Synidcation Files 09.02.09: In Living Color

Posted by Porfirio Diaz on 09.02.2009

Groundbreaking and edgy are the terms that best describe the hit sketch comedy, In Living Color. Not only was the show innovative for its hip hop style of comedy but it was also responsible for launching the careers of Jim Carrey, Jamie Foxx, the Wayans family, and more. It’s time to put on a splash of color in this week’s edition of the Syndication Files!

Talk about nostalgia. When it came to sketch comedy shows, it was either Saturday Night Live or In Living Color.

Growing up, I chose In Living Color and I thoroughly enjoyed remembering this show of years past while researching for this week's column. 14 years later, I think it still holds up today.

For those who remember, have fun re-living the show once again. For those who didn't watch the show or were too young to remember, I'll just say that the likes of Chris Rock and Dave Chappelle owe their careers thanks to this show.

Enjoy the many colorful splashes of comedy before censorship turned everything gray and brown.


Syndication Files # 12

In Living Color


Theme song performed by Heavy D & the Boyz

Man, I forgot just how catchy and cool that theme song was. That's going to be in my head for a while.

Saturday Night Live was dominating the airwaves as the biggest U.S. comedy sketch show on television since 1975. SNL has refined comedy for many generations of television audiences with countless of unforgettable skits and individual sketches. One day, Keenen Ivory Wayans saw the enormous marketplace of SNL and said, "me too"! Taking a cue from SNL, Keenen ushered in his own sketch show with his own brand of comedy that featured more black performers than any other television show in its time. Keep in mind that this was even before UPN! Keenen and his brother Damon Wayans associated with the FOX network about their dream project. Ever the chance to grab sometime cool (and sightly offensive), FOX collaborated with the Wayans to bring about this hip new sketch show. In Living Color premiered on April 15, 1990 and you could just tell by just the very first sketch that this was not going to be your ordinary sketch comedy show.


The historical first skit of the show's history

Keenen Wayans took a bold chance in introducting the audience to a more edgy, hip hop style of comedy. In Living Color had the same elements that made SNL last for millions of years but the approach brought in a strong importance on the Black culture. The series of sketches including the usual parodies, jokes, and clichés, but Wayans combined that aspect with smart-smart fundamental and outrageous comedy, catchy pop music, and live musical performances, including dance performances by the lovely and bootylicious troupe known as the Fly Girls.

Whereas people may have been tired of SNL's whitebread form of comedy, In Living Color guzzled down several buckets of paint and presented an alternative style of comedy that really thrived on the airwaves, especially towards the more easily influenced younger generation. The show managed to loom towards the high standards that SNL put on the map. In Living Color did not degrade the intelligence of the viewer in order to get laughs. In fact, you could say that it was on par or perhaps even above par (I wouldn't go that far but there are those who disagree) the humor standards of SNL. The bar of comedy was raised and In Living Color was up there right alongside with the best.


No, not degrading at all

Having an ex-con turned clown smacking children in the head with his tennis ball-filled sock…FUNNY!

Wait…what did I say about the show not degrading the intelligence of the viewer? Hmm...

Hey, pay close attention and you too can learn about the clip's hidden life lessons, such as always listen to what your parole officer tells you and don't trust whitey.

So maybe not every sketch was considered one of high taste, but you still cannot help but laugh at the antics of a clown displaying domestic abuse to adults dressed up as children.

Or to this…


There goes my "high standards in comedy" argument

As you could tell, In Living Color managed to get away with a lot more than your otherwise standard comedy show. Wayans still had to deal with censorship but he dealt that problem in the most elegant matter: by continuing to piss off censorship with more outrageous sketches, such as the one above.

One of the other cool things about the show was that Wayans allowed and encouraged the performers to improvise and just see who knew receive the most laughs. There's nothing wrong to sticking to a script but the performers were given freedom to improve the sketches with their own ad-lib lines and also created completion with cast members to see who can one-up each other the most times. Keenen was comfortable with their improvisation and created an environment where everybody was allowed to contribute ideas for the show. Neediness to say, morale was high and so was their sketches.

The show may have featured a nearly all-Black cast but they offered no safe house for any race and ethnicity, especially when it came to their own background. Basically, everyone in the known universe was untouchable. Hammering on poor MC Hammer might have been done before but nobody has even thought about bashing the goddess queen Oprah before In Living Color came along. It was considered terrorism to attack the queen of television and In Living Color had the balls to take a swing at her before everybody hoped on that bandwagon. See also: Jesse Jackson.

