In Living Color was an American
sketch comedySketch comedy consists of a series of short comedy scenes or vignettes, called "sketches," commonly between one and ten minutes long. Such sketches are performed by a group of comic actors, either on stage or through an audio and/or visual medium such as broadcasting...
television series, which originally ran on the
Fox NetworkThe Fox Broadcasting Company , commonly referred to as Fox , is an American television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, from 2004 to 2009 Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the 18–49 demographic...
from April 15, 1990 to May 19, 1994. Brothers
KeenenKeenen Ivory Wayans is an American actor, comedian, director and writer known as the host and creator of the FOX sketch comedy series In Living Color, which also starred Jim Carrey, Jamie Foxx, brothers Damon Wayans, Shawn Wayans and Marlon Wayans, sister Kim Wayans, David Alan Grier, Tommy...
and
Damon WayansDamon Kyle Wayans is an American stand-up comedian, writer and actor, known as one of the popular Wayans brothers.-Early life:...
created, wrote, and starred in the program. The show was produced by Ivory Way Productions in association with
20th Century Fox TelevisionTwentieth Century Fox Television, Inc. is the television production division of the Fox movie studio, a subsidiary of the Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation...
. The show was taped before a live studio audience at stage 7 at The Fox Broadcasting Center on Sunset BVLD in Hollywood, California.
Other members of the Wayans family—
KimKim Wayans is an American actress, comedian, producer, writer and director. She is also a member of the Wayans family.-Early life:...
,
ShawnShawn M. Wayans is an American actor and comedian who starred in In Living Color and The Wayans Bros. He is the brother of Keenen Ivory, Damon, Marlon, Kim and Nadia Wayans.-Personal life:...
and
MarlonMarlon L. Wayans is an American actor, producer, comedian, writer, and director of movies, beginning with his role as a pedestrian in I'm Gonna Git You Sucka in 1988. He is known for mostly teaming with his brother Shawn Wayans, in movies such as Scary Movie, Scary Movie 2, White Chicks, Little...
—had regular roles, while brother
DwayneDwayne Wayans is an American writer and film score composer. He is the brother of Keenen Ivory Wayans, Damon Wayans, Kim Wayans, Shawn Wayans, and Marlon Wayans.-Early life:...
frequently appeared as an extra.
The series strove to produce comedy with a strong emphasis on
BlackAfrican-American culture in the United States refers to the cultural contributions of Americans of African descent to the culture of the United States, either as part of or distinct from American culture...
subject matter.
In Living Color was an American
sketch comedySketch comedy consists of a series of short comedy scenes or vignettes, called "sketches," commonly between one and ten minutes long. Such sketches are performed by a group of comic actors, either on stage or through an audio and/or visual medium such as broadcasting...
television series, which originally ran on the
Fox NetworkThe Fox Broadcasting Company , commonly referred to as Fox , is an American television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, from 2004 to 2009 Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the 18–49 demographic...
from April 15, 1990 to May 19, 1994. Brothers
KeenenKeenen Ivory Wayans is an American actor, comedian, director and writer known as the host and creator of the FOX sketch comedy series In Living Color, which also starred Jim Carrey, Jamie Foxx, brothers Damon Wayans, Shawn Wayans and Marlon Wayans, sister Kim Wayans, David Alan Grier, Tommy...
and
Damon WayansDamon Kyle Wayans is an American stand-up comedian, writer and actor, known as one of the popular Wayans brothers.-Early life:...
created, wrote, and starred in the program. The show was produced by Ivory Way Productions in association with
20th Century Fox TelevisionTwentieth Century Fox Television, Inc. is the television production division of the Fox movie studio, a subsidiary of the Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation...
. The show was taped before a live studio audience at stage 7 at The Fox Broadcasting Center on Sunset BVLD in Hollywood, California.
Other members of the Wayans family—
KimKim Wayans is an American actress, comedian, producer, writer and director. She is also a member of the Wayans family.-Early life:...
,
ShawnShawn M. Wayans is an American actor and comedian who starred in In Living Color and The Wayans Bros. He is the brother of Keenen Ivory, Damon, Marlon, Kim and Nadia Wayans.-Personal life:...
and
MarlonMarlon L. Wayans is an American actor, producer, comedian, writer, and director of movies, beginning with his role as a pedestrian in I'm Gonna Git You Sucka in 1988. He is known for mostly teaming with his brother Shawn Wayans, in movies such as Scary Movie, Scary Movie 2, White Chicks, Little...
—had regular roles, while brother
DwayneDwayne Wayans is an American writer and film score composer. He is the brother of Keenen Ivory Wayans, Damon Wayans, Kim Wayans, Shawn Wayans, and Marlon Wayans.-Early life:...
frequently appeared as an extra.
