Cedric the Entertainer said at Sunday's "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" TCA panel that he will wear many hats — both literally and figuratively — when the new season premieres on Sep. 2.
When considering the new job, Cedric spoke to his friend and fellow "Original Kings of Comedy" member Steve Harvey about how much fun he's having with his "Family Feud" gig. The conversation was enough to convince Cedric that the daytime game show format was for him.
But Harvey is obviously not the only comic-turned-successful-game show host. Mr. The Entertainer also cited Wayne Brady, Jeff Foxworthy, Drew Carrey among his inspirations for taking the job.
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The reason for the trend as he sees it is that the format works well for comics, as does the schedule.
"Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" films five 30-minute episodes in one day. That means five wardrobe changes for the stylish dresser — where you can expect to see his signature hats and tailored suits — but allows plenty of time to tour and work on "The Soul Man," his TV Land sitcom.
"Millionaire" Executive Producer Rich Sirop believes that Cedric will be perfect in the role as the show switched to a more comedic style since he took over three years ago. The questions have become straightforward and more humorous, with a number of comedians filling out the writing staff. Plus, the pressure of going home with your kid's college paid for or going home with just your airfare can be a tense environment. A stand-up comedian is trained to react and keep any situation light, which Sirop believes will be obvious in the coming season.
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While he certainly has his own energetic style style, Cedric did pick up some tips from previous hosts Regis Philbin and Meredith Vieira:
"I just mainly want to be as sharply dressed as Regis, and hug and kiss as many people as Meredith," he said.