Actor and comedian Tommy Davidson, who hosts the comedy show, Chocolate Sundaes, that was recently released on DVD, is most known for being a cast member on the iconic sketch comedy show In Living Color. TheCelebrityCafe.com had the chance to talk with Davidson to look back on some of his past projects, Chocolate Sundaes, and what the future holds for him.

TheCelebrityCafe.com: Your DVD, Chocolate Sundaes, the comedy show that you hosted that featured a bunch of comedians, was released on June 18th. You've been doing standup for such a long time. What's your key to staying funny and staying in this business so long?

Tommy Davidson: I have a foundation as a performer. I would perform all the time, all the time when I first started. Seven days a week, a couple shows a night, sometimes three or four shows a night. And I just worked and worked on my craft. I worked on it so hard that now I just stay up, and I know what work is like. So, when I start working on new material, or I start working on something new, I have the same work ethic from the beginning. I can't claim it all, because a friend of mine, who was a manager of mine, he was the one who taught me how to do it on that level. He's no longer in my career, but I got to give him credit, because he pushed me hard. As a result of that, I've been really doing it for a long time.

TCC: What do think of comedians who are out doing standup now? Like Kevin Hart for example?

TD: I'm jealous of Kevin, he's just so hot right now [laughs]. But, I just admire him. He keeps it so fresh. He is so sharp, and so business-savvy. I'm just impressed by the people that are around me, and if it wasn't for them, they wouldn't keep me on the level I'm on, that's for sure. And then you have all these different types of comedians. I'm like everyone, I work everywhere.

TCC: Besides the standup, you've also been doing sketch comedy for a very long time, too. What is more fun for you?

TD: Yeah, I just got real lucky. First of all, I could do a lot of things, as far as performing goes. And I was quick on my feet. So when In Living Color came along, I was basically a natural.

TCC: Last year at the TV Land awards the whole cast reunited where you all received the 'Groundbreaking Award'. What was that like for you personally, to have been a part of a show that was considered 'groundbreaking' for television?

TD: Like I said, I was lucky, and a lot of that was skill too. And most of the skill that I can claim was the skill of being able to learn, and the skill of being able to learn fast. The guys that I got involved with--Jim Carrey, Damon Wayans, Keenen Ivory Wayans--they had been in this business ten years before I got to LA. I had a lot to learn in a short period of time, and I give them credit because they were not shy, they weren't selfish. If there was anything that I didn't know they would help me out with that. It really was a good thing.

TCC: The Wayans recently sat down with Oprah, and one thing she asked about was whether or not they were going ahead with the remake of In Living Color. Keenen said that he was ready to do it, but then he realized that talent has changed. And that you all were the last generation/ the last children of that "vaudeville", do everything style of comedy. And that the expectations under that same name would be for everything to be the same. Do you agree-that talent has changed? That there was just something about the 90s? Do you think a show like "In Living Color" could work today?

TD: I think the talent is out there, but it's not as much of it. I just worked with some, on Chocolate Sundaes. In this day in time, you don't really need those type of performance skills. I think it also has to do with the demand for actors and sketch artists. People are out here trying to make a living. So they either quit doing it and went to do something else or found a way to do it somewhere else other than TV.

TCC: You've also done a lot of voice-over work. The animated version of "Black Dynamite" for Adult Swim has been really successful and has been renewed for a second season. What you're most known for in the cartoon world, though, is your role as Oscar Proud in "The Proud Family". Do you think that could be ever be remade, or a spinoff maybe?

TD: It can be made anytime tomorrow. But the network has to see it as a priority, a show with people of color, honestly. We can go in there until we're blue in the face, but we don't control it. Until they say yes, it's not going to happen. But, I'm always down for whatever.

TCC: Switching gears, there's a lot going on in the news right now-first the George Zimmerman trial for Trayvon Martin's death. Have you been following the trial?

TD: I haven't been following it, and I'm one of those kind of people that don't have to. I know that racism is a "ism" and not a "wasm" and it continues. So I focus my energy on trying to keep young Black boys from thinking they need a handgun, or the mentality of having a handgun. I'm not blaming the victim, I'm just saying that my focus is more on the Black on Black homicide that's happening as a result of this society that's attacking my African youth here in America. That's my focus. The incident itself, hey, it's a system of law. I can only see the results. But I'm concentrating more on things that I can have a little bit more control over.

TCC: And then there's that Paula Deen n-word controversy, and the debate on who should be able to use it.

TD: Well, the word doesn't have as much power as it used to. Blacks chose to use it the way we used it. I don't think it's a big deal, to us. Like I said, racism is a "ism" and not a "wasm". It's not cool for Whites to use it because the root of the word coming from them is about hate and about murder and about domination.

TCC: Going back to Chocolate Sundaes, I read that it was such a hit for Showtime that a series is likely to start shooting this fall. Is that still happening?

TD: No one's decided. I can't seem to get anybody going on that. We'd love that to happen, but the deal is the deal. The thing is going to DVD, it's going straight to the people. I actually have a lot of respect for the DVD industry. From being over in Afghanistan, and being over in Asia, and being in different parts of the world, where are armed forces are. I know how much those DVDs mean to Americans abroad.

TCC: Is there anything else that you're working on?

TD: Yeah, I'm working on trying to get the Sammy Davis, Jr. movie done. I'm also working on a television show of my own, a comedy special of my own, movies of my own. I've got a lot coming.

Side-note: Tommy also shared his infamous impression of Sammy Davis, Jr., which is still unmatched after all these years.

Photo courtesy of Jessica Pinney