Description and history
The series strove to produce comedy with a strong emphasis on
BlackAfrican-American culture in the United States refers to the cultural contributions of Americans of African descent to the culture of the United States, either as part of or distinct from American culture...
subject matter. Its groundbreaking sketch comedy helped launch the career of male comedians and actors
Jim CarreyJames Eugene "Jim" Carrey is a Canadian-American actor and stand-up comedian. Carrey is best known for his performances as multiple characters in the sketch comedy show In Living Color, as the title character in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, as the unlucky TV...
(one of only two
whiteWhite people is a term which usually refers to human beings characterized, at least in part, by the light pigmentation of their skin...
members of the original cast, then credited as "James Carrey"),
Jamie FoxxEric Marlon Bishop , professionally known as Jamie Foxx, is an American actor, stand-up comedian, and singer. For his work in the film Ray, Foxx won the Academy Award and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Award for Best Actor...
(a future
Academy AwardThe Academy Awards, popularly known as the Oscars, are presented annually by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence of professionals in the film industry, including directors, actors, and writers. The formal ceremony at which the awards are presented is...
winner, who joined the cast in the third season) and
David Alan GrierDavid Alan Grier , also known as "D.A.G." , is an American actor and comedian known for his work on the sketch comedy television show In Living Color...
(an established character actor, who had worked in Keenen Ivory Wayans' 1988 motion picture
I'm Gonna Git You SuckaI'm Gonna Git You Sucka is a 1988 mock blaxploitation film written and directed by and starring Keenen Ivory Wayans. Featured in the film are several African American actors who were part of the blaxploitation phenomenon; including Jim Brown, Bernie Casey, Antonio Fargas and Isaac Hayes...
). Its Fly Girl dance troupe helped launch careers of future famous actress/singer
Jennifer LopezJennifer Lynn Lopez , often nicknamed J.Lo, is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, fashion designer and television producer. She is the richest person of Latin American descent in Hollywood according to Forbes, and the most influential Hispanic entertainer in the U.S...
(who joined the show in its third season), choreographer
Laurie Ann GibsonLaurie Ann Gibson is a choreographer and creative director best known for her work on MTV's Making the Band series. She was born and raised in Toronto, Canada, and later became a "Fly Girl" on In Living Color. She later moved on to choreograph many acts for Bad Boy Records...
, choreographer
Carrie Ann InabaCarrie Ann Inaba is an American dancer, choreographer, actress, television host, and singer. She has appeared as one of three judges on the ABC television series Dancing with the Stars , a show that pairs celebrities with professional dancers as they train and then compete in front of a studio...
(who was a Fly Girl from 1990 to 1992), and future Academy Award Nominee
Rosie PerezRosa María "Rosie" Pérez is an American actress, dancer, choreographer, director, and community activist.-Early life:...
(the show's choreographer 1990 to 1992).
Pilot episode
For the first episode, an exotic-looking black-and-white logo was used for the opening credits. After the band
Living ColourLiving Colour is an African American funk metal band from New York City, formed in 1983. Stylistically, the band's music is a creative fusion influenced by heavy metal, funk, hard rock, free jazz, hardcore punk and hip hop...
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-hopHip hop music is a musical genre which developed alongside hip hop culture, and is commonly based on concepts of loop, rapping, freestyle, DJing, scratching, sampling and beatboxing. The music is used to express concerns of political, social, and personal issues...
group
Heavy D & the BoyzHeavy D Better known by his stage name Heavy D, an American rapper and former leader of Heavy D & the Boyz, a hip hop group which included G-Whiz , "Trouble" T. Roy , and Eddie F . The group maintained a sizable audience in the United States through most of the 1990s...
. The logo and opening sequence was derivative of the
Memphis MovementThe Memphis Group was an Italian design and architecture movement of the 1980s.-Group members:The group was grouped by Ettore Sottsass led on 16 December 1980, and resolved to meet again with their designs in February 1981. The result was a highly-acclaimed debut at the 1981 Salone del Mobile of...
art style.
Live musical performances
In Living Color was known for its live music performances, which started in Season 2 with
Queen LatifahDana Elaine Owens , better known by her stage name Queen Latifah, is an American rapper, actress, singer, model, and CoverGirl...
as their first performer (appearing again in the third season). Some of the other music acts who performed on the show were Public Enemy,
Kris KrossKris Kross was an American teenage rap duo of the early 1990s comprised of Chris "Mack Daddy" Kelly and Chris "Daddy Mack" Smith. The duo is best known for their 1992 hit "Jump", which was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for eight weeks and was certified double platinum as a single...
