In Living Color

In Living Color was an American sketch comedy television series which ran on the Fox Television Network from 1989 to 1994. Executive producer Keenen Ivory Wayans created, wrote, and starred in the program.

Related Topics:
American - Sketch comedy - Television series - Fox Television Network - 1989 - 1994 - Keenen Ivory Wayans

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Other members of the Wayans family — Damon, Kim, Marlon, and Shawn — 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).

Related Topics:
David Alan Grier - I'm Gonna Git You Sucka - 1988

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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 Lopez (who became a "Fly Girl" in the third season).

Related Topics:
African American - Jim Carrey - Caucasian - Thomas Haden Church - Academy Award - Jamie Foxx - Jennifer Lopez

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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.

Related Topics:
Censoring - Syndication

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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. The programming stunt lured a hefty 20 million to 25 million viewers from CBS' telecast of the halftime festivities during Super Bowl XXVI.

Related Topics:
Censorship - Doritos - Adlibs - Richard Gere - Carl Lewis - Gay - CBS - Super Bowl XXVI

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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.

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As of October 2005, reruns of the show will air on the BET Network at 11:00 and 11:30 PM EST

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