Tommy Davidson, who spent much of his childhood in Montgomery County, is reprising one of his most memorable roles in the upcoming “Martin” spinoff, “The Varnell Hill Show.”
Davidson will once again play Varnell Hill, the flashy talk show host first introduced during Season 2 of the hit 1990s sitcom “Martin.” The character is now getting his own series more than three decades after his original appearance.
Set behind the scenes of Varnell’s long-running late-night talk show, the workplace comedy follows the larger-than-life host as he attempts to remain relevant while navigating network pressure, a chaotic writers’ room and his own considerable ego.
Martin Lawrence, who was raised in neighboring Prince George’s County, serves as an executive producer and will make guest appearances as Martin Payne, his character from the original series.
Davidson has extensive ties to Montgomery County. Born Anthony Reed in Greenville, Mississippi, Davidson was abandoned at just 18 months old before being rescued by the woman who would become his adoptive mother. His name was changed to Tommy Davidson following his adoption.
After his adoptive parents divorced when he was five, Davidson’s family moved to Washington, D.C., and later Montgomery County. He lived in Wheaton, the Rosemary Hills neighborhood of Silver Spring and Takoma Park.
Davidson attended Rosemary Hills Elementary School, Sligo Middle School and Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, along with a brief period at Mark Twain in Rockville. He graduated from B-CC in 1981 before studying communications and interning for one semester at the University of the District of Columbia’s radio station.
Before breaking into entertainment, Davidson held several jobs around the area, including working in the kitchen at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, cleaning at Roy Rogers, bussing tables at an IHOP in Wheaton and working in the storeroom at Hechinger in Hyattsville.
His comedy career began in 1986 when a childhood friend convinced him to try stand-up at The Penthouse in Washington, D.C. Davidson continued performing throughout the D.C. area, Baltimore and Philadelphia, eventually opening concerts for performers including Patti LaBelle and Kenny G. In 1987, he won an amateur stand-up competition at the Apollo Theater.
Davidson later moved to North Hollywood, where he met Lawrence, who happened to live in the same building. He went on to perform at the Comedy Store and worked as a warm-up comic for an HBO special after catching the attention of Robert Townsend. Appearances connected to Luther Vandross and Anita Baker shows and a spot on “The Arsenio Hall Show” followed. His major breakthrough came when he became an original cast member of Fox’s “In Living Color,” where his comedy reached millions of viewers each week.
Now, Davidson is returning to a character from another major chapter of his career. “The Varnell Hill Show” will consist of eight episodes and is scheduled to debut on Paramount+ on September 1, 2026.
