Source: Caravan

I’ve wanted to expound on the secrets behind this film for the longest. But the information is sparse. Well, today you’re in for a treat. We’re talking about the Wayans written, directed film. Let’s just jump right in.

From StyleBlazer

Fashion is cyclical and ever-present, which is probably why trends from the early 90s are everywhere these days.

Jumping on the fashion bandwagon is Urban Outfitters who created a whole collection based on the fly-girls from “In Living Color.”

Yes, this is worth getting majorly excited about! The sketch comedy show that ran from 1990-94, was the launching pad for some major veterans in the world of comedy, music and dance.

Read more at StyleBlazer.com

DANG! Just when I was getting excited about the possibility of an In Living Color reboot, it looks like it’s not happening. Oh wait. I wasn’t ever excited about it? Oh yeah, I forgot…

Truth is, when I heard that the only original cast member who would be making a return was Keenan Ivory Wayans, and that was just to be an executive producer and possible host (according to early reports), I realized that I would probably prefer to watch old episodes and leave the show as a sketch comedy classic. Well, I guess I don’t have to worry about a reboot ruining all of that anymore, because according to reports, the hopeful redo, which was announced by FOX in 2011, might not see the light of day at all. Which makes sense since it is 2013 and nothing had changed in the show’s status as far as a launch date.

According to Vulture, an hour worth of test footage was made in the hopes of doing a special for the network’s 25th anniversary in 2011, but Fox clearly wasn’t feeling it because they shelved it. Last July, even the network’s chief executive admitted that the footage they shot wasn’t going to air any time soon. Vulture says their sources have confirmed that the show is kaput as of now on the FOX network, but that doesn’t mean another network might not be willing to pick up the show and give it life. But until then, you’ll have to cling onto your In Living Color DVDs and say “Hated it!” on your own time. But let’s be serious, while I’m all for seeing talented folks get work (they had already cast the show and brought in a new batch of Fly Girls), it would be nice if people would stop remaking everything, as well as going the reality route, and instead, look to create some fresh new show ideas and stories. Just saying…

Were you looking forward to the reboot, or did you never want to see it in the first place?

While I didn’t get to check out this past week’s episode of “Saturday Night Live” in its entirety (I was out painting the town red), I did check out some of the most talked about clips from the show, which was hosted by Jamie Foxx and had Ne-Yo as the music guest. One that really stuck out to me was video of Foxx getting back into woman’s clothing, but not as Wanda the Ugly Woman from his “In Living Color” days, but when he threw on the floral dress, the large specs and the gray wig to be Tyler Perry playing Madea. Or make that Jamie Foxx playing Tyler Perry doing Madea AND Alex Cross in a fictional movie called, Tyler Perry’s Alex Cross 2 – Madea: Special Ops. If it sounds a mess, it looked a mess too, but it was definitely funny. Foxx played a two-face version of Perry as his most notable characters so far, as the sensible Cross character tried to fight crime–and his erratic gun-toting other side, Madea. The two fought over guns as Madea instructed Cross to buss a cap in a villain’s a**. The hilarious bickering that Foxx had them doing back and forth led to said villain being able to slip away many times. Big LOL at the fake gospel music they played at the end in the signature, “helluuuuuur.”

It’s definitely nice to see Foxx get back into his sketch comedy brilliance from way back when, as being a huge Academy Award winning actor has pretty much left him doing serious roles only. But I’m also wondering if Perry thought the skit was funny, considering he and Foxx are presumably cool with one another (Foxx said he talked with Perry when considering whether or not to do Django Unchained). Either way, Perry can’t deny that homeboy had the Madea voice down pat! Check out the clip from Saturday’s episode and let us know if you agree!

zimbio.com

It’s that season again. Some of you have driven your kids to what you hope is their home for the next four years: college.  Some of you may have kids who’ll share classes with some of the celebrity kids on the next few pages who are also entering their freshmen year.  I tell you, we’ve watched some of them grow before our very eyes! By the way…none of your kids did it alone so congrats to all the parents for helping your kids make it this far!

Read the rest of this entry »

Source: Celebrity Extra Online

Pretty soon we’ll see if “In Living Color” is one of those classic shows that should have been left in the ’90s or if it’s sketch comedy routine is one of those things that can stand the test of time.

A few months back we found out Keenen Ivory Wayans is hosting and executive producing a reboot of the show and part of the revamped cast has been announced. So far, the show will star Kali Hawk, Jennifer Bartels, Jermaine Fowler and Lil Rel Howery. I don’t know any of these actors/comedians by name but when I think about the original “In Living Color” cast, the show was what gave most of those actors their first big Hollywood break—even the fly girls. Speaking of, I wonder if they’ll be reviving that aspect of the show too?

Originally, the new version of the show was supposed to debut with two half-hour episodes during Fox’s 25th anniversary special on April 22, but Shadow and Act reports that filming won’t even begin until April now so it looks like that date is getting pushed back. Hopefully it’s worth the wait.

