Scene Stealers: Tommy Davidson Is Back Like He Never Left

“I knew it could work,” Tommy Davidson told me about the idea of his new sitcom. And as a man who has been in the business for upwards of four decades, he definitely knows what he’s talking about.

The early 90s was when I was first introduced to Davidson, through the comedy Strictly Business. (It’s a film that “I definitely should not have been watching at my age,” I told him. “Well, you turned out alright,” he responded jokingly.) He was already a standout on In Living Color alongside a murderer’s row of entertainers before he made his biggest splash yet—as Varnell Hill, Martin Payne’s enviable but hilarious rival on Martin. The ripple effect from his iconic performance has allowed Davidson the opportunity to introduce the late-night talk show host to a new generation; this time on a larger scale with The Varnell Hill Show. 

Following a push from Christopher “Kid” Reid, Davidison gave his old friend Martin Lawrence a call to pitch the idea for a spinoff. “It actually worked,” the comedian said with a laugh. “It took seven years, but it actually worked.” Premiering September 1, The Varnell Hill Show is set behind the scenes of Varnell’s long-running late-night talk show, which finds its larger-than-life host fighting to stay relevant in an ever-changing television industry. “Varnell and I are almost in the same place,” Davidson said. “Just trying to keep up with the technology.” The series also features an ensemble cast featuring the likes of Kym Whitley, Wendy Raquel Robinson, and Emmanuel Hudson, among others. Guest stars include Ms. Pat, Deon Cole, Damon Wayans, Mike Epps and Omarion, and of course a pop-up from Lawrence himself, something that longtime fans are eagerly anticipating.

Courtesy of Paramount+

Along with being the show’s lead, Davidson also serves as an executive producer. This way, he can fully form the character that audiences first fell in love with over 30 years ago. Yes, it’s a heavy task, but it’s one that Davidson is ready and willing to take on. “I really get to shape the ideas,” he said. “I worked so much as an actor and had been in so many movies and worked with so many directors and producers, I have all of these skills under one hat. So, it became a high quality show because of our high quality experiences.”

Hearing Davidson say he’s been in “so many movies” was an understatement, I admit to him. He’s shined in several projects across film and television—Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, Booty Call, and Bamboozled, just to name a few—and that’s literally only a fraction of his work. (Most people, myself included, tend to forget his vocal roles over years. “I’ve done revolutionary things,” he said. “Ren & Stimpy, The Simpsons, Proud Family three different times, in three different eras.”) When you really think of everything that he’s accomplished throughout his career, only the character of Varnell Hill is returning, because Davidson has never left.

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It was November of 1993 when we first saw Varnell Hill on Martin. Throughout two, back-to-back episodes (Hollywood Swinging Part 1 & 2) Martin finds himself struggling with inner turmoil due the the promotions of Pam and Gina, and the reemergence of Hill during a community center opening in Detroit. During episode 11 of the show’s second season, Varnell and Martin go toe-to-toe at WZUP, and it created a moment that would forever live in TV history.

“I have to ask about Lake Varnell, where the catfish is delicious,” I said to Davidson on our video call. “What do you remember about that iconic scene?” 

“It was almost 100% improvised, because that’s how we rolled on In Living Color,” he responded. “We rehearsed it as is, but one of the best things about comedy is you learn how to play the straight. If you don’t know how to play the straight, then you ain’t really that funny. If you can feed somebody and let them get the laughs, that’s a skill too. So Martin was feeding me, but then as you all saw, it went way beyond the feed.”

The aforementioned scene with Martin, along with the countless other things Davidson has been in, is a testament to the 62-year-old’s comedic genius. And The Varnell Hill Show is the result of putting into practice everything he’s learned along the way. Three decades later, Davidson has the experience to take a character who once belonged to two episodes of television and see how far he can go.

“I never expected to have my own show,” Davidson said. “I wanted my own show, but I didn’t know it was going to come about like this. But ultimately, it came about from being involved in my whole career trajectory the whole way and working in a quality capacity. In other words, busting my behind and giving it all I got.”