0:00 Okay, let's say that there is a huge opportunity for JK to really go a level up and this company wants to work with JK and make some huge things happen. They're throwing a lot of money and opportunity our way, but they say no, you got to we're only taking either Bart or Joe. >> Oh, ████ >> [laughter] >> What do you guys say? >> Well, as long as they take Bart and I get to take the money, but I don't have to work. >> [laughter] >> I think we're both going to fight over No, you take Bart. No, you take Joe. >> [laughter] >> And then one of us cuz we one of us like well, ████ one of us will work and then the we could collect 50% of the check. ████ yeah. >> Yeah, cuz I think for us [clears throat] our goal is to win. So, like we'll be like how much? And then they're like oh, here's like I
0:51 don't know $100 million. We're like sure, you choose who you want. >> [laughter] >> And then they choose and then we'll work it out on the back end. But when we get selected, I guarantee one of us is going to be like ████ I got selected cuz that means one of us is going to have to work. [laughter] >> Oh, okay. Yeah. But you can't you let's say you can't do one of those like fakey fakey things where you're like all right, we'll just, you know, fake like one person. >> We've actually had this happen with In Living Color. Back in the day when it wasn't necessarily like >> But they picked both of you guys. Right? >> Yeah, we we got picked to film the pilot, but then they made us choose between JK and this, our YouTube channel or In Living Color. >> Oh, yeah. No, that's not that. But we did have this conversation leading up to before we knew the news. Before we knew the news about In Living Color cuz I'm
1:42 like they're not going to have two Asians. >> There's no ████ way, right? They're like they're probably going to pick one of us. So, we're like all right, what do you want to do? It's like well, ████ it, dude. Like either one of us wins, it's good for a whole company. So, we We going to be like okay, one of us does In Living Cali, the other one keeps running the channel." Or vice versa, who cares? Yeah. >> Oh, okay. >> And then it's just good for the brand cuz then one stays in the digital space, the other one gets mainstream. And we funnel each other. >> Yeah. >> So, it was like that was kind of the thing. And then they they said, "You guys shut down your channel." And we're like, "Nah, we ain't doing that." >> Why was that a stipulation? >> Back then they saw YouTube as like lesser and they also saw YouTube as a threat. So, technically we had a show, right? And that would be a competing factor to television. So, back then, this is like
2:34 what, 2009? >> Yeah. >> Something like that. >> [snorts] >> They They didn't see it the way that people see it now where they're like, "Oh, you have a following? Great, you know, like you're on all these other game shows? Great, grow your grow your following and then funnel those fans to our TV show." >> Mhm. >> They didn't see it at >> Mainstream was so late to the game. >> Even Even for ABDC >> They just kept deleting every time someone posted America's Best Dance Crew clip. They would just delete it, delete it every time. >> Cuz they they saw it as like having the same TV show on like Fox and ABC. They're like, "This is either going to be this network show or that network show. It can't be on both." And they saw the YouTube channels as a network, too. >> But so they found you guys through your YouTube, right? So >> The casting director did. So, you know there's all these different parts. So, the casting director found us and she told both of us to go audition. And then so once we audition, then it moves on to
3:27 uh like the legal paperwork team and that's like a the legal team is like a completely they don't give a ████ about talent, the vision of the show, whatever. Now it's just the money and the number side. And then so on that on the the back page it was like, "You're going to have to cancel this." Um and then it was like, "We can't reopen it for I forgot how long." Maybe it was like what Whenever the season the final season ends, you can't reopen it for another 3 years. So, it wasn't one of those like, "Oh ████ We'll just shoot a season and we come back and revive the channel." It was like it was pretty I remember it being pretty crazy. >> Wow, that's a big ass. >> broke as ████ and I think they were going to pay us like each 15k a week or something, right? Yeah, per episode or something. >> Oh my gosh, and how many episodes? >> we would have made like 30k a week. Yeah, for like at least 10 episodes. So, it'd be like almost like 300 grand in like a short amount of time of filming.
4:17 And this is like us being like 24 whatever >> Yeah, yeah, yeah. >> with no When we were broke. >> And then how much was the YouTube channel making at that time? >> Like thousands. >> But split amongst like six people. >> Oh, ████ Yeah. >> And we paid them. We barely paid ourselves. >> Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. >> I think one thing was we asked a casting director like this our dilemma. Like what do you guys think? And then Keenen himself sent the word back and said like, "If you own something 100%, hold on to that." >> Mhm. >> And I was that's the best advice ever. But then I remember like I looked up to their family dynasty in the comedy world because they produced so much content. Like they made their own movies. They're like comedy family like that like group. Like they put all their family on all that. And you know, from Scary Movie to like
5:08 all the old films, too. Cuz it started with the the oldest oldest brother. With I think he's called like I'm going to get you, sucka. But it was like some funny parody >> Yeah, it was a movie that made fun of the blaxploitation era. Yeah, all in a row. It was really good. >> Way way before. >> Wow. >> Cuz the oldest I don't know if it was Keenen or There was a >> Maybe it was Keenen. I think it was Keenen. >> There was a older one. No? >> Keenen Ivory. Yeah, Keenen Ivory was the oldest, yeah. >> Yeah, so he's the oldest. >> Yeah. >> And then there's Shawn and Marlon. That was more like our generation. >> Cuz there's Damon, too. >> Damon, yeah, yeah. >> He's in the middle. >> Oh, are you talking about the Wayans? >> Yeah. >> Oh. >> Oh, they're So, they were bringing the show back. >> They're bringing In Living Color back at that time. >> So, we were we were auditioning in front of their family. >> Wow. >> Yeah. >> So, you know, they always had a multicultural show. >> Yeah. >> It's like cuz even in the original In