,
En VogueEn Vogue is an American female R&B vocal quartet from Oakland, California assembled by music producers Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy.Through August 2008, En Vogue had sold over 20 million albums and singles worldwide...
,
Eazy-EEric Lynn Wright , better known by the stage name Eazy-E, was an American rapper, producer, and record executive from Compton, California....
,
Monie LoveSimone Wilson or Simone Gooden known by her stage name Monie Love, is a female, English emcee and former radio personality in the United States...
, Heavy D,
MC LyteLana Michele Moorer , better known by her stage name MC Lyte is rap artist who has scored several Rap and R&B hits. She has released several albums since 1988.-Biography:...
,
JodeciJodeci is an American band, whose repertoire includes R&B, soul music, and new jack swing. The group consists of two pairs of brothers from Hampton, Virginia and Charlotte, North Carolina: the DeGrates and the Haileys...
,
Tupac ShakurTupac Amaru Shakur , also known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He has sold 75 million albums to date and is one of the best-selling music artists in the world. In addition to his status as a top-selling recording artist, Shakur was a promising actor and a social...
, and
Leaders of the New SchoolThe Leaders of the New School were an American hip hop crew composed of Uniondale, New York natives Charlie Brown, Dinco D, Busta Rhymes and Cut Monitor Milo, Busta Rhymes' cousin. The four got their start touring with hip hop group Public Enemy, and in fact it was member Chuck D who gave Busta...
.
Departure of the Wayans
Keenen Ivory WayansKeenen Ivory Wayans is an American actor, comedian, director and writer known as the host and creator of the FOX sketch comedy series In Living Color, which also starred Jim Carrey, Jamie Foxx, brothers Damon Wayans, Shawn Wayans and Marlon Wayans, sister Kim Wayans, David Alan Grier, Tommy...
left the show in 1992 after the end of the third season, over disputes with Fox about the network
censoringCensorship is the suppression of speech or deletion of communicative material which may be considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or inconvenient to the government or media organizations as determined by a censor.-Rationale:...
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. During the fourth season in 1992, he appeared only in the (1992-93) season opener, though he remained the executive producer and thus stayed in the opening credits until the thirteenth episode.
Marlon WayansMarlon L. Wayans is an American actor, producer, comedian, writer, and director of movies, beginning with his role as a pedestrian in I'm Gonna Git You Sucka in 1988. He is known for mostly teaming with his brother Shawn Wayans, in movies such as Scary Movie, Scary Movie 2, White Chicks, Little...
left with Keenen.
Shawn WayansShawn M. Wayans is an American actor and comedian who starred in In Living Color and The Wayans Bros. He is the brother of Keenen Ivory, Damon, Marlon, Kim and Nadia Wayans.-Personal life:...
and
Kim WayansKim Wayans is an American actress, comedian, producer, writer and director. She is also a member of the Wayans family.-Early life:...
both left the show at the end of the fourth season.
Damon WayansDamon Kyle Wayans is an American stand-up comedian, writer and actor, known as one of the popular Wayans brothers.-Early life:...
left at the end of the third season to pursue a movie career, though he made a few "special guest appearances" in the fourth season.
Censorship
Fox started censoring the scripts more after
In Living Color produced a live Super Bowl halftime special (branded by the network as
The DoritosDoritos is a brand of flavored tortilla chips produced since the year 1960 by the American food company Frito-Lay . Doritos are sold in many countries worldwide in assorted flavors...
Zaptime/'In Living Color' Super Halftime Party). During the "Men on Football" sketch, Damon Wayans and David Alan Grier ad libbed a suggestion that
Richard GereRichard Tiffany Gere is an American actor. He began acting in the 1970s, and came to prominence in 1980 for his role in the film American Gigolo, which established him as a leading man and a sex symbol...
and track and field star
Carl LewisFrederick Carlton "Carl" Lewis is a retired American track and field athlete who won 10 Olympic medals including 9 gold, and 10 World Championships medals, of which 8 were gold, in a career that spanned from 1979 when he first achieved a world ranking to 1996 when he last won an Olympic title and...
were homosexuals, much to Lewis' open chagrin. The programming stunt lured 20 million to 25 million viewers from
CBSThe NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's games wherein the road team is from the American Football Conference, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage:...
' telecast of the halftime festivities during
Super Bowl XXVISuper Bowl XXVI was an American football game played on January 26, 1992 at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota to decide the National Football League champion following the 1991 regular season...
on Sunday, January 26, 1992. Also, in the originally aired version of another sketch unrelated to the Super Bowl special ("Men on Fitness" – Feb. 7, 1993), there was a simulation of
Damon WayansDamon Kyle Wayans is an American stand-up comedian, writer and actor, known as one of the popular Wayans brothers.-Early life:...
