You see him walk onto a stage, usually rocking a sharp fedora and a suit that looks like it cost more than a mid-sized sedan, and you just assume he’s a big guy. He has that "big" energy. He’s the King of Comedy, the guy who held his own next to Steve Harvey and Bernie Mac without breaking a sweat. But honestly, if you ever stood right next to him at a red carpet event or caught him at a deli in St. Louis, you might be a little surprised.
Cedric the Entertainer stands 5 feet 6 inches tall.
That’s about 168 centimeters for those of you keeping track outside the States. Now, if you’re thinking, "Wait, he looks way bigger on The Neighborhood," you’re not crazy. It’s a mix of camera angles, those signature hats that add an inch or two of "prestige," and a personality that basically takes up every square inch of oxygen in a room.
Why how tall is Cedric the Entertainer actually matters in Hollywood
The comedy world is a weird place when it comes to height. Think about it. Kevin Hart is the king of "short guy" jokes, standing at maybe 5’2” on a good day. Then you’ve got guys like Brad Garrett who are basically towers. Cedric sits in that middle ground where he’s not "short" enough to make it his entire comedic brand, but he’s definitely not a giant.
When he was filming The Original Kings of Comedy back in 2000, he was sharing the stage with some varying heights. Steve Harvey is about 6’1”. Bernie Mac was roughly 6’3”. Standing between those two, Cedric should have looked tiny.
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He didn't.
That’s the magic of his physical presence. He uses his build—which he often describes with his trademark "Grown-A$$ Man" swagger—to project authority. He doesn’t need to be 6’5” to command a room because his voice and his timing do all the heavy lifting for him.
Height comparisons that might surprise you
Let’s put that 5'6" frame into perspective. It’s easy to get lost in the numbers, but comparing him to other familiar faces makes it real.
- Steve Harvey: At 6’1”, Steve has a good seven inches on Ced. When they did The Steve Harvey Show, the directors were masters at framing them so it didn't look like a father-son height gap.
- Max Greenfield: His co-star on The Neighborhood is about 5’10”. You can actually see the difference in their scenes together, but Cedric’s character, Calvin Butler, is so much more "intimidating" that the height difference basically evaporates.
- Ice Cube: Cedric’s frequent collaborator from the Barbershop movies is only about 5’8”. They’re actually pretty close in stature, which is probably why they look so natural trading barbs in the shop.
The "Big Guy" illusion and the wardrobe Factor
There is a specific reason why people constantly search for how tall is Cedric the Entertainer. It’s because he looks "substantial." In the industry, we call this "playing big." Cedric has a stocky, athletic-adjacent build that makes him look like a guy who could’ve been a linebacker in another life.
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Then there are the hats.
Cedric is almost never seen without a high-quality fedora or a stylish flat cap. He even launched his own luxury hat line, Who Ced, in 2011. A well-structured fedora adds literal height to the silhouette. If you’re 5’6” and you’re wearing a hat with a two-inch crown, the world perceives you as 5’8”. It’s a classic style move that short and average-height men have used for a century, and Ced has perfected it.
It’s about the "Stage Weight"
If you talk to anyone who has done stand-up, they’ll tell you about "stage weight." It’s not about how many pounds you weigh; it’s about how much space you occupy mentally for the audience. Cedric has massive stage weight. When he’s doing his "old man" dance or acting out a sketch, he moves with a grace that makes him feel larger than life.
Most fans are shocked to find out he’s shorter than the average American male (which is about 5'9"). But that's the beauty of his career. From his early days as a State Farm insurance claims adjuster in Missouri to hosting the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards in 2021, he’s never been defined by his vertical measurements.
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Cedric's true stats: More than just inches
While the world wonders about his height, his real "stats" are in his longevity. Born Cedric Antonio Kyles in Jefferson City, Missouri, on April 24, 1964, he’s been a staple of American culture for over three decades.
- Net Worth: Estimated around $25 million, which is a lot of money per inch if you’re doing the math.
- NAACP Image Awards: He has snagged several, including a recent win in 2023 for The Neighborhood.
- Voice Acting: You might not "see" his 5’6” frame, but you definitely hear him as Maurice in Madagascar or as Bobby Proud in The Proud Family.
Actually, his voice work is a great example of his "size." The characters he voices are often the loudest, most eccentric personalities in the room. Maurice, the lemur, is tiny, yet he’s the one keeping King Julien in check. It’s a perfect metaphor for Cedric’s career.
Final Take on Cedric's Stature
So, is Cedric the Entertainer short? Technically, yeah, he’s below the average height. But does it matter? Not even a little bit. He’s built a legacy on being the "everyman" who also happens to be the funniest guy in the ZIP code. He’s a member of Kappa Alpha Psi, a philanthropist who gives back to St. Louis through his foundation, and a guy who can make a 10-minute bit about a BBQ grill feel like a Shakespearean tragedy.
If you ever meet him, don't expect a giant. Expect a man who is exactly as tall as he needs to be to reach the microphone.
To get the full picture of how he uses his physical comedy to bridge that height gap, go back and watch his 2016 Netflix special, Live from the Ville. You’ll see a masterclass in how to use your body—regardless of how many inches it is—to tell a story that resonates with millions.
Check out his latest work on The Neighborhood to see how he continues to dominate the screen alongside taller actors without losing an ounce of presence.