Funnyman Tommy Davidson has spent decades making audiences laugh with raw, unfiltered jokes that might not survive today’s comedy climate.
From “In Living Color” to “Martin,” “Woo,” and “Bamboozled,” Davidson built a career on sharp impressions, fearless characters, and jokes that could land like a punch.
Taking a break from his busy schedule, Davidson spoke with Atlanta Black Star about ‘The Varnell Hill Show,” his creative skits, and the one comedian who can still make him laugh hardest.
This time around, Davidson returns with his provocative comedy as the lead of the “Martin” spinoff, “The Varnell Hill Show,” airing next month.
Varnell was introduced during season 2 of “Martin” in 1993, as a Los Angeles-based DJ who had worked at the same Detroit station as show lead Martin Payne.
Throughout his stand-up career, Davidson found encouragement in unlikely places. He recalled Reggie, a hometown friend who saw his potential before he did after a performance.
“He pointed at me and said, ‘I always knew you was gonna be something.’”
‘The Varnell Hill Show’ Is Back – ‘Did You Miss Me?’
That early belief in Davidson’s potential eventually became reality, but his latest chapter took years to come together.
He told ABS “The Varnell Hill Show” was seven years in the making, but fans can expect “top of the tier of comedy” with Varnell as lead. Guest appearances include Kirk Franklin, Mike Epps, Ms. Pat, Matt Barnes, and Damon Wayans.
The lineup also echoes his time on “In Living Color,” where he famously blended sketch comedy with jokes that come with no warning label, and appearances from music stars.
“That’s the purpose of this show, really, is to go on and do what we want to do. Because what we wanna do is actually for everybody. Like ‘in Living Color,” Davidson explained before he broke out singing the show’s iconic theme song. “‘You can do what you wanna do In Living Color.’”
His rise came after building momentum doing stand up and opening for musicians before landing his national television debut on “The Arsenio Hall Show.”
Varnell Hill may be a fictional character, but Davidson believes he could very much survive in the late-night television world today.
“He would draw those same parallels. Like, do the White House get to say anything else and act like we can’t? Varnell Hil is Tommy Davidson. So I got my [point of view], and I think it’s nice and balanced.”
Long before Varnell headlined his own show, the character had ties to Martin Payne. Lawrence’s “In Living Color” rejection helped inspire “Martin,” where Davidson later appeared in two episodes.
The ‘In Living Color Sketch’ That Wouldn’t Fly Today
Davidson’s comedy doesn’t ask permission. His jokes sting, leaving an impression long after the punchline.
But even he had limits on “In Living Color,” where he and other cast members were given guardrails to keep their jokes from crossing certain lines.
“We had limitations. We had censors, we had Keenan [Wayan], our executive producer going crazy,” Davidson explained. “But we were just determined to get it done. So, as far as we were concerned, we weren’t wrong about what we were doing. It was in the spirit of comedy, No disrespect meant. And it was fun.
Davidson acknowledged that those limits never stopped the show from pushing boundaries.
“And it changed the history of TV because finally a group of people came along and weren’t afraid to do things that make white people and black people laugh at the same time,” he exclaimed.
The actor believes some of the show’s boldest material could easily make it onto television and resonate with viewers today. When asked about what sketch wouldn’t work, Davidson mentioned “The Wrath of Farrakhan.”
Star Trek: The Wrath of Farrakhan: “I watch the show every week and all I see is the back of your nappy wig!” #InLivingColor https://t.co/BDmryYkpht pic.twitter.com/PoazLI2LBJ
— Charles T (@ChuckyT3) April 15, 2025
“We did a take off of ‘Star Trek,’ but it was Farrakhan as the captain of the ship. You know, that probably would get struck off a TV. But other than that other than that, everything else would go.”
The sketch put Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan aboard the Starship Enterprise, where he sees oppression everywhere. He calls out Uhura’s low-level job and Spock’s second-in-command status before sparking an insurrection.
Fox executives worried the sketch would anger both the Anti-Defamation League and the Nation of Islam. Creators disagreed, arguing that Black audiences knew exactly who Farrakhan was.
And the One Comedian Who Makes Him Laugh the Hardest
When most of your closest friends are comedians, there’s no shortage of laughter in the room. But Davidson says no one made him laugh like Eddie Murphy.
“I don’t know, he’s just a funny person,” he said before going into a bit about a Murphy quick comeback at someone ragging on his clothes.
Murphy wore a yellow jacket onstage when someone in the crowd joked, “Take off that Hertz Rent-A-Car jacket.” Davidson said the audience erupted in laughter.
But the energy changed when Murphy fired back, “Hey man, I can go home and take this jacket off. You can’t jump out of that trifling a— life you got.”
That quick wit speaks to the heart of Davidson’s comedy as well. The man known for his famous catchphrase “Shaboing” doesn’t just want to land a punchline. He wants to leave people feeling better than when they arrived.
That idea sits at the center of “The Varnell Hill Show,” which Davidson sees as more than another comedy series. He wants the show to give audiences something that feels increasingly rare: a reason to feel good.
“We’re here to make people feel a way that’s very rare to feel during these times, which is happy. You know, our mission on this show is to make sure that between the period of when a person wakes up until they go to bed, they can feel good about themselves and the world around them.”
“The Varnell Hill Show” premieres on Paramount on Sept. 1.