' character Blaine enjoying receiving facial
ejaculationEjaculation is the ejecting of semen from a penis, and is usually accompanied by orgasm. It is usually the final stage and natural objective of sexual stimulation, and an essential component of natural conception. In rare cases ejaculation occurs because of prostatic disease. Ejaculation may also...
while being sprayed with a water bottle. These two segments have been cut from reruns and the DVD version.
When airing reruns on
BETBlack Entertainment Television is an American cable network based in Washington D.C., and targets young African-American audiences in the United States. Robert L. Johnson founded the network in 1980...
, most curse words (such as "ho" and "bitch") have been muted out. One line ("drop the soap") during the second "Men on Film" sketch was muted out by Fox censors before ever airing on TV for its implications of prison rape. The DVD version has the language intact (except for the "drop the soap" line), but numerous sketches have been cut, particularly the music video parodies due to copyright reasons.
On the May 5, 1990 broadcast,
Keenen Ivory WayansKeenen Ivory Wayans is an American actor, comedian, director and writer known as the host and creator of the FOX sketch comedy series In Living Color, which also starred Jim Carrey, Jamie Foxx, brothers Damon Wayans, Shawn Wayans and Marlon Wayans, sister Kim Wayans, David Alan Grier, Tommy...
did a take-off on a
Billy Dee WilliamsBilly Dee Williams is an American actor, artist, singer and writer, best known for his role as Lando Calrissian in the Star Wars films as well as pitchman for Colt 45 malt liquor.-Early life:...
"
Colt 45Colt 45 is a brand of beer introduced by National Brewing Company in the spring of 1963. Through a series of mergers and acquisitions, the National Brewing Company and its brands are today owned by the Pabst Brewing Company....
" commercial (in which the purpose of the beverage is to get your lady friend wasted) that ended with a woman (played by
Kim ColesKimberley "Kim" Coles is an American actress and comedian.-Career:Coles has appeared on many television shows, including Frasier , Six Feet Under, Celebrity Mole and The Geena Davis Show...
) passed out on her back on a dining table, and "Billy Dee" moving in on her unconscious body to have sex with her. The "Colt 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"Date rape", often referred to as “acquaintance rape”, is an assault or attempted assault by usually a new acquaintance involving sexual intercourse without mutual consent.-Drug-facilitated date rape:...
. The Season 1 DVD set of
ILC didn't include the "cut" sketch from the
pilotA television pilot is a test episode of an intended television series. It is an early step in the development of a television series, much like pilot lights or pilot studies serve as precursors to the start of larger activity, or pilot holes prepare the way for larger holes. Networks use pilots to...
. This skit was cut by Fox censors, and the necessary modifications were made to the master tape. But Keenen "accidentally" mixed up the
mastersA master recording is an original recording, from which copies may be made.When recording on to magnetic or digital tape, the original tape is known as the master tape.When recording on to a computer hard disk, it is known as session files....
, and the original master was broadcast. That segment has never been broadcast since, not even in syndication, on
FXFX is the name of a number of related subscription TV channels owned by News Corporation's Fox Entertainment Group. The network's most popular original shows are The Shield, Nip/Tuck, Rescue Me and Damages, as well as the comedy It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia...
or
BETBlack Entertainment Television is an American cable network based in Washington D.C., and targets young African-American audiences in the United States. Robert L. Johnson founded the network in 1980...
. 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.
Season 5
By the fifth and final season, none of the Wayans family had any involvement whatsoever with the show. The show's traditional reliance on the character-driven sketches featuring Damon and Keenan gave way to an increasing reliance upon walk-on cameos and guest appearances, including
Nick BakayNick Bakay is an American writer, actor, voice actor, comedian and sportscaster. He is best known as the voice of Salem Saberhagen on ABC/The WB's Sabrina, the Teenage Witch and Sabrina, the Animated Series, and Norbert Beaver on The Angry Beavers...
,
Barry BondsBarry Lamar Bonds is a former Major League Baseball outfielder. He is the son of former major league All-Star Bobby Bonds. He debuted in the Major Leagues with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1986 and joined the San Francisco Giants in 1993, where he stayed through 2007.Bonds has led a controversial...
,
James BrownJames Joseph Brown , originally James Joseph Brown, Jr., also known as "The Godfather of Soul", was an American entertainer. He is recognized as one of the most influential figures in 20th century popular music and was renowned for his vocals and feverish dancing...
