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In Living Color was an American sketch comedy television series which ran on the FOX Network from 1990 to 1994. Executive producer Keenen Ivory Wayans created, wrote, and starred in the program.

Other members of the Wayans family — Damon, Kim, Shawn and Marlon — had regular roles (oldest brother Dwayne frequently appeared as an extra), in addition to David Alan Grier, an established character actor who had worked in Keenen Ivory Wayans' motion picture I'm Gonna Git You Sucka (1988).

The series strove to produce comedy with a strong emphasis on African American subject matter. However, In Living Color may be best-known as the launching pad for Jim Carrey (the one male Caucasian member of the original cast, edging Thomas Haden Church in the audition process), future Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx (who joined the cast in the third season), and future actress/singer Jennifer López (who became a "Fly Girl" in the third season).

For the first episode, an exotic-looking black-and-white logo was used for the opening credits. After the band Living Colour claimed the show stole the logo from them and threatened to sue, the logo was changed to one with rather plain-type letters of three colors. Both versions of the theme song were performed by the hip-hop group Heavy D & the Boyz.

In Living Color was also known for its live performances, which started in Season 2 with Queen Latifah as their first performer, (who would appear again in the 3rd) and featured many artists such as Public Enemy, Monie Love and Busta Rhymes (from Leaders of the New School).

Keenen Ivory Wayans left the show in the middle of the fourth season over disputes with Fox about the network's censoring the show's content and rerunning early episodes without his consultation. Keenen feared that Fox would ultimately decrease the syndication value of In Living Color.

On the censorship issue, Fox became more intrusive of the scripts after In Living Color produced a live Super Bowl halftime special (branded by the network as The Doritos Zaptime/'In Living Color' Super Halftime Party). During the "Men on Football" sketch, it was suggested by Damon Wayans and David Alan Grier through adlibs that actor Richard Gere and track and field star Carl Lewis were gay, much to Lewis' open chagrin (this ad-lib has been cut out from reruns and the DVD version). The programming stunt lured a hefty 20 million to 25 million viewers from CBS' telecast of the halftime festivities during Super Bowl XXVI.

By the fifth and final season, none of the Wayans family had any involvement whatsoever with the show. Damon Wayans had already left the show after the third season to pursue a movie career even though he still made "special guest appearances" in the fourth season. Keenan Ivory Wayans had virtually disappeared from the series well before he officially left it. The show's traditional reliance on the character-driven sketches featuring Damon and Keenan gave way to an increasing reliance upon walk-on cameos by "special guests" like James Brown, Rodney Dangerfield, Barry Bonds, Biz Markie, Ed O'Neill, Sherman Hemsley, Sam Kinison, Chris Rock, Tupac Shakur, En Vogue, and various stars of the National Basketball Association. Even Kelly Coffield, who, prior to Alexandra Wentworth's arrival in the fourth season, was the lone female Caucasian cast member, left prior to the final season.

In Living Color was an Ivory Way Production (until Keenen Ivory Wayans left) in association with Twentieth Century Fox Television. It was in reruns on local affiliates and on the News Corporation owned FX Network, where it was distributed by Twentieth Television.

As of April 11, 2006, all five seasons of the series are available on DVD (albeit in edited form). Reruns of the show air on the BET Network.

Popular recurring sketches

  • Anton Jackson / This Old Box - Damon Wayans portrays a gross, drunken homeless person (he lives in a corrugated cardboard box) with a unique world view. Amongst other happenings, he appeared in The People's Court, had his own cable television local access show, and had a marriage of convenience. He frequently carried with him his "personal facilities", a jar that he used as a toilet and which seemed to contain a floating pickle and brine. The character was also shown on an episode of Saturday Night Live hosted by Damon Wayans where Anton testifies in the O.J. Simpson trial.

  • Mr. and Ms. Brooks - Kim Wayans and David Alan Grier play a seemingly loving elderly couple who constantly insult and attempt to kill each other. "And we stiiiiilll together!"

