Speaker 1: Right now, It's time for the Way Black History Fact
Speaker 1: and Today's Way Black History Fact is sponsored by Major
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Speaker 1: going to talk about how the In Living Color Show
Speaker 1: changed the Super Bowl Halftime show. This comes from a
Speaker 1: guy named Coffrey J. I subscribe to his posts on LinkedIn,
Speaker 1: so these are his words. In the annals of television history,
Speaker 1: few shows have dared to tread when and where In
Speaker 1: Living Color boldly stepped for those uninitiated in its dominating
Speaker 1: legacy in the Black community, envision a show that wasn't
Speaker 1: just a platform for comedy, but a polsetting heartbeat of
Speaker 1: cultural revolution seen for the first time. Created by Keenan
Speaker 1: I Ruwains, In Living Color emerged in nineteen ninety as
Speaker 1: the first sketch program to feature a predominantly black cast.
Speaker 1: It represented a beacon of black creativity, entrepreneurial spirit, and
Speaker 1: unfiltered representation in an industry often marred by monochromatic white narratives.
Speaker 1: The Wayne's Families ernie to bring In Living Color to
Speaker 1: life was a testament to resilience in the face of
Speaker 1: systemic barriers The show's inception was an uphill battle against
Speaker 1: an industry that continuously undervalued and misunderstood the depth and
Speaker 1: breadth of black talent and storytelling. Keenan and his siblings Damon, Kim, Shawn,
Speaker 1: and Marlin faced skepticism and resistance at every turn. The
Speaker 1: primarily white network execs were hesitant to green light a
Speaker 1: show that was so unapologetically centered around Black and Latino voices,
Speaker 1: stereotypically cycling through the fear that black art wouldn't resonate
Speaker 1: with broader audiences. However, even after its premiere, the show's
Speaker 1: worth was constantly scrutinized, mirroring a larger American cultural tendency
Speaker 1: to devalue the contributions of artists of color. Each sketch, character,
Speaker 1: and performance of an in Living Color was a bold
Speaker 1: defiance against the systemic and undervaluation. The show was more
Speaker 1: than entertainment. It was a statement, a declaration that black
Speaker 1: creativity was not just valuable, but essential to the tapestry
Speaker 1: of the American media, whether accepted by the majority or not.
Speaker 1: In Living Color birth the careers of stars like Jamie Fox,
Speaker 1: Jim Carey, and Jennifer Lopez who might have otherwise remained
Speaker 1: in the shadows of a less inclusive industry that didn't
Speaker 1: give people like us a chance. Yet, despite its role
Speaker 1: as a launch pad for these luminaries, the show often
Speaker 1: didn't receive recognition for being a groundbreaking force in transforming television.
Speaker 1: Before In Living Color intervened, the super Bowl halftime was
Speaker 1: an exercise and predictability, often featuring banal acts like magicians,
Speaker 1: marching bands, and figure skaters. The super Bowl halftime show
Speaker 1: of nineteen ninety two, headlined by Brian Boitiano and Dorothy Hamill,
Speaker 1: was set to continue this trend. Gloria Estefan was scheduled
Speaker 1: to perform, but the event lacked the spark to captivate
Speaker 1: a diverse modern audience enter In Living Color, a show
Speaker 1: that had already disrupted the TV landscape with his raw
Speaker 1: humor unapologetic celebration of hip hop culture. The show's creator,
Speaker 1: Keenan Ivory Wayne saw a genius opportunity in the super
Speaker 1: Bowl's lackluster halftime offerings. In a move of strategic brilliance,
Speaker 1: Fox decided to air a live episode of In Living
Speaker 1: Color during the Super Bowl halftime in nineteen ninety two.
Speaker 1: This wasn't just counter programming, but a cultural gauntlet thrown
Speaker 1: down the face of his established norms. The result was seismic.
Speaker 1: An astounding twenty nine million viewers switched over to in
Speaker 1: Living Color, captivated by its edginess and relevance. This mass
Speaker 1: exodus of viewers from the Super Bowl halftime show was
Speaker 1: a wake up call to the NFL and entertainment industry
Speaker 1: at large. The message was clear America's young, increasingly diverse
Speaker 1: audience wanted more than just culturalist filler during one of
Speaker 1: the year's most significant television events. However, the NFL did
Speaker 1: not directly acknowledge or credit In Living Color for its
Speaker 1: role in this transformation. According to Kenyan Ivory WAYNAS, the
Speaker 1: NFL strategy was to ensure a situation like the nineteen
Speaker 1: ninety two halftime show where a significant portion of the
Speaker 1: audience switched channels, would never happen again. Consequently, the NFL
Speaker 1: continued to secure big names for subsequent halftime shows, including
Speaker 1: Prince Madonna and others, elevating the event to a significant
Speaker 1: entertainment spectacle. And I believe the year after that was
Speaker 1: nineteen ninety three, and that's when they booked Michael Jackson
Speaker 1: for the Super Bowl because they didn't want anyone to
Speaker 1: look away. So shout out to in Living Color