,
Rodney DangerfieldRodney Dangerfield , born Jacob Cohen, was an American comedian and actor, best known for the catchphrases "I don't get no respect" or "I get no respect" and his monologues on that theme....
,
Sherman HemsleySherman Alexander Hemsley is an American actor, most famous for his role as George Jefferson on the CBS television series All in the Family and The Jeffersons and as Deacon Ernest Frye on Amen. He also played Earl Sinclair's horrifying boss, a Triceratops named B.P...
,
Biz MarkieMarcel Theo Hall better known by his stage name Biz Markie, is a rapper, DJ, and comedian, best known for the single "Just a Friend", an American top-10 hit in 1989.-Biography:...
,
Peter MarshallPeter Marshall may refer to:* Peter James Marshall , Emeritus Rhodes Professor of Imperial History at King's College London, and historian of the British Empire in the eighteenth century.* Peter Marshall Peter Marshall may refer to:* Peter James Marshall (historian), Emeritus Rhodes Professor of...
,
Ed O'NeillEdward "Ed" O'Neill is an American actor. He is best known for his role as the main character, Al Bundy, on the Fox Network's sitcom, Married... with Children. O'Neill is often cast as a police detective or FBI agent in television shows and films.-Early life:O'Neill was born into an Irish Catholic...
,
Chris RockChristopher Julius "Chris" Rock III is an American comedian, actor, screenwriter, television producer, film producer and director. He was voted by Comedy Central as the fifth greatest stand-up comedian of all time....
,
Tupac ShakurTupac Amaru Shakur , also known by his stage names 2Pac and Makaveli, was an American rapper. He has sold 75 million albums to date and is one of the best-selling music artists in the world. In addition to his status as a top-selling recording artist, Shakur was a promising actor and a social...
and various stars of the
NBAThe National Basketball Association is a professional basketball league, composed of thirty teams in North America . It is an active member of USA Basketball , which is recognized by the International Basketball Federation as the National Governing Body for basketball in the United States...
.
Kelly CoffieldKelly Coffield Park is an American actress and comedian. She is known for being one of two Caucasian members of the original cast in the sketch comedy television series In Living Color ....
, who, prior to
Alexandra WentworthAlexandra "Ali" Wentworth is an American comedienne, actress and author, currently starring in Head Case on Starz....
's arrival in the fourth season, was the lone female white cast member, left prior to the final season.
Jim CarreyJames Eugene "Jim" Carrey is a Canadian-American actor and stand-up comedian. Carrey is best known for his performances as multiple characters in the sketch comedy show In Living Color, as the title character in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, as the unlucky TV...
,
David Alan GrierDavid Alan Grier , also known as "D.A.G." , is an American actor and comedian known for his work on the sketch comedy television show In Living Color...
,
Tommy DavidsonTommy Davidson is an American comedian, film and television actor.Born in Washington, D.C., Davidson was adopted when he was 2-years-old. He is the product of an interracial adoption, with his parents being white and he being black. He attended high school at Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School, in...
,
T'Keyah Crystal KeymáhT'Keyah Crystal Keymáh is an American actress, writer, director, producer, singer, and comedian. In addition to her status as an original cast member of the FOX sketch comedy series In Living Color, she is perhaps best known for her roles as Erica Lucas on the CBS sitcom Cosby, and as Tanya...
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, while Davidson missed most of the fourth season for an unknown reason.
Syndication
Where it was originally produced by
20th Century Fox TelevisionTwentieth Century Fox Television, Inc. is the television production division of the Fox movie studio, a subsidiary of the Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation...
on FOX, it was in reruns on local affiliates and on the
News CorporationNews Corporation is the world's second largest media conglomerate as of 2008 and the world's third largest in entertainment as of 2009...
-owned FX Network, where it was distributed by Twentieth Television.
Reruns of the show aired on
BETBlack Entertainment Television is an American cable network based in Washington D.C., and targets young African-American audiences in the United States. Robert L. Johnson founded the network in 1980...
from 2005-2008.
The Best of In Living Color aired on
MyNetworkTVMyNetworkTV is a television broadcast syndication service in the United States, owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation...
from April 16 to June 18, 2008. Hosted by
David Alan GrierDavid Alan Grier , also known as "D.A.G." , is an American actor and comedian known for his work on the sketch comedy television show In Living Color...
, it was a retrospective show featuring classic sketches, along with cast interviews and behind-the-scenes footage. The show aired on Wednesdays at 8:30 pm Eastern/7:30 pm Central, after MyNetworkTV's sitcom
Under One RoofUnder One Roof was a sitcom starring musician and Flavor of Love star William "Flavor Flav" Drayton and comic actor Kelly Perine best known for his work on One on One. The series is written by Danielle Quarles...