The show may be known for this groundbreaking new wave of comedy but it's mostly known for introducing the world to these future entertainment stars:

- Damon Wayans (went on to star in numerous films, including The Great White Hype and the cult classic Mayor Payne, as well as starring in the ABC show, My Wife and Kids)

- Jim Carrey, credited as "James" Carrey in the show (zoomed to movie stardom in 1994 for his triple threat starring roles in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Mask, and Dumb and Dumber, future two time Golden Globe winner for The Truman Show and Man on the Moon)

- Jamie Foxx, who joined the show in the third season (future Academy Award winner for Best Actor in Ray, fourth artist to have won an Academy Award for acting and to have achieved a #1 record album in the U.S. with Unpredictable)

- David Alan Grier (dabbled in minor roles before finding success doing stand-up comedy. He also hosted Comedy Central's show Premium Blend and is currently the host for their more recent show Chocolate News)

- Jennifer Lopez, who became a Fly Girl in the third season (went on to have a successful movie and music career, later went on straight into my heart before P-Diddy and Ben Affleck arrived and ruined everything)

- Laurie Ann Gibson, choreographer (best known for as the choreographer and creative director for MTV's Making the Band)

- Carrie Ann Inaba, choreographer (became choreographer for American Idol and other reality competitions, currently a judge for Dancing With the Stars)

That's not going to rival many of SNL's lineups, but that is still one pretty darn good cast group.

EDIT: Talk about red in the face. I've mistakenly said that David Alan Grier directed and starred in I'm Gonna Git You Sucka. It was Keenen Wayans that did that, not David Alan Grier. Thanks to those who pointed that out.

The performers on the show really get into their characters and thus turned skits into gold! These performers created many memorable moments and recurring characters during the shows run. Jim Carrey's overacting alone created several memorable characters that are just laugh out loud funny.

Just check out his two best characters: Vera de Milo, the steroid-freak ponytail female bodybuilder with the man voice and Fire Marshall Bill, the crazy fire marshal whose safety tips often led to safety hazards.


You know he's really into it


The character that put Jim Carrey on the map, which he later burned down

In Living Color were never short when it came to celebrity guests, which included Tupac, Queen Latifah, Chris Rock, Rodney Dangerfield, George Jefferson Sherman Hemsley, and Barry Bonds…yes, that Barry Bonds. It's hard to believe that there was a time when Bonds could out go into the public and not be accused or judged of anytime. Nowadays he seems to be in hiding but It's not like he's hard to spot thanks to his inflated head. The hip cool stars were in on the new trend and the show was giving SNL a run for its money.

Sadly like most shows not named SNL, In Living Color couldn't contain their success for the long run. After disputes with the FOX Network over the show's censorship, Keenen Ivory Wayans left the show after the third season. Following him shortly were Marlon Wayans and Damon Wayans. By the fifth season, the Wayans family was all but gone. The funny never left but the other cast members were in pursuit of movie and music stardom, and everyone knew it was only a matter of time before they left as well.

In Living Color enjoyed a fifth season before shutting down for good, ending their 127 episode run on May 19, 1994.

In Living Color was the hippest television show back in the early 1990s and presented a style of comedy that rivaled that of Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, and George Carlin. This show not only had a huge impact in the careers of the cast but an impact on the landscape of television history. This groundbreaking sketch series was in many ways ahead of its time, showcasing many top talents with cutting-edge crude humor.

What a great nostalgia ride that was. What perfect way to end it with a presentation of a little bit of…gay.


Gay gay gay gayyyyyy


Commercial Break


I title it "Disturbing Beauty"

Just know that I don't need to endure that whole process in order to be on billboards.


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Ending Credits

I went to go see a live musical version of High School Musical 2 and considering that I hate the franchise, it wasn't bad.

Let me stop myself right there. Really, I could use the excuse that I went so I could see a friend's performance in the play...as an extra. I mean, it's not like I came out of the theater and started combusting in song and dance. That doesn't make me lose any ounce of manliness that I have, right?

Right?

…

*cuts up and throws away man card*

And with that, I'm out of time. Out like my masculinity.