MIAMI BEACH, Fla. — I was just thinking how I wish America could have seen the poignant, tear-filled tribute to Keenan Ivory Wynans, the creator of revolutionary urban comedy sketch show “In Living Color”, by his brothers, sister, nephews, Robert Townsend and Wynans’ elementary school teacher during the American Black Film Festival in South Beach this past summer.
The older brothers, Damon and Shawn, bore sunglasses onstage during the tribute because they couldn’t keep their composure. Another brother, Marlon, who gave his tribute to “his hero” during a video tribute, was practically sobbing. It was one of the realest and most touching interfamilial tributes I’d ever seen.
Now, at least, America can see “In Living Color” all over again — or, for this generation of new adults and teens, for the first time. Fox has announced that they will excavate the show from the Hollywood classic vault and revive it with Keenan Ivory Wayans again at the helm as the executive producer.
Although we may get another chance to glimpse “Homie the Clown”, I doubt we will be able to see the two gay film critics that were among the most popular characters on the show.
During its historic five-year run from 1990-94 of an edgy, sharp-witted collage of sketches, “In Living Color” was the launching pad for a slew of stars and cultural icons. Not only did the show turn the Wayans family into household names, who went on to create several blockbuster films and classics — most nobably White Girls, Scary Movie franchise and I’m Gonna Get You Sucka — it also turned out to be the big break for its other stars: Academy Award-winner Jamie Foxx [Ray], former Hollywood comedy king Jim Carrey, music-movie queen Jennifer Lopez and comedian David Alan Grier.
The show is scheduled for relaunch in 2012 with what the network said will be a “modern-day take” on the classic “will feature a new cast of fresh, young talent, as well as musical performances by special guests.”
That got us to thinking: what other shows that were mysteriously cancelled that we’d like to have back again?
