Tommy Davidson may be best known for his time on the hit comedy series In Living Color, but Davidson’s best attribute has to be his infectious positivity. In an exclusive interview with the Kinda Nerdy Girls/KJ Today Show, shared to Geek Vibes Nation; Davidson talks about his career, his new upcoming single, and how his outlook on life has continued to open up new opportunities.
This interview was shared to Geek Vibes Nation in collaboration with the Kinda Nerdy Girls.
KJ: There’s so much to talk about when it comes to your career, Tommy, you know, accomplished actor, incredible comedian. We were talking before you got on the show about the fact that you are also an incredible musician. Let’s talk about that. You’ve got a single that’s coming up the charts.
Tommy: Recently I’m coming off of two singles, one called Kid Zero, the other called Luzon. And now Moon is on the approach and it’s called Show Me featuring YG. Now, Kid Zero is featuring Julian Vaughn and Kelly Minucci. And Luzon is featuring Patrick Stewart. All of these musicians and, and, and Sweet Reunion is featuring Dave Cost. So I’m shrouded by, by virtual greatness in smooth jazz. So I’m just really having a good time doing this because I feel like, like quality is best, you know, popularity is in style and quality seems to be out of style.
KJ: With these collaborations, Tommy, is it, you know, you have the star power. Is it, is it you that is going to these other artists and saying, Hey, let’s make some music together. Or, you know, is it the other way around?
Tommy: No, it’s me. It’s me going to them going, Hey man, would you mind joining me? Would you mind joining me? Because what they do is, is greater than what I can accomplish, you know? They’re musicians, and they’re accomplished, and they’ve worked since they were kids, you know, learning their craft, you know, just like me in comedy, you know, and I’m showing up on the scene a little late because, you know, to be a musician is to have already put in the time. If you see an accomplished musician, you see a man or a woman, who has worked so hard when nobody was around. Nobody was around. And I didn’t do that until I was 19, 20. And that’s when I got into the comedy and acting. And it required those disciplines. So I respect music so much that it was Now is just the time for me to do it. I’m more famous than my math teacher and a little less famous than Michael Jackson, so now’s the time.
KJ: Well, we have a little musician in training who is listening. Braxton loves playing the saxophone and his mom actually wanted me to ask, you know, he’s in fifth grade, he’s kind of just getting going. Do you have any words of wisdom for a young, inspiring musician who loves the jazz?
Tommy: I do. I believe that never take no for an answer. No just means not yet. It just means not yet. So if you get a no, it just means not yet, which means keep on working. Until that yes becomes a yes.
KJ: So let’s talk about that. Did you get, I mean, maybe it’s a sore subject, but have you approached musicians who, you know, you say, Hey, you’re on my bucket list. I want to work with you. Did you get no’s when you were starting out, given that, you know, music is not, like you said, your, your top skill profession, if you will? Yeah.
Tommy: Yeah. No’s are the nature of entertainment business. You know, if you can’t take no’s, then you’re not going to make it because it’s so competitive. It’s really, really, really competitive and people like different things. So, you know, you’ll have that just, just that natural reaction just because they’re not into that particular thing you’re doing. There’s not, there’s not a billion comedy, comedy fans, you know, You know, there’s some people that just don’t like it. There’s some people that don’t like rock. There’s some people that don’t like jazz, you know. And, you know, like my grandfather would say, you know, if everybody was the same, everybody would be chasing after grandmother, you know. So it’s just one of those things where love what you do and do it.
KJ: Our show here is all about positive vibes and you know one of the things that I did want to you know make sure that people knew about because we loved you from In Living Color and you’ve done so much you’ve made us laugh but you’re talking about that, don’t take no for an answer. You had some difficult beginnings, and you’ve talked very openly about how you were abandoned as an infant and you’ve gone through recovery. Would you be willing to share some inspiration on how you have gotten to where you are in a place in life where you’re like, you know what, I have done all these things, now I’m gonna do music too. What is that inspiration?
Tommy: That inspiration was drawn out of the reality that I’m not alone. No. And that is a universe and there’s a force out there. Um, and it’s through people too, that if you’re open, if you’re open and you, you become a giver, then, a university to start to reward you with you receiving. And it took a long time for me to get to that point because I had to know myself. And how do you know yourself when you’re yourself? You got to surrender yourself for higher knowledge. And I was able to, I was able, thank goodness I was able to do that. You know, but the thing that had me do that was pain. So I got in enough pain to look for an alternative to my thinking and my way of life. And now my way of life has changed and my thinking is unlimited.
KJ: I had another fan question from Eric who said he loves your comedy. Is there a chance of any tours coming soon, whether it is a comedy tour or going on tour with some of these musicians that you’re playing with and playing live in front of people?
Tommy: You know, that’s going to come. I’m treating this like a garden. I plant the seeds. I till the soil. make sure it has enough water, and it growing out of the ground is none of my business, you know, but I do know that it’s going to come. So the music’s first, then the touring’s next, you know, just like with comedy. Comedy was first, and then acting came after that, and then writing came after that, and then, you know, authoring came after that. Cartoons came after that. You know, it’s, it’s, it’s, it’s a process. And I, right now I’m so busy touring with Cat Williams and doing the stuff I’m doing with Proud Family. I got Comic View coming out to TV on Comedy [Central]. So, you know, I’m pretty much on the train track and it feels good.
For the full interview, you can check it out on YouTube! What was your favorite moment from In Living Color?
A girl with too many fandoms to count.
