The allure of entertaining for a living is enough to lead many to work in comedy. But it’s seldom the prospect of fame alone that attracts authentic talent to the business. Comedy is an art fully contingent upon originality — talent, individuality and adaptability are the driving forces that deliver results.
Wyatt Cenac has all three.
Working as a writer for the animated adult sitcom “King of the Hill” for four seasons, a correspondent on “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” from 2008 to 2012 and now the host of the weekly comedy showcase “Night Train,” Cenac’s 15-year career has not assigned itself to a specific genre or medium.
Cenac attributes his comedic versatility to his transient childhood. After moving from his native New York to spend a part of his childhood in Dallas, Cenac said he was able to perceive America through an objective lens, creating a platform from which to gain inspiration.
“[Moving around the country] allowed me to see things from different perspectives,” Cenac said. “Different cities showed different diversity.
Cenac said his inspiration comes from “what’s weird” to him, as well as what’s topical. There is also a need to perceive things from outside one’s comfort zone, he said.
“There are definitely things in the world that grab your attention, but it still runs through that filter,” Cenac said. “It’s different depending on what I’m talking about.”
Cenac, a 1998 graduate of University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, said he started performing stand-up in college, which ultimately led him to his comedy career.
Before graduating, Cenac interned at “Saturday Night Live” in 1996, during the era of Will Ferrell and Tracy Morgan. But it was Colin Quinn who greatly influenced Cenac’s career path.
“Colin Quinn looked out for me,” Cenac said. “He solidified this job as an attainable path to a career.”
After getting rides home from Tracy Morgan and working six days a week at his one-year stint at “SNL,” Cenac moved to Los Angeles. There he broke into the industry, working various jobs as a production assistant and dabbling at Upright Citizens Brigade and Improv Olympics, in addition to the occasional stand-up gig.
Reflecting on his career after getting hired to write for “King of the Hill,” Cenac said the journey to his success has no tangible path.
“There’s no set path,” Cenac said. “You just know it’s gonna be a long road.”
In the years since Cenac left “The Daily Show,” he’s become increasingly well-known. He said being a correspondent for the program allowed him the opportunity to be a stand-alone performer. He’s filmed two comedy specials, the second, “Wyatt Cenac: Brooklyn,” was released on Netflix last year. He also voices two characters on the Nickelodeon series “Fanboy and Chum Chum.”
Cenac said over the years nothing has changed in the way he approaches the craft, or how he finds work, despite his increasing popularity.
“Now when I do a show or go to a city, there are more people now who are aware of me, but the process is still the same,” Cenac said. “But when I’m not working, you can find me with my friends in Brooklyn, wandering around record shops and bars, which isn’t that exciting.”
Cenac will perform Thursday, Friday and Saturday night at the Comedy Club on State Street. Tickets are $15 to $20, depending on the night.
