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Who Does Eric André Play in Abbott Elementary?

The following contains spoilers for Abbott Elementary Season 4, Episode 10: “Testing”.

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It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’s cast left the door open on their way out of Abbott Elementary, allowing other comedic guest stars to continue roaming the school’s halls after their crossover event. Season 4, Episode 10: “Testing” features the bombastic host of The Eric André Show in a more subdued role. Here’s who comedian Eric André plays on Abbott Elementary.

Eric André Plays District Custodian Cedric the Jani-tainer

In “Testing”, André’s Cedric introduces himself to Abbott Elementary‘s Principal Ava Coleman as a custodial trainee from the district, immediately dismissing her playful nickname “Cedric the Jani-tainer”. This sets the tone for a more lowkey André than fans of his stand-up comedy or eponymous Adult Swim talk show might be used to seeing. But André sprung no unexpected gags, jump scares, or snakes up his sleeve on Abbott Elementary, instead serving a reverent padawan to Mr. Johnson.

Cedric deferentially refers to Mr. Johnson as “the hand that’s fixed a thousand drips”. Fans of the particular brand of pandemonium the comedian brings to The Eric André Show can probably list a handful of drips Mr. Johnson could help shore up on the unabashedly squelchy talk show. Aside from the comedian’s long-running cult variety show, Abbott Elementary audiences may likewise recognize André from Bad Trip, The Righteous Gemstones, Man Seeking Woman, or as the voice of the demon Luci in Netflix’s Disenchantment.

Cedric Is Sent to Abbott Elementary to Replace Mr. Johnson  

Abbott Elementary‘s lovingly conspiratorial custodian immediately clocks Cedric as his district replacement, asserting that an ageist system is attempting to force him into retirement. While Mr. Johnson harbors an array of fringe theories and assessments, the janitor’s assumptions proved correct in “Testing”. In the end, André’s Cedric confesses that the school district sent him to ultimately replace Mr. Johnson as Abbott Elementary’s sole custodian.

However, Johnson’s unsung efforts to keep Abbott Elementary running smoothly, from scrubbing graffiti to playing armchair therapist to Mr. Morton, took center stage in “Testing”, with Cedric admitting that he’s not ready to take on the daunting mantle. This plotline is reminiscent of the show’s second-ever episode “Light Bulb” which established Mr. Johnson’s unusual methods when Quinta Brunson’s Janine Teagues discovered that the janitor has labeled the electrical panel in a seemingly indecipherable code utilizing Boyz II Men song titles.


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Tara McCauley
Contributing Writer
Nerd at large, Tara McCauley's happiest playing or writing about tabletop role playing games. Tara joined The Escapist in October 2023 as a freelance contributor. She covers such TV shows as Fargo and games/fandoms like Dungeons & Dragons. In addition to The Escapist, Tara has gushed about her favorite pop culture topics at CBR, MXDWN, and Monstrous Femme. When she's not writing or rolling dice, Tara can be found catching up on her favorite sitcoms, curled up with a horror comic, or waxing poetic about the WNBA.