.
Crossovers
- At the 2006 BET Awards
The BET Awards were established in 2001 by the Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate African Americans and other minorities in music, acting, sports, and other fields of entertainment over the past year. The awards are presented annually and broadcast live on BET...
when the show returned from one of its commercial breaks, the show's host Damon Wayans played a character very reminiscent to "Men on ..." critic Blaine Edwards.
- Former cast member Shawn Wayans
Shawn M. Wayans is an American actor and comedian who starred in In Living Color and The Wayans Bros. He is the brother of Keenen Ivory, Damon, Marlon, Kim and Nadia Wayans.-Personal life:...
(before he went to star in The Wayans Bros.The Wayans Bros. is a situation comedy that aired from 1995 to 1999 on The WB. The series starred real-life brothers Shawn and Marlon Wayans. Shawn Wayans was already well-known from the sketch comedy show In Living Color, and Marlon for The Sixth Man and Don't Be A Menace To South Central While...
) portrayed J.J. EvansJames Carter "Jimmie" Walker is an American actor and stand-up comedian known for portraying J. J. Evans on the television series Good Times, which ran from 1974 to 1979. While on the show, his character was known for the catch phrase "Dy-no-mite".-Early life:Walker was born in The Bronx, New York...
in a parody music videoA music video is a short film or video that accompanies a complete piece of music/song. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings. Although the origins of music videos go back much further, they came into their own in the...
sketch of LL Cool JJames Todd Smith , better known as LL Cool J, is an American rapper and actor. LL Cool J stands for "Ladies Love Cool James." He is known for romantic ballads such as "I Need Love", "Around the Way Girl" and "Hey Lover" as well as pioneering hip-hop such as "I Can't Live Without My Radio", "I'm...
's "Mama Said Knock You Out"Mama Said Knock You Out" was a hit single by LL Cool J from his album of the same name. The song's famous beginning is "Don't call it a comeback / I've been here for years." Before "Mama Said Knock You Out" was released, many people felt that LL Cool J's career was waning; his grandmother, who...
" in 1992, later on Shawn WayansShawn M. Wayans is an American actor and comedian who starred in In Living Color and The Wayans Bros. He is the brother of Keenen Ivory, Damon, Marlon, Kim and Nadia Wayans.-Personal life:...
would portray J. J. EvansJames Evans, Jr. is an American breakout character on the 1970s sitcom, Good Times, he was created by Norman Lear and portrayed by Jimmie Walker. The character was known as simply "J.J.". His favorite expression was "Dyno-MITE!"...
one last time in 1997 on a fourth season episode of The Wayans Bros., entitled "Unspoken Token", in which he dreams that he is J.J. from hit 1970s sitcomA situation comedy, usually referred to as a sitcom, is a genre of comedy programs which originated in radio. Today, sitcoms are found almost exclusively on television as one of its dominant narrative forms...
, Good TimesGood Times is an American sitcom that originally aired from February 8, 1974, until August 1, 1979, on the CBS television network. It was created by Eric Monte and Michael Evans and produced by Norman Lear...
, in a reunion with Bern Nadette StanisBern Nadette Stanis is an American actress best known for her role as the strong-willed Thelma Evans on the CBS sitcom, Good Times. She is of African American, Puerto Rican and Greek descent.-Career:...
(Thelma EvansThelma Evans Anderson is a supporting character of the 1970s family sitcom Good Times. She was portrayed by Bern Nadette Stanis. She was the middle child of the Evans family....
), Johnny BrownJohnny Brown is an American actor and singer. Brown is a nightclub and stage performer as well as a comic actor, and a regular cast member of the television series Laugh-in. Brown is mostly remembered for his chubby physique, wide ingratiating smile, mobile facial expressions, and easy pleasant...
(Nathan BookmanNathan Milhous Bookman was a fictional character in the television show Good Times. He was played by actor Johnny Brown....
) and Ja'net DuBois (Willona Woods), reprising the characters on the show, Shawn'sShawn M. Wayans is an American actor and comedian who starred in In Living Color and The Wayans Bros. He is the brother of Keenen Ivory, Damon, Marlon, Kim and Nadia Wayans.-Personal life:...
brother MarlonMarlon L. Wayans is an American actor, producer, comedian, writer, and director of movies, beginning with his role as a pedestrian in I'm Gonna Git You Sucka in 1988. He is known for mostly teaming with his brother Shawn Wayans, in movies such as Scary Movie, Scary Movie 2, White Chicks, Little...
portrays Michael EvansMichael Evans is a American supporting character from the 1970s American sitcom Good Times. The character was apparently named after Good Times co-creator Michael Evans. He was portrayed by Ralph Carter....
