I had spent many years before I was 31 hearing people tell me, Oh Man, you're so funny, you need to be in television. But that and a quarter won't get you on a bus.

He was later given the role of Principal Steven Harper on the series Boston Public. McBride originally planned to pursue a career in music. After studying several instruments and singing with gospel choirs in his native Chicago he relocated to Atlanta in 1986 to work for AT&T as a billing clerk.

Kenneth "Chi" (pronounced "shy"[citation needed]) McBride (born September 23 1961) is an American actor.