  • Benita Butrell - Kim Wayans portrays a neighborhood woman who breaks the fourth wall by gossiping directly to the viewer and airing her neighbors' dirty laundry after they pass by her...but she "ain't one to gossip."

  • Funky Finger Prodcutions ("Black-Strong" also called "B.S. Brothers") - Two men (David Alan Grier and Tommy Davidson) with a knack for being at the right place for promotion, but with the worst possible ideas to promote. Their pitches are punctuated with Tommy Davidson's character saying "BAM!" as he pulls out a particularly intergral part of their pitch.

  • Calhoun Tubbs - David Alan Grier portrays an old bluesman who always sings the wrong things to the wrong person at the wrong time. Catchphrases: "Wrote a song about it. Like to hear it? Here it goes!" "Thank you very much!" His catchphrase was also used as the intro to En Vogue's Free Your Mind

  • Cephus and Reesie - Kim Wayans and David Alan Grier play a pair of incredibly annoying soul singers.

  • Cheap Pete - Chris Rock (when he guest starred during the final season) as a cheapskate who won't pay more than $1.25 for anything. His catchphrase is "Good Lord that's a lot of money!" His character is based on a bit part Rock played in I'm Gonna Git You Sucka.

  • "The Dirty Dozens" - Stu Dunfy (Nick Bakay) hosts a game show that is a cross between Jeopardy! and Concentration in which contestants are involved in a battle of insults. Two of the contestants that appear in almost every "Dozens" skit include returning champion T-Dog Jenkins (Jamie Foxx) and unlucky-with-categories contestant Amfeny Clark (Reggie McFadden). Variations include Family Dozens and Wheel of Dozens.

  • Dysfunctional Home Show' - An alcoholic, depressed, and incestuous man named Grandpa Jack McGee (Jim Carrey) hosts a housekeeping show, along with his promiscuous daughter (Alexandra Wentworth), her abusive boyfriend (Jamie Foxx), and Grandpa Jack's hateful mother (Kelly Coffield).

  • Fire Marshal Bill Burns - (Jim Carrey) portrays a fire marshal with a manic grin and scarred face whose safety advisories usually include demonstrating (on himself) the very disaster he's warning against. Catchphrases included "Lemme show ya something!!" and "It's very da-da-deadly."

  • Great Moments in Black History - Tommy Davidson or David Alan Grier narrates reenactments of dubious moments in African-American history. Examples include the accidental invention of the jheri curl (when oil leaked on a service station worker's head during an oil change), the first Def Comedy Jam (where a man putting up a banner accidentally hit his hand and started cursing, much to the audience's delight), the first party DJ (a man named Ho accidentally bumps into a record player and scratches the record), the first black astronaut to be abandoned on the Moon, and the advent of the self-serve gas station: "Get it yo' own damn self."

  • Head Detective - Damon Wayans portrays a police detective who, due to a horrific accident, is merely a head attached to a pair of feet and tiny hands and appearing similar to Mr. Potato Head. Along with his full-bodied partner (played by Keenen Ivory or Marlon Wayans), he solves crimes.

  • Hey Mon - Damon Wayans heads a family of hard-working West Indians, each with many careers. With the "lazy" son working only eight different jobs, they find nothing more appalling than meeting people with two or fewer jobs, including babies.

  • Homeboy Shopping Network - Two streetwise pitchmen named Wiz and Ice (Damon and Keenen Ivory Wayans) use a QVC-style approach to sell stolen goods. The phrase "Mo' Money, Mo' Money!" was coined in this sketch. The time limit imposed on sales was typically due to the impending arrival of the police.

  • Homey D. Clown - Damon Wayans plays an ex-con who works as a clown (real name Herman Simpson) for his parole agreement, but violently lashes out at anyone (usually by hitting them on the head with a rock filled sock) who attempts to make him perform the standard antics of the role - "I don't think so...Homey don't play that!". His goal in life is to get even with "The Man", a personification of the white males he thinks are "holding him down". A movie with Homey D. Clown is scheduled to see the light of day in theaters next year.

