Tommy Davidson is bringing back his fan-favorite character Varnell Hill again—this time as the star of The Varnell Hill Show. The Paramount+ comedy is reminiscent of The Larry Sanders Show, as Varnell tries to navigate modern show business while being considerably out of his depth. And it’s an opportunity for everyone to see the character with fresh eyes, including Tommy himself.

In an interview with TVBrittanyF.com, Tommy spoke about what interested him in revisiting Varnell Hill so many years after he first played the character on Martin. He also spoke about how his approach to Varnell has shifted since the first time he tackled the character, and what it means to him to have his own show again. Plus, he revealed what he thinks everyone should know ahead of the series’ Sept. 1 premiere.

Brittany Frederick: What interested you in revisiting the character of Varnell Hill, not just for another cameo appearance but for an entire series?

Tommy Davidson: Everything that’s in me made me want to do another show, because it’s what I do, and I hadn’t done it in so long. It’s been 30 years since I was a cast member on a show of my own, so I was so excited to do it. And it came about the right way, because an old friend of mine is the one who had the idea, and an old friend of mine is the one who executed the idea with me.

You’ve obviously grown and evolved as a performer since you first stepped into the role of Varnell in 1993. How much has your additional acting experience, or just life experience, informed your approach to the character?

It’s perfect, because I’m right in the position that Varnell is. I don’t know jack about social media. I don’t know jack about technology. I make a good friend, though. I work my butt off. I make a good teammate. Nine times out of ten, I’m happy. I’m a happy person.

Obviously, the Hollywood premise of the show puts it right in your wheelhouse. How much of your own experiences are you able to use in Varnell’s fictional world?

All of it. I can be a little bit ahead of my time in my thinking, so I can I can morph into something I don’t know about, and find the funny in it anyway. And that came from being a stand-up comedian. I can do comedy in real time, that can come out of my mouth right then, and improv as well. So it’s the perfect setup for me, this show, because everything that I do is wrapped up in what that character does.

How would you describe the Varnell that’s in The Varnell Hill Show, as opposed to the one in Martin? Are there any significant differences with that passage of time?

This Varnell could actually be told something. That Varnell, you can’t tell him nothing. [Laughs.] His whole universe revolved around him—and this Varnell isn’t like that. His friends can actually tell him hey, man, you better come into the real world. You better get on social media. You think this show is going to fly with no social media? The old Varnell would have said, “I don’t need that, and you’re fired.” That’s the difference.

Are there particular favorite scenes or stories that you’ve gotten to do, that cracked you up during this first season?

When Varnell got a contact high off weed and didn’t know it. [Laughs.] I just decided that morning, I’m not doing nothing [in] the script in this scene. I’m just going to go for it.

Is there anything that you want Paramount+ viewers to know about The Varnell Hill Show before they start watching it? Especially for those who may not have seen the Martin episode, anything they should know?

The most important thing I can say about this is that comedy doesn’t have any color, and it still doesn’t. A laugh is a laugh, and I come from the type of shows that prove that. The Proud Family proves that. In Living Color proves that. My movies prove that. My career proves it.

You’re talking about a little black boy whose favorite TV star was Carol Burnett, and Sonny and Cher. I grew up in a time period where peace was in style, and hanging out with people of other races was cool. So none of that affected me, and I never let that change inside of me, and so I know what’s going on with my comedy. My comedy is meant for laughs.

The Varnell Hill Show premieres Sept. 1, 2026 on Paramount+. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Paramount+.

Article content is (c)2020-2026 Brittany Frederick and may not be excerpted or reproduced without express written permission by the author. Follow me on Twitter at @BFTVTwtr and on Instagram at @BFTVGram. For story pitches, contact me at tvbrittanyf@yahoo.com.