In Living Color: A Cultural History

Giacomazzo (Swimming with Sharks) writes a thorough analysis of what a monumental TV show In Living Color came to represent and the sociocultural background that played a role in its shaping. At a time when the fragility of the white identity would not leave a lot of room for Black sketches and comedians, Keenan Ivory Wayans internalized the experience of earlier enterprises like The Richard Pryor Show to create a series that would give the main stage to unapologetic Blackness and Black comedy. Giacomazzo discusses many of the skits that rewrote the history of Black sketch shows, acknowledges episodes that were left out from syndication over the years, and invites readers to look through the cultural lens of the times when they were produced. It is undeniable In Living Color (1990–94) represented an invaluable milestone in opening up a conversation about race and social and cultural justice.