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Living in Color: What's Funny About Me by Tommy Davidson 
Published by Dafina, Kensington Books on January 28, 2020
Pages: 320
In 1990, Tommy Davidson burst onto the scene in the Emmy Award-winning show In Living Color, a pioneering sketch comedy show, featuring a multi-racial cast of actors and dancers who spoke to an underrepresented new generation created by Hip Hop Nation. In this revealing memoir, Tommy shares his unique perspective on making it in Hollywood, being an integral part of television history, on fame and family, and on living a life that has never been black and white—just funny and true . . .
Abandoned as an infant on the streets of Greenville, Mississippi, and rescued by a loving white family, Tommy Davidson spent most of his childhood unaware that he was different from his brother and sister. All that changed as he came of age in a society of racial barriers—ones that he was soon to help break. On a fledgling network, Tommy joined the cast of In Living Color, alongside other relative newcomers including Jim Carrey, Rosie Perez, Jamie Foxx and Jennifer Lopez—all united by an ingenious throng of Wayans siblings (Keenen, Damon, Kim, Shawn, and Marlon), poised to break new ground.
Now Tommy gives readers the never-before-told behind-the-scenes story of the first show born of the Hip Hop Nation: from its incredible rise, to his own creation of such unforgettable characters as Sweet Tooth Jones and dead-on impressions of Sammy Davis, Jr., Michael Jackson, M.C. Hammer and Sugar Ray Leonard, and appearing in such classic sketches as “Homie The Clown,” the “Hey Mon, family,” and the unforgettable “Ugly Woman,” through guest-star skirmishes (and black eyes) to backstage tensions and the eventual fall of this pop-culture touchstone. He reveals his own nascent career on the stand-up circuit with Adam Sandler, Jerry Seinfeld, Louie Anderson and performing with Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor, as well as reflections on working with Spike Lee, Halle Berry, Sam Jackson, Chris Rock and Jada Pinkett Smith. And he also shares his very personal story of living with—and being inspired and empowered by—two distinct family histories.
Told with humor and hard-won honesty by a singular voice whose family and friendships help him navigate a life of personal and professional highs and lows, Living in Color is a bracing, illuminating, and remarkable success story.
Living In Color is a fitting title for this fascinating book about the life of a very talented man. I have enjoyed watching Tommy Davidson on shows such as “In Living Color” and various movies, so to read the background stories about how he came to be on that show or selected to be in a film was fascinating.
In the book, Mr. Davidson gives the readers the 411 on people like Keenen Ivory Wayans that took me aback. I was not ready for what he says was the behavior that bordered on “mean.” At the same time, I am sure being in the entertainment industry, you do what you have to. Perhaps Keenen Wayan’s actions are what bring out the best in folks and give us the quality shows that we have come to love.
In the book, Mr. Davidson was very candid about his struggles throughout his career, being abandoned as a child, and how his mother, who raised him, pushed him to be the man he is today.
I highly recommend this book if you enjoy memoirs as it is unforgettable. Kudos to Mr. Davidson for writing this book.
Reviewed by: Linda C.