, Anna Maria HorsfordAnna Maria Horsford is an American television and film actress. She is perhaps best known for her role as Thelma Frye on the sitcom Amen, her role as Craig Jones' mother, Betty Jones, in the 1995 comedy, Friday and the 2002 comedy Friday After Next and as security guard Dee on The Wayans...
as FloridaFlorida Evans was the supporting character on the sitcom Maude and the lead character in its spin-off, Good Times. She was the hard-working mother of the Evans family. She first appeared as Maude and Walter's housekeeper on Maude , but later she quit to be a housewife, which she was when Good...
, and John WitherspoonJohn Witherspoon is an American comedy actor known for his roles in, Hollywood Shuffle , Boomerang , Murder Was The Case , Friday , Vampire In Brooklyn and the 1990s WB sitcom The Wayans Bros. and more recently Granddad in The Boondocks.-Biography:John Witherspoon was born in Detroit, Michigan...
as James.
- In Living Color alums Damon Wayans
Damon Kyle Wayans is an American stand-up comedian, writer and actor, known as one of the popular Wayans brothers.-Early life:...
, Jim CarreyJames Eugene "Jim" Carrey is a Canadian-American actor and stand-up comedian. Carrey is best known for his performances as multiple characters in the sketch comedy show In Living Color, as the title character in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, as the unlucky TV...
, David Alan GrierDavid Alan Grier , also known as "D.A.G." , is an American actor and comedian known for his work on the sketch comedy television show In Living Color...
, Jamie FoxxEric Marlon Bishop , professionally known as Jamie Foxx, is an American actor, stand-up comedian, and singer. For his work in the film Ray, Foxx won the Academy Award and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Award for Best Actor...
and Jennifer LopezJennifer Lynn Lopez , often nicknamed J.Lo, is an American actress, singer, record producer, dancer, fashion designer and television producer. She is the richest person of Latin American descent in Hollywood according to Forbes, and the most influential Hispanic entertainer in the U.S...
have all hosted Saturday Night LiveSaturday Night Live is a weekly late-night sketch comedy and variety show filmed in New York City. It made its debut on October 11, 1975, under a slightly different title. The show features a regular cast of comedy actors, joined by a guest host and musical act...
:
- Damon Wayans was a featured player on SNL in its 11th season (1985-1986); he was fired for playing a stereotypically homosexual cop on a sketch that didn't call for one. Though Wayans was fired, he returned to perform stand-up on the season finale hosted by Anjelica Huston
Anjelica Huston is an American actress and former fashion model.Huston became the third generation of her family to win an Academy Award, for her performance in 1985's Prizzi's Honor, joining her father, director John Huston, and grandfather, actor Walter Huston...
and Billy MartinAlfred Manuel "Billy" Martin, Jr. was an American second baseman and manager in Major League Baseball. He is best known as the manager of the New York Yankees, a position he held five different times...
, and returned to host an episode from SNLs 20th season in 1995 (where he brought on two of his famous In Living Color characters: homeless wino Anton Jackson and gay film critc Blaine Edwards).
- Jim Carrey auditioned to be one of the castmembers on the ill-fated 1980-1981 season, but was dropped in favor of Charles Rocket
Charles Rocket was an American film and television actor, notable for his tenure as a cast member on Saturday Night Live as well as for his appearances as the villain Nicholas Andre in the film Dumb and Dumber, Dave Dennison, the father in Disney's Hocus Pocus and Adam, the Angel of Death, in the...
(who later appeared in the 1989-Events:* "Batman" is released on June 23, and went on to become the biggest blockbuster of the year; Grossing over $250 million at the box office.* Actress Kim Basinger and her brother Mick purchase Braselton, Georgia, for $20 million...
film Earth Girls Are EasyEarth Girls Are Easy is a 1989 American comedy-musical film directed by Julien Temple. It stars Geena Davis, Jeff Goldblum, Michael McKean, Julie Brown, and hitherto largely unknown comedians Jim Carrey and Damon Wayans. The film is marketed with the tagline "An out-of-this-world, down-to-earth...
and the 1994The year 1994 in film involved some significant events.-Top grossing films :*This was the Highest Grossing film of 1994 Worldwidesource: - Awards :Academy Awards:* Andre...
film Dumb and Dumber with Carrey). Carrey hosted the season finale of SNLs 21st season in 1996, where he impersonated Fire Marshal Bill during the monologue.
