If you have social media (and if you’re reading this, you probably do!), then I’m sure you’re familiar with comics posting sketches on their pages. Well, 35 years ago, In Living Color would’ve been trending on your timeline every Sunday night!
For 30 minutes each week, the funniest comics of their era let it all hang out with laughs galore. Created by comedian Keenen Ivory Wayans, In Living Color touched on everything from current events to race relations—and it’s the reason the Super Bowl Halftime Show became must-see TV!
The Wayans family was already familiar with sketch comedy. In 1985, Keenen’s younger brother Damon Wayans starred on Saturday Night Live for just half a season before being fired. Keenen himself even auditioned for the show. His best friend in the industry, Robert Townsend, created variety specials for HBO titled Robert Townsend’s Partners in Crime, featuring sketches written and performed by both him and Keenen. The specials also included younger sister Kim Wayans and youngest brothers Shawn and Marlon Wayans in their earliest roles. Keenen even wrote the opening sketch for Eddie Murphy’s record-breaking stand-up film, RAW, in 1988.
In Living Color made its television debut on April 15, 1990, on the then-new FOX network. The series pilot had been floating around Hollywood for almost a year. Shot in the spring of 1989, it was originally planned as a summer replacement but kept getting postponed until the right people recognized its brilliance.
The original cast was finalized after auditions featuring not-yet-famous names vying for a slot on what would become the hottest new TV show. Everyone from Martin Lawrence, D.L. Hughley, and Susie Essman to a group who would later move on to SNL—including Rob Schneider, David Spade, Ellen Cleghorne, and Chris Rock—auditioned for In Living Color.
The final cast featured Keenen, Damon, and Kim Wayans. Shawn Wayans appeared as DJ SW.1, spinning the latest hip-hop tracks as the Fly Girls danced. The first-season cast also included Damon’s friend from the stand-up circuit, Jim Carrey, who had previously auditioned for SNL twice without success. David Alan Grier, a theater veteran, also worked on Townsend’s specials. Rounding out the cast were impressionist Tommy Davidson, Kelly Coffield, T’Keyah Crystal Keymáh, and Kim Coles. (Coles left after the first season.)
By Season 3, DJ SW.1 was replaced by DJ Twist as Shawn joined the main cast alongside newcomer Jamie Foxx. Youngest sibling Marlon joined in Season 4, but by the end of that season, the entire Wayans family had exited the show due to creative differences. Guest stars like Chris Rock appeared in Season 5, but the show was soon canceled. Still, its impact was immediate and enduring.
Soon after, Black-oriented TV shows began popping up everywhere: The Fresh Prince of Bel- Air, HBO’s Def Comedy Jam, Martin, BET’s ComicView, Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper, and Comic Justice, to name a few. Even Black sketch series like The Uptown Comedy Club and The Apollo Comedy Hour found homes in syndication. Various In Living Color cast members earned stand-up specials on HBO and Showtime during and after the series.
The show’s influence extended beyond the cast. Its writers’ room was packed with talent. The original head writer was none other than Paul Mooney—Richard Pryor’s close friend and a writer for classics like Sanford & Son. Other writers went on to shape shows like The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Martin, and Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper. Larry Wilmore—now known for The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore—was one of those writers. He later co-created The PJs, The Bernie Mac Show, and Insecure. His brother, Marc Wilmore, joined In Living Color in its fifth and final season.
Even the Fly Girls found success beyond the show. Rosie Perez was their lead choreographer, and names like Jennifer Lopez and Carrie Ann Inaba became stars in their own right. (Fun fact: Before Rosie, A.J. Johnson of House Party choreographed the original pilot, with help from—you guessed it—Tisha Campbell!)
Speaking of Rosie Perez, she also booked musical acts for the show. In Living Color might have been the first time some viewers heard hip-hop on primetime network TV. From the theme song rapped by Heavy D & the Boyz to DJ SW.1 (and later DJ Twist) and the Fly Girls dancing to the latest club hits, music was essential to the show’s vibe. The show also created hilarious music video parodies at a time when MTV was at its peak.
One of the show’s most overlooked yet significant moments came during the 1992 Super Bowl. In Living Color aired a live special during halftime—its only live broadcast ever. The stunt was such a hit that over 30 million viewers switched channels, causing the NFL to rethink its halftime strategy. The following year, they booked Michael Jackson—and the modern Super Bowl Halftime Show as we know it was born. So, when you see Beyoncé, Prince, or Dr. Dre rocking the halftime stage, tip your hat to In Living Color.
The show earned an Emmy and delivered sketch comedy from a distinctly Black perspective—something not seen on that scale since Eddie Murphy on SNL or The Richard Pryor Show. Shows like House of Buggin’ (a Latin spin on In Living Color), The Newz, MadTV, Cedric the Entertainer Presents, Chappelle’s Show, Wild N’ Out, and Key & Peele all owe some of their DNA to In Living Color.
Some of the original cast tried to recapture the magic. Jamie Foxx executive-produced In the Flow with Affion Crockett, David Alan Grier starred in Chocolate News, and Damon Wayans helmed The Underground. But as the theme song said: “You can do what you want to do,” but there will never be another In Living Color!
