Davidson started his career as a standup comedian in Washington DC, earning an ardent following with relentless work in the leading comedy clubs. As one of the cutting-edge, young stand-ups, he was spotted by major concert promoters who booked him as the opening act for A-list tours including Patti LaBelle, Kenny G and Luther Vandross. It wasn’t long before he came to Hollywood and was headlining at a number of clubs, including the Comedy Act Theatre, where he met Robert Townsend. This led to his first national television appearance with a starring role in Partners in Crime and was the conduit to Keenan Ivory Wayans, who proved instrumental in Davidson’s career by offering him an opportunity to audition.