Are you familiar with any of these actors? What do you think about the show reboot?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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Homey D. Clown, Men on Film, and the Fly Girls may be making their way back to your television screen. 20^th Century Fox TV recently announced “In Living Color” will return this spring after a 17-year hiatus, with Keenen Ivory Wayans reprising his role as host and executive producer. Wayans will produce two half-hour specials. If the ratings are good, Fox will have the option to order the show to series for next fall.

Fox isn’t the only media company reaching into its vaults hoping for ratings gold. In late July, children’s channel Nickelodeon devoted its late-night timeslots to the network’s 90’s programming and saw their ratings increase 500% among the coveted 18- to 34- year old demographic.

It seems everyone wants to time travel back just a few decades. Take a look at pop culture – Jennifer Lopez has endorsement deals.  Beavis and Butthead are back on MTV. Newt Gingrich was considered a promising presidential candidate. Didn’t we just go through all of this? Why are the 90’s coming back so soon?

Millennials, the demographic born between born between about 1981 and 1993, are partly to blame. As a new generation enters the workforce and generates income, anyone selling anything is trying to figure out how to attract this newly lucrative audience. Now that this generation has entered adulthood, what’s the first thing they want to do? Be a kid again, of course. Old-school programming on Nickelodeon, and now Fox, plays into this desire perfectly.

When you think about it, the 90’s were a better time for everyone. 2011 is nothing but recessions, bank bailouts, class warfare, and a struggling job market. The 1990’s were about easy credit approval, Kid ‘n Play and Bill Clinton playing the sax. It’s no wonder companies want to associate their brands with the warm and fuzzy feelings of the 90’s.

Businesses that use nostalgia as a source of inspiration for new opportunities flirt with the danger of coming off dated and uncreative. However, resurrecting fan favorites creates the opportunity to right old wrongs and take old brands to a new level. We all remember how “Color” fell off when Keenen left in the middle of the fourth season citing censorship issues with the network. The revival of the show, with a cast of fresh, young talent and musical performances may give it the second chance it deserves.

Playing to nostalgia is a smart strategy. It eliminates the need to sell the audience on the product. The trick is to keep them engaged. Nostalgia alone doesn’t ensure success. The same quality and character that made something a part of pop culture in the first place needs to be continued and elevated. We will see if Fox and Wayans are up to the task this spring.

The New York City Police Department is searching for two thieves who robbed a high-end store on the Lower East side late last week. Instead of the usual tall, black male in a hoodie description of the perp, the police are said to be looking for a man resembling Jamie Foxx’s character “Wanda” from the show, “In Living Color.”

Apparently the two men dressed in women’s clothing before raiding the A. Turen boutique. One half of the duo is a 6-foot-2 black man, 200 pounds, in his mid-40s who wore a tight-fitting orange dress and gray wig; the other suspect is as a 5-9 black man, also in his mid-40s, who wore a snake-skin print coat and black wig. (Fab-u-lous!)

Footage from a surveillance camera shows the men went to try on Kimberly Ovitz spandex leggings in extra small before they went to the dressing rooms and grabbed two collectable bags.

Store owner Ashley Turen told CBS, “They were two vintage, hand-painted Chanel bags that I happened to paint myself, and you can’t get them again.” The bags were the most expensive items in the store, valued at $3,000 each.

One of the best things about Fox Network was the fact that they were the network of “In Living Color” We’re not exactly sure how the Wayans family managed to sell those studio executives on the idea; but, thank God somebody recognized a t.v. classic when they saw one. Dialogue, jokes and expressions from “In Living Color” became a part of urban culture. And when you think about the number of stars that came from that show, you can see that we’re still reaping the show’s benefits.

The Pepsi commercial that aired during the Super Bowl caused quite an uproar.  Click here to watch the commercial. In a nutshell, the commercial featured a black woman who was trying to get her husband to eat right by subjecting him to various modes of physical reproach. At the end of the commercial, the husband  shares a flirtatious glance with a white woman and the wife chucks a can of Pepsi at him, but instead hits the woman. The husband and wife run off together while the white woman flails on the ground.

Some people say it encourages the whole Angry Black Woman stereotype, some say it promotes domestic violence and still others seemed to be most upset that the brotha was checking for a white woman.  Jezebel even went so far as to suggest that the black woman represents Michelle Obama and her campaign for healthy living/eating.  There’s already a petition to boycott Pepsi.

Honestly, I thought the commercial was pretty humdrum and forgettable until the end. That woman getting beaned in the head with a can was meant to be extreme physical comedy.  Which begs the question, can something still be genuinely funny if it maybe (or absolutely) perpetuates negative stereotypes?

For some, who is telling the joke makes a big difference. Did you ever laugh at Martin’s Sheneneh? Did you hold back from laughing during “In Living Color” when Homie the Clown or Men on Film came on the screen? Do you feel like since black folks are still under-represented in Hollywood that depictions in film and television should only be flattering?

Can you give an example of a comedy that uses stereotypes well and a comedy that exploits them?