- David Alan Grier first appeared on the season 20 episode as fellow "Men on Film" critic Antoine Merriweather. Grier hosted SNL on December 9, 1995 (season 21) and March 18, 1997 (season 22). Grier has also appeared on Saturday Night Lives rival show, MADtv
MADtv is an American sketch comedy television series. It licenses the name and logo of Mad, but otherwise has no connection with the humor magazine outside of animated Spy vs. Spy and Don Martin cartoon shorts and images of Alfred E. Neuman that the show featured during the late 1990s. Its first TV...
, as Ed BradleyEdward Rudolph Bradley, Jr. was an American journalist, best known for twenty-six years of award-winning work on the CBS News television magazine 60 Minutes...
in a 60 Minutes60 Minutes is an American investigative television newsmagazine, which has run on CBS since 1968. The program was created by long time producer Don Hewitt who set it apart by using a unique style of reporter-centered investigation. It has been among the top-rated TV programs for much of its life,...
sketch.
- Jamie Foxx hosted SNL on January 8, 2000, as SNL's first host of the new millennium.
- Jennifer Lopez was a musical guest on SNL for the season 25 episode hosted by Alan Cumming
Alan Cumming, OBE is a Scottish stage, television and film actor. His roles have included Boris in Goldeneye, Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler in X2: X-Men United, and Fegan Floop in the Spy Kids trilogy...
(originally supposed to be hosted by Jon StewartJonathan "Jon" Stewart is an American political satirist, writer, television host, actor, media critic and stand-up comedian...
). Lopez was also the host and musical guest of her own episode in February 2001 (the episode was delayed due to an XFLThe XFL was a professional American football league that played for one season in 2001. The league was founded by Vince McMahon, better known as the owner of the World Wrestling Entertainment...
game and had to be rerun three weeks after the original air date), which had a sketch where the Fly Girls from In Living Color (played by SNL castmembers Rachel DratchRachel Susan Dratch is an American actress and comedienne, perhaps best known as a cast member of Saturday Night Live from 1999 to 2006.-Early life:...
, Jerry MinorJerry C. Minor is an American comedian and film actor.Minor was born in Memphis, Tennessee but grew up in Flint, Michigan. He started doing stand-up and writing/performing with sketch groups in Detroit before joining the Second City Detroit mainstage...
, and Tracy MorganTracy Morgan is an American actor and comedian, best known for his work on the TV series Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock on which he played Tracy Jordan.-Early life and career:...
) visit Lopez and accuse her of forgetting about her beginnings as a dancer.
- Jamie Foxx
Eric Marlon Bishop , professionally known as Jamie Foxx, is an American actor, stand-up comedian, and singer. For his work in the film Ray, Foxx won the Academy Award and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts Award for Best Actor...
reprised his role as Wanda in a short segment at the 2009 BET AwardsThe BET Awards were established in 2001 by the Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate African Americans and other minorities in music, acting, sports, and other fields of entertainment over the past year. The awards are presented annually and broadcast live on BET...
.
- In Liar Liar
Liar Liar is a 1997 American comedy film written by Paul Guay and Stephen Mazur, directed by Tom Shadyac and starring Jim Carrey. Carrey was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical...
, Jim CarreyJames Eugene "Jim" Carrey is a Canadian-American actor and stand-up comedian. Carrey is best known for his performances as multiple characters in the sketch comedy show In Living Color, as the title character in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, as the unlucky TV...
reprised his "Fire Marshal Bill" character (albeit with no lines) in the background of one of the closing scenes.
DVD releases
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment20th Century Fox Home Entertainment is the home video distribution arm of the 20th Century Fox film studio. It was established in 1976 as Magnetic Video Corporation, and later as 20th Century Fox Video, CBS/Fox Video and Fox Video. The company also is best known for distributing the world's...
has released all five seasons of In Living Color on DVD in Region 1. Unfortunately the sets have been edited due to music licensing issues, resulting in some shows having entire sketches removed.
| DVD Name |
Ep # |
Release Date |
Additional Information |
| Season 1 |
13 |
April 6, 2004 |
- Commentaries on Select Episodes
- "Back in Step with the Fly Girs" Featurette
- "Looking Back in Living Color"
|
| Season 2 |
26 |
September 28, 2004 |
Commentary by Kim Bass and Buddy Sheffield on selected segments
Season 2 Overview
Appreciating In Living Color
Notorious In Living Color characters
Trailer - Bill Cosby as Himself. |
| Season 3 |
30 |
May 10, 2005 |
Mad TV Trailer |
| Season 4 |
33 |
October 25, 2005 |
|
| Season 5 |
26 |
April 11, 2006 |
|
External links