Cedric the Entertainer on Fame, Family, Creative Control & Staying in the Game | DMC with Na’im Lynn
Cedric the Entertainer joins Na’im Lynn for a deeply personal conversation about family, longevity, success and what he's learned after decades in entertainment. Cedric opens up about growing up in Missouri, his complicated relationship with his father, caring for him later in life and what watching the people you love grow older teaches you about what really matters. He also shares how his mother shaped the way he communicates, what he did before comedy, and where his signature “baby” came from. The conversation turns to Cedric's career — from Barbershop and The Soul Man to The Neighborhood — and the difficult lesson that a big paycheck doesn't necessarily mean creative control. Cedric also explains why he eventually pivoted toward television, how watching Steve Harvey reinvent himself changed his perspective on career longevity, and why comparing your path to somebody else's success can become a trap. Cedric also speaks candidly about the financial side of successful television, including his frustration with the difference between the financial windfalls received by many white sitcom stars and what Black performers have historically received. He talks about the disappointment that created for him, why he went to Broadway, and why he still loves getting onstage. Na’im and Cedric also revisit their own history working together, talk about protecting family life from the public, the controversy surrounding Cedric's character Eddie in Barbershop, accepting people for who they are, and what Cedric wants his next chapter to look like. In this conversation: 00:00 Cedric the Entertainer Joins DMC 01:28 Staying Grounded Through Celebrity 07:40 Cedric’s Relationship With His Father 13:02 Taking Care of His Dad Later in Life 15:40 Watching the People You Love Grow Older 18:13 Health, Family and What Really Matters 20:23 How Cedric’s Mother Shaped His Communication 24:42 Intelligence, Authenticity and Being Yourself 28:23 Growing Up in Missouri and Life Before Comedy 31:26 Where Cedric’s “Baby” Catchphrase Came From 32:47 Na’im Remembers Working With Cedric 35:28 The Career Lesson Na’im Never Forgot 39:26 Movie Stardom, Creative Control and Career Pivots 42:20 Choosing Television and Being Present for Family 44:35 Why Cedric Stopped Measuring Himself Against Other Stars 48:40 Depression and the Economics of The Neighborhood 51:22 Streaming Changed the Television Business 55:27 Does Cedric Ever Plan to Retire? 59:28 Why Cedric Protects His Family Life 01:05:42 Barbershop, Eddie and Playing a Controversial Character 01:07:36 Let People Be Who They Are 01:09:27 AC Barbecue, Wine, Charity and What’s Next 01:13:01 Closing
