How KevOnStage Juggles Fatherhood, Comedy and Viral Videos

Chances are you’ve seen a viral comedy video featuring the antics of Kevin Fredericks, aka “KevOnStage,” and maybe even one featuring his hilariously funny children. But what you may not know is that underneath the laughs is a Christian family man who wants to be known not as a Christian comic but as a comic who happens to be a Christian.

In 2012, Fredericks’ first viral video, “Growing Up Black,” featured his son ZayZay. And now, with over 1,500,000 views and counting, it’s still a classic in the Fredericks household.

Just like his son, Fredericks got bit by the comedy bug when he was young. But it might never have happened had it not been for a lie his brother told him.

“I started doing stand-up on a dare. I told my brother I was thinking about doing the church talent show in high school. And he told me that this girl that we were friends with thought I wasn’t funny and shouldn’t do it. After that, I said I was certainly going to do it. Turns out she never said that; he only told me that to get me started,” Fredericks told The Root.

After his first foray into stand-up, he kept it going through college. Although Fredericks is a comic, his faith does play a big role in his material. But he doesn’t talk only about religion.

“I don’t only talk about church jokes. I just talk about stuff that’s funny. Church is a big part of my life, but I want to talk about whatever I think is funny. But that also means sometimes the saints get upset,” he said.

When it comes to his comedy outside of stand-up, Fredericks is also paving his way with Russell Simmons’ All Def Digital. Currently, Fredericks is its director of comedy content, and he leads a group of creatives who make all the comedy videos on the channel’s YouTube, Facebook and Snapchat. Last year Fredericks wrote, produced and directed All Def Digital’s first film, Major Deal, which hit No. 4 on iTunes off of preorders alone, beating out Jason Bourne.

Even with his busy schedule, Fredericks remains a family man at heart, especially when it comes to having his kids join him in his comedy. But as with most parents, Fredericks’ kids still think he’s kinda corny.

“If I tell the jokes about butts, farts and burps, they think I’m hilarious. They’re still my kids, but they don’t think I’m the funniest person. If I ask what they like about me being their dad, they’ll mention me being funny,” Fredericks said.

Juggling his comedy career and family life is something Fredericks takes seriously, and he’s mindful of keeping his travel schedule to a minimum.

“It’s all about balance. I used to feel really guilty about leaving to do stand-up,” he said. “I talk to my kids about [how] this is what I love to do, and it will require [me] to miss some of their events. I take my kids to school every day. For the most part, I am there present as much as possible.

“Movies are a big thing with my family. So we have movie night every Friday night,” he added.

“I don’t want to make so much money that I don’t have a good connection with my kids,” Fredericks stated. “I don’t want to lose my family and have all the money, but with no one to share it with. Or have my wife say that I put everything before them.”

Fredericks noted that he doesn’t have to do everything and that the most important thing in his life is the time he spends with his children and his wife.

To learn more about KevOnStage, visit his Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts.