Kevin Fredericks, aka KevOnStage, is determined to make people laugh — on pretty much every type of platform known to man.
After starting his career in stand-up comedy, the 41-year-old comedian-actor-producer has worked tirelessly building his social media presence (he’s got nearly two million followers on Instagram), going on comedy tours, writing a book, launching a podcast and starring in his own shows, including his most recent sitcom Churchy on BET+ (It also premiered on BET’s linear cable network earlier this month and got renewed for a second season).
Why’s he bother? “People be going through the worst parts of life,” he explains his mission to The Hollywood Reporter. “They get the worst news, the worst thing happened. And sometimes they just need to laugh. That’s really all I want to provide. A consistent place for laughter.”
Below, Fredericks teases his upcoming comedy tour, as well as shares his reaction to the success of Churchy, how he navigates social media and mainstream Hollywood, his hopes for the future and more.
Going back to the beginning, what first drew you to comedy?
As a kid, it was the perks of being able to sit with the grown folks for a little bit longer and being in grown folks business. I found early that if I could make my grandma and my uncles and aunts laugh, they would be like, “Come here and do that thing we saw at church. Kev, do the thing, do the thing,” and I could just stay up a little bit later. So I think realizing that I like to make people laugh and that there were some benefits associated with making people laugh.
What was it like going from creating content on social media to mainstream Hollywood with a sitcom?
There is a freedom of creation. I guess that on social media I can go from — and often do — thought to video within five minutes. I can make people laugh. You have a good day, all that type of stuff. And in Hollywood, it takes a lot longer, but in some ways, the work lasts longer. There’s also a different credibility to like, “I can make it up on the internet, he’s a funny guy, I love his page” to, “Oh man, he’s got a TV show on BET.” That separation of credibility is different, but at the end of the day, people just like laughter, and I think the lines are getting really blurred now between social media and traditional Hollywood.
Your BET+ sitcom Churchy recently scored a season two renewal as well as premiered on BET’s linear cable network. What do you make of it’s success?
It is surreal. It’s always been my dream but like it was just deferred for so long. It’s like if you wanted to go to the NBA, you know if you’re not drafted between 19 and 24, that dream is likely over. But the entertainment industry, you can get your first TV show on TV when you’re 40, so I might have had the same fear that it was never gonna happen. I absolutely had the same fear, like even had accepted it. So then when it happens, you’re like, “Oh, this must be what it feels like to get drafted to the NBA.”
What was your favorite thing about creating Churchy and seeing it come to life on the screen?
I think one was creating a show based on my life, something that I hadn’t seen on TV. And when I had, it hadn’t been as authentic as my lived experience was and a lot of people like me. And probably two, being able to create with so many people who hadn’t had that chance to be the star or series regular, like Mark JP Hood, who I always thought was talented. … Like people were so happy to be a part [of the show] that they did more than their job was necessary or their job required because they just wanted it to succeed.
You’ve also produced several projects, specifically shows with roles for fellow Black artists to shine. What’s it like knowing you’re creating those opportunities?
I’m really just paying it forward. One of the greatest opportunities for me was when a Black woman helped me get a job at Boeing and that allowed a very different life for my family. I was able to put my kids in private school, wasn’t going check to check for the first time in forever. We got to get a Toyota, a new Toyota, things like that. But I think part of my purpose on this planet is to create opportunities for other people.
What made you want to combine your faith and comedy, especially given religion is such a hot-button topic in the current political landscape?
It’s truly about being authentic. A friend of mine calls it being aggressively genuine. And I think when you are aggressively genuine, you are both unique and you are also able to be relatable. So Churchy is definitely about a small church in the South. But at the same time, it starts as a relationship between a father and son who just wants to prove that he’s worthy and that exists in every society. Lots of people want to have their dad say, “You did a good job, son.” … And at the end of the day, when you’re working in a church, it’s really a workplace comedy. The same way The Office is a workplace comedy.
You’re also kicking off your Life From the Back Pew Tour at the beginning of the year. What are you most excited about?
Stand-up comedy is my first love. Getting a group of people in one room and having them crack up for an hour and a half is my favorite thing to do. I’m also able to do a tour this time in a way I’ve never been able to. So this show is not traditional stand-up where a comedian stands up in front of the mic and just tells you jokes. It’s a little bit more dynamic, a little bit more musical and a lot more active. When I first started, my stand-up was closer to this but I could never do it on this scale because I just couldn’t afford to travel, a musician or singer or anything like that. And now I’m able to do stuff.
What’s it like working alongside comedian Tony Baker on The Bald Brothers content and shows compared to your solo content?
The Bald Brothers, specifically, is very interesting because we are two comedians doing stand-up at the same time, which is an unusual way to perform stand-up. And what I like the most about that is I get to be both the performer and the audience because that show is completely improv. The whole Bald Brothers is a freestyle comedy show. It’s not the same any night. I don’t know what Tony’s gonna say either, so when he has a funny joke, I just have the best seat in the house. And then I can sometimes toss a joke up to him or sometimes make him laugh. It’s very enjoyable in a different way than being solo. So given the choice, I’d probably do the Bald Brothers over being on stage by myself because it’s so much more fun for me.
What’s been the biggest challenge you’ve been able to overcome to get you to where you are today?
Honestly not quitting because this industry, no one would fault you for quitting Hollywood and getting a regular job and just being like, “I can’t deal.” Like it’s an unhealthy amount of rejection in this industry, and if people were truly aware of how much rejection we go through for a chance, they’d be like, OK, this is not worth it and that would be completely understandable. So I think my greatest skill is just not quitting, and it’s not like a secret or magic, just not quitting when you want to is probably good enough.
What do you hope people take away from your content and shows overall?
My bio line on most of my social media sites is just trying to make you laugh while you should be doing something more productive. I don’t really take much more than that. I don’t care if you are watching me in the driveway, watching me on your phone while you poop, I just wanna make you laugh. People be going through the worst parts of life. They get the worst news, the worst thing happened. And sometimes you just need to laugh and that’s really all I want to provide is a consistent place for laughter.
Having worked on several shows already as an actor, writer and producer, what’s your hopes for the future?
I hope to do more in mainstream Hollywood. I hope to do more outside of mainstream Hollywood. I think I appreciate both elements. The independent route allows me to create freely and quickly. The Hollywood route allows me to be shown to so many people and be able to work with people on a level that I could not do on my own accord. I think there’s benefits to both and I enjoy the benefits of both.
If you had to describe what makes Kevin Fredericks, Kevin Fredericks, what would you say?
I don’t think too much about what I’m about to say or do. I think if I thought hard I’d be like, “Don’t take your shirt off, don’t make this video, don’t put yourself out there like that, you’re gonna regret it.” And I think the fact that I don’t, that it goes from synapse to synapse to record, to edit, to post, allows me to be different from everybody else because usually people think about it again like, “Oh, I shouldn’t do this. This is probably gonna be received this way.” For the most part, I just go and you kind of get what you get.
Source: Hollywoodreporter