  • Les and Wes - Damon and Keenen Ivory Wayans portray a pair of conjoined twins attached at the side. Wes is a celebrity, while Les is not, often having a job unrelated to Les'.

  • Loomis Simmons - David Alan Grier plays a shady infomercial host shilling out ridiculous products and services. Examples include ineffective self-help audio tapes and "Custom Built Condoms" that only fit Mr. Simmons.

  • Men on Film (Damon Wayans and David Alan Grier) - In this parody of Siskel & Ebert, a pair of extremely effeminate gay men review films completely based on their potential for homoerotic content. Variations of this sketch include Men on Television, Men on Fitness, Men on Vacation and Men on Men. - "Hated It!", "Fish!", "My second favorite form of liquid protein.", "Four snaps in Z formation, the Zorro snap." The characters were resurrected for an episode of SNL hosted by Damon Wayans.

  • Oswald Bates - Damon Wayans plays an eloquent prison inmate whose vocabulary is full of incorrectly used clinical (usually sexual) terms. "Unfortunately, we could not impregnate everyone. It is simply beyond our colonic threshold." "I believe it was Plato...No, excuse me, I mean Play-Doh...who stuck to the wall when he said one must not put one's transvestite in jeopardy if one is to become a cunning linguist". "Hey, I ain't no venereal fuddrucker!"

  • Snackin' Shack - Kim Wayans played an obnoxious, hard-of-hearing waitress at a greasy spoon diner. Running gags included her giving patrons used water and contaminated food, the chef (Tommy Davidson) announcing entrees that were never ordered, and a homeless wino played by David Alan Grier who would say very outrageous phrases (one of them: "Barney Rubble goes both ways").

  • Tiny - David Alan Grier plays a convicted rapist who always says "breasteses" instead of "breasts." If he would ever get out of control because of the orgasmic thought of the "breasteses," thousands of people would try and calm him down.

  • Wanda - Jamie Foxx portrays Wanda Wayne, the ugliest woman in the world...so ugly, in fact, that no one wanted to be in the same room as she (In one episode, Dracula exposed himself to sunlight to get away from her). One of these helpless individuals is often Tommy Davidson. Trademark phrase: "I'm gon' rock yo world."

Memorable one-time or infrequent sketches

  • The 595 Club - Damon Wayans and Jim Carrey play worldly televangelists who host a religious program and get viewers into buying forgiveness through salesmanship and blackmail. The title of the skit itself is a "discount" parody of the 700 Club.

  • Candy Cane's Show - A very desperate, lonely, sad, psychotic woman (Alexandra Wentworth) hosts a children's television program while having on-air issues with men who had prior sexual relations with her.

  • Cherub of Justice - Jim Carrey plays a Guardian Angels reject who attempts to protect local businesses (and in one sketch a visiting off-camera President of the United States), but usually causes more harm than he prevents.

  • Deboner 2000 - Carol Rosenthal plays Lorena Bobbitt in a mock knife infomercial where she is brutally chopping phallic looking food and related items (pants, boxer shorts, and a game cock).

  • Frenchie - (Keenan Ivory Wayans) - An obnoxious "Partay Animal" in a red platform shoes, red pleather suit with yellow vinyl strings, long jheri curls, and gold chains. Frenchie somewhat resembles Rick James.

  • Juicemania - Jim Carrey plays a surprisingly accurate impersonation of infomercial personality Jay Kordich, who uses an electric juicer to make juice from unlikely sources, such as garbage and sand.

  • Lamont Hightower - (David Alan Grier) A flamboyant host presents televised events and programs celebrating black underachievement and the perpetuation of stereotypes, for example television awards for typecast characters such as "sassy neighbors" and "scared brothers on police shows".

  • Lassie '90 - A mother (Kelly Coffield) and her son (James Carrey) own a pit bull. When they get into trouble they ask their faithful companion to get them something needed to extricate themselves from the situation. The dog soon returns with the desired item, albeit it still held by the severed arm of the original owner.

