There were so many good, funny, and sometimes controversial shows in the 90s, it’s hard to narrow it down to only one. But this week I wanted to go back to April 15, 1990 and the premiere of In Living Color on FOX. The show whose catchy theme song goes, “you can do what you want to do.” Well, it did. And us kids in the early 90s loved every minute of it.
I was about 8 or 9 when I actually remember watching the show. Parents today would probably frown upon kids that age watching this controversial comedy sketch show. Parents in the early 90s? Who knows, because all us kids watched it!
I distinctly remember sitting in the lunchroom one Monday after a new episode aired and everyone doing their finest Fire Marshall Bill, awkwardly shouting, “LET ME SHOW YOU SOMETHING!”
So what made In Living Color stand out from other sketch comedy shows of the time? It was fresh. It was edgy. And the censors I’m sure had a field day. But thanks to the daring new network, they knew it was exactly what we needed and it worked.
The show paved the way for several stars including Jim Carrey, Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Lopez (who danced as a Fly Girl), and of course, the Wayans family. David Alan Grier, Tommy Davidson, Ali Wentworth, and Kelly Coffield all also had blossoming careers after In Living Color.

Some of the other most memorable and maybe controversial characters and skits included “The Adventures of Handi-Man,” played by Daman Wayans. Wanda, played by Jamie Foxx. Anton Jackson of “This Old Box,” played by Daman Wayans. And of course, Homey D. Clown, also played by Daman Wayans.

It’s been a while since I actually sat and watched some episodes but I will tell you, the jokes as an adult are so much funnier! It was just as entertaining reading the comments on YouTube. So many viewers commented on how they never actually saw the controversy. Everything was spot on and hilarious. And how we need comedy like this today, and it’s sorely missed.
If you want to take a trip down memory lane and watch some old episodes of In Living Color, they can be found on YouTube.
At one time, Sunday night was “Must See TV” on the fledgling Fox network.
“In Living Color”, “The Simpsons”, Married With Children” were all laugh out loud funny.
What made “In Living Color” so good was the fact no one was safe from satire.
White, black, yellow, purple..ILC got them all and it was funny.
The character “Oswald Bates” on ILC almost always had me near the point of laughing so hard I had difficulty breathing.
It is my opinion this is what is missing in today’s sitcoms and late night comedy shows. That is, if I actually watched them.
Targeting one demographic isn’t funny.
Great point on “in living color”! No one was safe from satire. That’s what we’re trying to do with ‘That Show Tonight’ as well!
Loved ‘In Living Color’
So many great laughs, really played off the cult success of “I’m Gonna Got Ya Sucka.”
The one bit still sticks with me today is Tommy Davidson playing Spike Lee and complaint about about how bla..er.. african american names
“It’s not ‘Sharde´’ it’s ‘Sade’, and on and on, hilarious.
They had some classic stuff on that show.