His parents are Barry and Susi, the former of whom emigrated from Leeds, England. Six months after his birth, Cross's family moved to Florida.
After additional moves to New York and Connecticut, the family settled back in Roswell, where Cross remained for nearly a decade. He is the oldest of three children and has two younger sisters, Juli Cross and Wendy Cross. Cross recalled they were evicted from their home and that he spent some time living in motels and at friends' homes in his youth. Barry left the family when David was 10 years old the two have not spoken since he was 19, though they both primarily resided in New York City until Cross sold his home there in 2011. He attended Northside High School of the Performing Arts (now North Atlanta High School). Cross was elected treasurer of his senior class and was voted 'Most Humorous' by his classmates. He graduated in 1982.Īt age 17, Cross began performing stand-up comedy. The day after he graduated from Northside High School in Atlanta, Cross relocated to New York City. Lacking a plan, he drifted, working briefly for a lawn care company on Long Island. Later, he enrolled at Emerson College in Boston.