  • Lil' Magic - Features Kim Wayans as a very tall girl without talent who aways auditions for talent shows, accompanied by her overzealous stage mother, played by David Alan Grier. "I'm Miss Smile Bright 1987!"

  • Timbuk: The Last Runaway Slave - Damon Wayans plays the descendant of cave-dwelling runaway slaves, unaware of changes in the world around him since the 1860s. The skit ended with a cliffhanger that was never resolved.

  • Seamus O'Shanty O'Shame - Jay Leggett plays an Irish singer whose songs start with traditional, uplifting lyrics...and end with graphic lyrics, usually involving death or destruction. Each of his songs ends suddenly with "That's it."

  • Snuf & Roam - (Shawn and Marlon Wayans) A pair of immature brothers talk tough, but invariably get put in their place.

Volt 45, The Lost Sketch

  • On the May 5, 1990 broadcast, Keenen Ivory Wayans did a take-off on a Billy Dee Williams "Colt 45" commercial (in which the purpose of the beverage is to get your lady friend wasted) that ended with a woman (played by Kim Coles) passed out on her back on a dining table, and "Billy Dee" moving in on her unconscious body to have sex with her.
Note: The "Volt 45" sketch was seen only once during the original broadcast. The sketch was omitted from repeats because some felt it was making light of date rape. The Season One DVD set of ILC didn't include the "cut" sketch from the pilot. This skit was cut by Fox censors, and the necessary modifications were made to the master tape. But Keenen "accidentally" mixed up the masters, and the original master was broadcast. That segment has never been broadcast since, not even in syndication or on FX. It has been replaced by The Exxxon Family (a fake promo for a sitcom about a clumsy Exxon boat captain) in syndication and DVD Box Sets.

Cast

Cast members came and went during the run of the show, and new members appeared in new seasons. Note that some older cast members continued to appear in later seasons, so later casts also include some of previous casts' members.

Original cast (First and Second Seasons, 1990-1991)

Third Season (1991-1992) cast additions

  • Jamie Foxx (1991-1994)
  • Steve Park (1991-1992)
  • Twist (Leroy Casey) (1991-1994) "featured" in one first season and second season episode before officially joining cast for third season

Fourth Season (1992-1993) cast additions

Fifth Season (1993-1994) cast additions

  • Anne-Marie Johnson (1993-1994)
  • Jay Leggett (1993-1994) - "featured" in one fourth season episode before officially joining cast for fifth season
  • Reggie McFadden (1993-1994) - "featured" in one fourth season episode and "guest star" in first eleven episodes of fifth season before officially joining cast
  • Carol Rosenthal (1993-1994)
  • Marc Wilmore (1993-1994) (was a writer during the 3rd and 4th seasons)

Featured Players

Despite popular belief, Chris Rock was never an official cast member on In Living Color. Rock appeared (as a "special guest star") only in a selected number of skits in the fifth season, and reprised his "Cheap Pete" character from I'm Gonna Git You Sucka.

Other recurring guest stars in the fifth season include Nick Bakay (for "The Dirty Dozens" sketches) and Peter Marshall (for several editions of "East Hollywood Squares"). Biz Markie also appeared in various roles as a guest star in the fifth season.

Fly Girls (house dance troupe)

Rosie Perez was the choreographer for the first four seasons. Jossie Thacker, Lisa Thompson, and Deidre Lang assumed the role as assistant choreographers, while Arthur Rainer (who was the assistant choreographer for the first 4 seasons) became the main choreographer.

Over the run of the series, several individuals -- both male and female -- made uncredited appearances as unofficial "Fly Girls."

