( CNN ) There used to be an ad campaign for American Express featuring the line , `` Do you know me ? '' Larry Wilmore could probably be its poster boy . The writer and comedian , whose new `` The Nightly Show '' debuts on Comedy Central on Monday after Jon Stewart 's `` Daily Show , '' has generally stayed behind the scenes . Sure , he 's popped up occasionally on `` The Daily Show '' as `` Senior Black Correspondent , '' but he 's devoted much of his career to writing and producing . It did n't start out that way . In the 1980s , he dropped out of college to become an actor and stand-up comedian . ( You may remember him as a police officer on `` The Facts of Life . '' ) It was a few years later when he decided to become a TV writer . As Wilmore tells it , he was just being practical . `` I knew Hollywood was n't going to find me , '' he told New York magazine of his acting years , when the standard casting call wanted black men closer to Eddie Murphy 's fast-talking types . `` I needed to be able to control my own destiny . Being an actor was too flighty . '' After success as a writer for `` In Living Color , '' `` Sister , Sister '' and `` The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air , '' he turned producer with `` The PJs , '' the animated Eddie Murphy show , and the offbeat `` Bernie Mac Show . '' He had returned to standup and done some hosting with a touring show called `` Larry Wilmore 's Race , Religion and Sex , '' but was ready to go back to producing as the show runner for `` Black-ish . '' Instead , he decided to stay in front of the camera to host `` The Nightly Show , '' which is taking over the `` Colbert Report '' time slot . He does n't seem intimidated . Not only is he going to be in Colbert 's old offices and using his old studio , `` I 'm also moving into Stephen 's house and driving his old car , '' he told The New York Times . Wilmore grew up in the Los Angeles area , where comedy was a regular part of his growing up . It 's still a family affair : His brother Marc is a writer for `` The Simpsons . '' Hard work is also in his makeup . His father was a probation officer who decided to become a doctor -- in his 40s . `` He started taking premed courses , and he just did it . He was a really solid student because he had perspective , '' Wilmore told The New York Times . `` He was n't out playing beer pong every night . It was such a lesson to me . '' Wilmore has distinguished himself on `` The Daily Show , '' where his Senior Black Correspondent has chimed in on such subjects as Black History Month , Barack Obama 's presidency and the Ferguson violence . He 's already had to adjust to changes at `` The Nightly Show , '' which was originally announced as `` The Minority Report with Larry Wilmore . '' Unfortunately for Comedy Central , Fox decided to develop a project based on the 2002 Tom Cruise movie , so Comedy Central opted for `` The Nightly Show . '' But the easygoing Wilmore is OK with that . Besides , the show was n't just going to be about people of color , he told The New York Times . `` It was never intended to be a show only about minorities , '' he said . `` It 's a show about underdogs , and that happens in a lot of different forms , whether it 's race , gender or whatever . '' According to New York magazine , the new show will have some regular cast members , a few panelists and Wilmore , anchoring it all with monologues and his distinct take on the news . Rory Albanese , the `` Nightly Show 's '' executive producer , told The Wall Street Journal that Wilmore 's training behind the scenes will serve him well . `` Larry 's like a Jedi '' of TV and comedy , he said . Wilmore himself is taking a casual attitude to the inevitable attention . You did n't know him before ? You may soon see him everywhere , but he 'll be the same Larry Wilmore regardless . `` It 's too late for success to do anything to me . I 'm too old . Success had its chance , '' he told The New York Times . `` It 's too late for you , success . You had your shot . You 're not going to change me at this point . ''
Larry Wilmore 's `` Nightly Show '' taking over Colbert 's old time slot . Most of Wilmore 's experience behind scenes , though he 's appeared on `` Daily Show ''