Wyatt Cenac

the show had had, like, its 10-year anniversary and its 15-year anniversary, and nobody would write about it. Like, there was never, like, the Vulture article that was, -"Hey, here's a--" -"The oral history that we've seen for so many other things."

the show had had, like, its 10-year anniversary and its 15-year anniversary, and nobody would write about it. Like, there was never, like, the Vulture article that was, -"Hey, here's a--" -"The oral history that we've seen for so many other things."

Yeah, and so in doing the research for it, to kind of pitch the idea, one of the things that I got really into was at the time that CBS at that moment had the Super Bowl, that Fox, as this kind of upstart network, had decided... we want to do something outrageous. What if we could steal some of the Super Bowl audience?

Yeah, and so in doing the research for it, to kind of pitch the idea, one of the things that I got really into was at the time that CBS at that moment had the Super Bowl, that Fox, as this kind of upstart network, had decided... we want to do something outrageous. What if we could steal some of the Super Bowl audience?

And what could we do to do that? And initially they said, what if we got MC Hammer to perform and then we could get, like, In Living Color is our big show. What if we got them to do some live sketches? Right. This is 1992. Right.

And what could we do to do that? And initially they said, what if we got MC Hammer to perform and then we could get, like, In Living Color is our big show. What if we got them to do some live sketches? Right. This is 1992. Right.

And every network at that time had just ceded that to the NFL, that whatever network it was on, if it was on CBS, then we're never even thinking that halftime could be a thing or even counter-programming. against the Super Bowl.

And every network at that time had just ceded that to the NFL, that whatever network it was on, if it was on CBS, then we're never even thinking that halftime could be a thing or even counter-programming. against the Super Bowl.

Right. Yes. And so that's what they started talking about. And they said, yeah, what if we get MC Hammer and then we'll have the In Living Color folks just do a couple sketches. And then when it was presented to Kenan and the folks at In Living Color, they said, f*** that. What if we do a show and MC Hammer can be our musical guest? And so the network was like, all right.

Right. Yes. And so that's what they started talking about. And they said, yeah, what if we get MC Hammer and then we'll have the In Living Color folks just do a couple sketches. And then when it was presented to Kenan and the folks at In Living Color, they said, f*** that. What if we do a show and MC Hammer can be our musical guest? And so the network was like, all right.

They started going for it. They got some corporate sponsors. It was taking too long. MC Hammer eventually dropped out and was replaced by, if you can't get MC Hammer, who do you get? You get Color Me Bad.

They started going for it. They got some corporate sponsors. It was taking too long. MC Hammer eventually dropped out and was replaced by, if you can't get MC Hammer, who do you get? You get Color Me Bad.

Yeah. I mean, when you got mascots, what else are you going to do? That's the theme song for every mascot, as I learned it. That was the music I asked to play when I auditioned for Ramsey's. That's Ramsey's. I was like, I brought my own music here. Here you go.

Yeah. I mean, when you got mascots, what else are you going to do? That's the theme song for every mascot, as I learned it. That was the music I asked to play when I auditioned for Ramsey's. That's Ramsey's. I was like, I brought my own music here. Here you go.

So yeah, they get Color Me Bad and they do this.

So yeah, they get Color Me Bad and they do this.

Because CBS had planned their Super Bowl halftime show would be a promo for the upcoming Winter Olympics, which would be a salute to the Winter Olympics that would feature two small ice rings.

Because CBS had planned their Super Bowl halftime show would be a promo for the upcoming Winter Olympics, which would be a salute to the Winter Olympics that would feature two small ice rings.

Yeah. They also have jet skis, but the jet skis are on wheels. So they're like, they're being like held up on wheels and so they can drive around everywhere.

Yeah. They also have jet skis, but the jet skis are on wheels. So they're like, they're being like held up on wheels and so they can drive around everywhere.