Funny man Rip Micheals had a lengthy resume on the comedy scene before coming to “Wild ‘N Out” in 2014.
The comedian walked onto Nick Cannon‘s series as a fresh face with plenty of jokes to match. The competition was stiff and he shared the stage with seasoned comedians, battle rappers who could freestyle on command, and internet stars who knew just how to go viral.
One of his most talked-about segments is still widely regarded as one of the most viral moments hard to find online.
Nick Cannon’s series has spent more than 20 years throwing talent into improv games and rap battles. It boasts the distinction of being television’s longest-running urban comedy show.
Micheals knew the show was special.
When he joined in season 6, he looked for a way to stand out among performers who could all land a punchline.
Micheals found it by treating comedy like professional wrestling, seeking bigger reactions. That approach helped him stand out, earn Cannon’s backing, and eventually separate business around the show. First, though, he had to survive what happened on one New York set.
In an exclusive interview with Atlanta Black Star, Micheals recalled the stunt that almost ended his tenure on the show.
During his rookie season on “Wild ‘N Out,” he came up with a gag where he would toss flour into Timothy DeLaGhetto’s face while competing in the “Wildstyle” battle.
The two were on opposing teams. Micheals also remembered King Bach joining the show, and the two brought a Caribbean flair the show lacked.
The flour moment aired in the Tech N9ne episode and set up an on-air feud that continued into the following season.
Micheals said he had been thinking about what the cast lacked. Drawing on his West Indian family background, he decided to bring a bigger, more physical style of comedy to the scene.
“The one form of comedy we didn’t have at that time was slapstick, that next-level Three Stooges type of energy,” he told ABS. “We didn’t have anything that made you go, ‘I can’t believe you did that.’”
He understood the gamble. “Either it’s gonna get me kicked off the show, or it’s gonna keep me on the show,” Micheals said.
During “Wildstyle,” cast members usually face off with insults and rhymes.
Micheals took it further by bringing out actual cooking flour for the skit and throwing it at DeLaGhetto’s face. That action turned a verbal battle into a physical punchline: Tim was left powdered in front of the cameras, and the people around him had to react in real time. The flour spread well beyond its intended target.
“Everyone was covered in powder. They were so pissed off,” Micheals recalled. “If you watch the video, it’s all over every single person in the entire cast. They’re just standing there like white ghosts, and they’re so mad.”
That anger became part of the entertainment.
Behind the scenes, Micheals said, the show built up the beef between him and Tim, giving viewers a rivalry to follow. DeLaGhetto got his revenge in season 7. For Micheals, the mood after the first stunt felt less playful.
But before the producers wove it into the ethos of the show, they wanted to get rid of the stand-up comedian.
“I’m thinking I’m getting fired,” he said. Micheals recalled being called into a room where staff had a file ready. He believed cast complaints had prompted the meeting. Before anyone could tell him why he was there, Cannon walked in.
“Man, I love that. I f—king love that,” Micheals recalled Cannon saying. “See that type of energy? That’s what I’m talking about. Love it. Keep that sh-t up, Rip.”
Cannon’s reaction changed the conversation. “They hate you, but I love it,” Micheals recalled him saying. “You’re a dangerous man. Live and die by the joke. I love it.”
The staff closed the folder. Micheals asked what they had wanted to discuss. “It doesn’t matter,” he said they told him.
DeLaGhetto eventually left “Wild ‘N Out,” while Micheals stayed with the franchise. In 2018, the Thai-American comedian said he left to broaden his horizons. The “Varnell Hill” star also said the jokes about his race had grown stale. His departure had nothing to do with Micheals.
Around that same time, Micheals was finding new ways to make himself more valuable to the franchise. He figured out how to make money for Cannon beyond the television set.
The two teamed up on “Wild ’N Out Live,” turning the format into an arena attraction. Micheals produced a 2017 tour that sold out 40 arenas, according to a tour announcement. He has since become one of the show’s executive producers and discussed plans to film episodes on the road.
Micheals has faced a far more serious test away from the stage. After a heart attack in 2023, he said his wife, Veronica, asked for a divorce while he was hospitalized.
He has since spoken about hearing her side of the story. According to an interview with “The Breakfast Club,” she was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. The two are working through their relationship and plan on discussing it on their podcast, “Kind of Sort of Married.”
Back on “Wild ’N Out,” the flour stunt could have ended Micheals’ run before he found his footing.
Instead, the moment showed Cannon what Micheals could bring to the show. Over a decade later, he is still shocking the cast and crew with his crazy ideas.
