Editing In Living Color (section)

=== Early history ===
Following Keenen Ivory Wayans' success with ''[[Hollywood Shuffle]]'' and ''[[I'm Gonna Git You Sucka]]'', [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] approached Wayans to offer him his own show.<ref name= pokes>{{cite news |title= New Fox Show Pokes Fun at Black Stereotypes |publisher= Greensboro News & Record |location= Greensboro, North Carolina |agency= Associated Press |page= B6 |date= April 12, 1990 |url= http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=0EB191E9F73E3517&p_docnum=837&p_queryname=3 }}</ref> Wayans wanted to produce a variety show similar to ''[[Saturday Night Live]]'', but with a cast of people of color that took chances with its content.<ref name= ready>{{cite news |title= Is prime time ready for rudeness? Fox's new comedy 'In Living Color' will offend some, tickle others |work= The San Diego Union |date= April 13, 1990 |first= Robert P. |last= Laurence |url= http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=1178BA5E348E4AB6&p_docnum=845&p_queryname=3 |page= E1 }}</ref> Wayans’ younger brother Damon had been with ''SNL'' during its 11th season, the first with creator [[Lorne Michaels]] returning after a five-year hiatus. However, Damon grew frustrated with his lack of creative freedom and screen time that he went rogue on one sketch, leading to his dismissal from the series.<ref name= snl>{{cite news |title= Damon Wayans ‘Purposely’ Got Himself Fired From ‘SNL’ by Going Off Script: ‘I Snapped. I Just Did Not Care’ |work= Variety |date= January 17, 2025 |first= Ethan |last= Shanfeld |url= https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/damon-wayans-fired-snl-off-script-1236277276/}}</ref> By contrast, Fox gave Keenen and his family a lot of freedom with ''In Living Color'', although Fox executives were a bit concerned about the show's content prior to its television debut.<ref name= pokes/>

In announcing its debut, Fox described ''In Living Color'' as a "contemporary comedy variety show".<ref name= drawing>{{cite news |title= Back to the Drawing Board |work= The Record |location= New Jersey |date= April 1, 1990 |first= Virginia |last= Mann |url= http://infoweb.newsbank.comer/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=0EB27637542C622C&p_docnum=816&p_queryname=3 |page= E1 }}{{Dead link|date=September 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In its preview, the ''[[Christian Science Monitor]]'' warned that its, "raw tone may offend some, but it does allow a talented troupe to experiment with black themes in a ''Saturday Night Live''-ish format."<ref>{{cite news |title= Worth Noting on TV |work= Christian Science Monitor |date= April 11, 1990 |first= Alan |last= Bunce |page= 14 |url= http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=0EB41DF44B7B8217&p_docnum=835&p_queryname=3 }}</ref> Keenen Ivory Wayans said, "I wanted to do a show that reflects different points of view. We've added an Asian and a Hispanic minority to the show. We're trying in some way to represent all the voices. ... Minority talent is not in the system and you have to go outside. We found [[T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh|Crystal]] doing her act in the lobby of a theater in Chicago. We went beyond the Comedy Stores and Improvs, which are not showcase places for minorities."<ref name= even>{{cite news |title= Wayans Gets Even |date= April 12, 1990 |first= Tom |last= Green |work= USA Today |url= http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=12812966975FB038&p_docnum=838&p_queryname=3 }}</ref>

The first episode aired on Sunday, April 15, 1990, following an episode of ''[[Married... with Children]]''.<ref name= even/> The first episode was watched by 22.7 million people,<ref>{{cite news |title= Upstart Fox Has Pounced, and the Networks Are Getting Jumpy |work= The Milwaukee Journal |date= April 19, 1990 |first= Mike |last= Drew |url= http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=0EB82603F72B3287&p_docnum=887&p_queryname=3 }}</ref> making it the 29th-most-viewed show for the week.<ref>{{cite news |title= ABC Ends Ratings Race with Strong Finish |work= The Star-Ledger |location= Newark, New Jersey |date= April 18, 1990 |first= Jerry |last= Krupnick |url= http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=1223D6412945F2D0&p_docnum=876&p_queryname=3 }}</ref>

''[[The Miami Herald]]'' said the show was as "smart and saucy as it is self-aware" and "audacious and frequently tasteless, but terrific fun".<ref name= miami>{{cite news |title= TV's Living Color Brightens Spectrum |work= The Miami Herald |date= April 21, 1990 |first= Hal |last= Boedeker |page= 1E |url= http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=0EB34058034923EC&p_docnum=1&p_queryname=3 }}</ref> ''[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]'' called it "the fastest, funniest half-hour in a long time".<ref name= philadelphia>{{cite news |title= From Fox, Bold Satire By Blacks |work= The Philadelphia Inquirer |date= April 21, 1990 |first= Jonathan |last= Storm |page= C1 |url= http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=0EB2A03C13FC7E79&p_docnum=3&p_queryname=3 }}</ref> ''[[The Seattle Times]]'' said it had "the free-wheeling, pointed sense of humor that connects with a large slice of today's audience".<ref name= seattle>{{cite news |title= 'In Living Color' Makes This 'Sunset' Look Pretty Pale |work= The Seattle Times |date= April 21, 1990 |first= John |last= Voorhees |page= C3 |url= http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=0EB533ED6F50E846&p_docnum=7&p_queryname=3 }}</ref> ''[[The Columbus Dispatch]]'' described it as a "marvelously inventive" show that has "catapulted television back to the cutting edge".<ref name= columbus>{{cite news |title= Quality Shows Offer Respectable Change |work= The Columbus Dispatch |date= April 22, 1990 |first= Julia |last= Keller |page= 5F |url= http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=11B8680CCD0DEF28&p_docnum=11&p_queryname=3 }}</ref>

When asked about the show's use of stereotypes of Black culture for comedy, Wayans said, "Half of comedy is making fun of stereotypes. They only get critical when I do it. [[Woody Allen]] has been having fun with his culture for years, and no one says anything about it. [[Martin Scorsese]], his films basically deal with the Italian community, and no one ever says anything to him. [[John Hughes (filmmaker)|John Hughes]], all of his films parody upscale White suburban life. Nobody says anything to him. When I do it, then all of a sudden it becomes a racial issue. You know what I mean? It's my culture, and I'm entitled to poke fun at the stereotypes that I didn't create in the first place. I don't even concern myself with that type of criticism, because it's racist in itself."<ref>{{cite news |title= Humor is in 'Living Color': Writers Plan to Capitalize on Funny Cultural Stereotypes |work= Daily News of Los Angeles |date= April 15, 1990 |first= Yardena |last= Arar |url= http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=0EF5BB34E44340CF&p_docnum=863&p_queryname=3 |page= L25 }}</ref> The only cast members to appear in all 5 seasons were Keymáh, Grier, Davidson, and Carrey, although Carrey's appearances in the fifth season were limited due to his rapidly rising film career. Throughout 1993, Carrey was busy filming ''[[The Mask (1994 film)|The Mask]]'' and ''[[Ace Ventura: Pet Detective]]'' (both 1994) all while still an active cast member on ''In Living Color''.