Episodes

First Season (1990)

1. April 15, 1990 - Pilot Episode * -Love Connection

2. April 21, 1990 * -The Wrath of Farrakhan

3. April 28, 1990 * -Lean on Me, Beautiful

4. May 5, 1990 * -Jim Carrey Transition

5. May 12, 1990 * -A Date with Grace

6. May 19, 1990 * -Jheri’s Kids

7. May 27, 1990 * -Don King: The Early Years

8. June 3, 1990 * -Endangered Species

9. June 17, 1990 * -Homey the Clown

10. June 24, 1990 * -Vera De Milo, Bodybuilder

11. July 15, 1990 * -Anton on Po’ People’s Court

12. September 2, 1990 * -Secret Council

13. September 9, 1990 - Season One Finale * -Homey the Clown’s One Stop Carnival

Second Season (1990-1991)

1. September 23, 1990 - Season Two Premier - 14th episode * -Bigger Brothers

2. September 30, 1990 * -Anton Volunteers

3. October 7, 1990 * -Spike’s Joint

4. October 14, 1990 * -Tag Team Evangelists

5. October 21, 1990 * -Miss Black Person U.S.A.

6. October 28, 1990 * -Shahrazad Ali’s Video

7. November 4, 1990 - 20th episode * -B.S. Brothers: Penitentiary IV

8. November 11, 1990 * -Laquita Sings the Blues

9. November 18, 1990 * -Men on Vacation

10. November 25, 1990 - In Living Color’s First Thanksgiving Special * -Anton’s Thanksgiving

11. December 16, 1990 * -Handi Man: The Justice Legion of America

12. December 23, 1990 - 25th Episode - In Living Color’s First Christmas Special * -Vera De Milo: Veracosa, Mistress of Destruction

13. January 13, 1991 *-Johnny Abdul – Saudi Rock Star

14. February 3, 1991 * -Fire Marshall Bill

15. February 10, 1991 * -My Dark Conscience

16. February 17, 1991 * -Anton in the Burbs

17. February 24, 1991 - 30th episode * -Win, Lose or Draw

18. March 3, 1991 * -Lil Magic: The Government Cheese

19. March 17, 1991 * -The 595 Club

20. March 31, 1991 * -The Superfly

21. April 14, 1991 - Best of In Living Color: Season Two * -Anton Volunteers

22. April 28, 1991 * -The Arsenio Hall of Justice

23. May 5, 1991 - The Very Best of In Living Color * -Three Champs and a Little Lady

24. May 12, 1991 - Season Two Finale * -Homey the Clown: Homey the Sellout -Men on Television

25. August 11, 1991 * -Dickie Peterson: Secret Service

26. September 1, 1991 - Best of In Living Color: More of Season Two - 39th episode * -Men on Vacation

Trivia

  • Jim Carrey, David Alan Grier, Tommy Davidson, T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh and Fly Girl Deidre Lang are the only cast members to remain on the show throughout all five seasons, although Carrey's presence during the fifth season was limited due to his rising movie career.
  • Jay Leggett and Reggie McFadden appeared in the same fourth season episode (Episode 14), before they both became regulars in the fifth season.
  • Reggie McFadden appeared in 12 episodes, 11 as a "guest star", before officially joining the cast in Episode 12 of the fifth season.
  • When airing on BET, most curse words (such as "ass" and "bitch") have been muted out and one line ("drop the soap") was also muted for its implications of prison rape. The DVD version has the language intact (except for the "drop the soap" line), but most of the sketches have been cut, particularly the music video parodies due to copyright reasons.
  • Damon Wayans' characters Blaine Edwards (from "Men on ..." sketchs) and Anton Jackson (the gross, homeless man) are the only two recurring characters who have been seen on both In Living Color and Saturday Night Live.
  • If you look closely at the lateral sides of Homey D. Clown's shoes, you can see a big Nike swoosh logo and the word Nike on top. It's usually difficult to spot because the swoosh and the word are both in black.
  • At the 2006 BET Awards when the show returned from one of its commercial breaks, the show's host Damon Wayans played a character very reminicent to "Men on ..." critic Blaine Edwards.

External links

1990s TV shows in the United States | Fox network shows | Television sketch shows | Variety television series | Fox Television Studios shows | Black Entertainment Television shows | Hip hop media

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "In Living Color".

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