“In Living Color” helped launch the careers of numerous Hollywood stars. Most notably, the Keenen Ivory Wayans-created sketch comedy television series made the Wayans family household names.
In addition to Keenen Ivory Wayans, “In Living Color” introduced Damon Wayans, Kim Wayans, Marlon Wayans, and Shawn Wayans to a nationwide audience.
While speaking on Shannon Sharpe’s “Club Shay Shay” podcast this week, Keenen’s younger brother Marlon gave his perspective on why he and his siblings walked away from the iconic show.
“I remember when we left ‘In Living Color’ because Fox was syndicating the show and it was hurting Keenen’s pockets. Keenen was like, ‘Nah, you ain’t gonna do this to me.’ My family said, ‘F—k this money.’ And we all left ‘In Living Color,'” Marlon recalled.
The 52-year-old actor went on to say that his siblings all wore black glasses during the “Driving Miss Schott” Christmas episode from Dec. 20, 1992, in protest of the network’s treatment of Keenen.
“We’re going, ‘You ain’t gonna f—k my brother. We’re a family. You touch one, you touch all,'” Marlon explained to Shannon Sharpe about the on-air demonstration.
He said production offered everyone “big checks” to stay on the show, but he couldn’t do it. “I’m still a brother after this. No, I’m gonna support my brother,” he declared. “And we all left the show. That’s why season five, it got weird.”
Speaking on Marlon added, “God bless Chris Rock. He came at the wrong time. As brilliant as he is, he couldn’t save it because the eyes of the show are gone… the vision. You can’t replicate Wayans’ s—t. Anytime they try, you’re gonna fail.”
Rock joined “In Living Color” after leaving “Saturday Night Life,” where he grew frustrated with portraying stereotypical roles, such as portraying a rapper or Black political activist.
“In Living Color” aired on Fox Broadcasting from April 15, 1990 to May 19, 1994. Keenen Ivory Wayans served as an original executive producer, writer, and cast member for the show.
Keenen reportedly clashed with Fox executives regarding creative issues and syndication rights. The “Scary Movie” director left the show in 1992 following the “Driving Miss Schott” episode.
“It always was comedy from an African-American point of view,” Keenen informed Entertainment Weekly in 1993. “But now they have all white consultants. There’s a fine line between African-American humor and making fun of African-Americans. Fox didn’t even have the good taste to bring in that other voice, and that’s offensive not only to the show but to a large segment of the population.”
In a June 2019 article published by The Hollywood Reporter, Keenen stated, “What started to happen into the fourth season was that it was a business. Fox started to rerun the show before it got into syndication. They were using the show to launch other shows. And they were devaluing it. I felt like they were exploiting me. So I left [in the middle of the season].”
By the end of the fourth season, the entire Wayans family had parted ways with “In Living Color.” After Keenen, Marlon and Damon left the show by January 1993 with no contract but his brother Shawn and sister Kim didn’t leave until May of that year.
“Kim and I were contractually obligated to be there the last season. It was hell. I knew we were on the Titanic without the captain, and the iceberg was up ahead and I was shackled to the banister. Not one sketch would work without Keenen’s touch,” Shawn Wayans told The Hollywood Reporter.
The regular cast of “In Living Color” also included Jim Carrey, Jamie Foxx, David Alan Grier, Tommy Davidson, Kim Coles, Kelly Coffield, T’Keyah Crystal Keymáh, and Anne-Marie Johnson.
Additionally, Rosie Perez, Jennifer Lopez, and Laurieann Gibson performed on “In Living Color” as Fly Girl dancers. Fellow “Saturday Night Live” alumnus and rapper Biz Markie appeared as a special guest star for the fifth season.
