV shows, is currently in development deals.
But don’t think it’s gone to their heads. These kings still know where their weaknesses lie.
“[Steve Harvey and I] are two of the worst dancers that ever lived,” says Hughley. Mac says modestly, “I can dance; I can cut a rug,” much to the agreement of his comrades, who unanimously vote him the best dancer.
Their behavior seems unusual for the stand-up industry, which sees many thirsty comics work the lowliest circuits in hopes of being invited to open for a bigger act and one day, with a lot of luck, land their own tour. The comedians say the camaraderie they share is a learned process.
“The idea that somebody’s success means there’s that much less for you is wrong,” Hughley says. “I think you have to come at certain level where you respect the people.”
“I think a certain level of success allows you not to carry so much animosity around when you start early in the comedy club circuit,” Cedric adds. “I can remember comics being mad about the littlest thing; we always mad about each other, about something.”
Harvey says: “When you small and ain’t got but a little bit, you can’t share that. You can’t lose a piece of it, you can’t give it away, you can’t … nevermind that. Peon people have peon mentality. Kings have king mentality.”
“The Original Kings of Comedy” take their reign to the big screen Aug. 18.