5:58 Living Color, there was like a Asian guy or whatever. Jim Carrey was in it, yeah. So, they always had like a multicultural cast. So, uh we we got uh I guess picked to be either Fil the Comedy um like internet age comedy group or the Asian group. And so, we didn't think both of us were going to get picked. Cuz we're like, "Oh, these things are they got to keep it diverse, so there's only going to be one of us." >> Right. >> Yeah. But, they got us, and then I heard that afterwards they uh filmed a couple pilots or episodes, and then the the team was so horrible that they canned it. >> No way. Would that have So, would the contract still would have been live if that it got cut? Like, if they canned it? So, would you still would have had to keep your um YouTube shut down for 3 years, even if it got canned? >> Yeah. Cuz for them, they I don't I don't
6:48 ever think they're thinking about your longevity. They just need to make sure that like I protect my show from anyone else, and then I need to be able to take my show and potentially like syndicate it and sell it to Pakistan, sell it to, you know, all these other places. So, I don't think they're thinking about us. >> Say you had done it, and it gets canned after three episodes. Do you Do they fulfill the rest of that contract, or are you out of luck? Like, you don't cuz you're not filming the rest of >> Oh, who knows? Yeah. I mean, it might not be enforced if they're going to can it anyway. Like, that would be a waste of time. But, at the time, it would put a lot of stress on us. And in the whole process took about a year. So, that means our channel would have been dead for a year, and we would have lost momentum. >> Yeah. >> At a key time in like history, too. Yeah, most likely the
7:39 the contract would definitely not be in your favor in every situation. situation, yeah. But, looking back though, I'm so glad we stuck to digital because um at the time everyone used YouTube as a way like as a like Childish Gambino like ████ Donald Glover like basically or like you know, on their off time they use YouTube to keep sharpening their tools and then getting their name out. Even Justin Bieber like that was the way to kind of step into the mainstream. >> And a lot of people got there that way. >> Yeah. >> And then for me I'm like looking back like everyone that bet on YouTube and digital and stayed there, they're multi-millionaires. And they're even bigger than Hollywood. And then I was like, damn, good for you guys. We didn't think that far. But [laughter] we didn't think very business-minded.
8:29 Like we it was I think that was the diff- difference. These guys were very strategic. >> Did In Living Color specify why they were taking both of you and not one of you? >> No. >> I think he just said they or the casting director just said Keenan liked both of us. Cuz we actually auditioned in front of Keenan. >> Yeah. >> Him, his wife >> Together, right? Not one at a time, right? >> No, one at a time. >> Oh, one at a time. >> Separately, yeah. >> Oh. >> And we saw all the other comedians there like uh remember Danny Cho used to perform with Bobby Lee all the time? He's like a chubbier dude, but like yeah, all the comedians from that generation Katie Tatar like we saw everybody all the Asian comedians like stand-ups were in that room. And then we would all go in like one at a time. And then uh yeah, it was Keenan, his wife, and then like two or three kids uh sitting on a couch and then we just you just have like I think it was like 60 seconds or something to just improv
9:19 right in front of them. >> I followed up with the casting director like like a little bit later. And then that's when I got the news about them canning the show and she was like to be honest like ev- everyone was just lacking. Like the talent, everything like >> Wait, so this pilot that they filmed, you guys weren't in the pilot? >> No, we just didn't sign on with them. >> Yeah. >> We just we just said we're not going to close our show, so peace. >> Oh, you chose the channel? >> Yeah, or else we would have been on the pilot, yeah. >> I see, I see, I see. >> Yeah, so we didn't film the pilot. We did the audition, we passed to the end, and then so later on they're like, "Yeah, like we it's crazy cuz like the best of the best of that era, um the talent was hella lacking." >> Do you know anybody that was in that group? >> I know Danny Cho made it. >> Oh, he did. Okay. >> Yeah, he did make it. He did like K-Town Cowboys with like do you remember that
10:10 that one series from before? >> Mhm. >> Yeah, but he was yeah, he made it and then I don't know who else. Well, no cuz the other people that were it's the non-Asians we don't know. They were white, black, everybody like but I don't know who she selected. >> Cuz they weren't they weren't in your circle, so you had no clue. >> No, so I don't know who got selected, but they're like >> Yeah, cuz I didn't recognize them. >> Just wasn't cracking, huh? >> No, they because at the time I think sketch comedy the peak was all on YouTube. And I'm sure that all the best people on YouTube were like, "F███ that. Like I got my own ████ going on." We were the ████ that were like, "Let's get on TV. It's better than YouTube." When they all stuck to their guns. >> And it could also be networks, too, cuz the re-release was on Fox. I don't think the original In Living Color was on Fox. So, Fox could have been like, "Oh, I don't want your sketches to be like
11:00 this. I want it to be rewritten like this." >> Here's the cast. This is the cast the actual cast apparently. >> Uh of the the new reboot? >> Of the pilot that didn't >> Oh, hit. >> Oh, cool, cool, cool. >> Yeah, it says Cooper Barnes, Jennifer Bartels, Sydney Castillo, Josh Duvendeck, Jermaine Fowler, Ayana Hampton, Kali Hawk, Henry Cho. Who's Henry Cho? That's what it says. Melanie Minichino, Chris Liddecker, and Lil Rel Howery. >> Are any of them known now? >> I don't know them. I don't know any of them. >> And then the new fly girls I actually know three of them. >> Oh, really? >> Yeah, Christina Chandler, Terra Perez, Lisa Rosenthal, Katie Sheen, and Whitney Wylie. Yeah, crazy. >> I know Danny Cho. Me and I wonder why they didn't mention his name. >> Maybe his real name is Henry Cho. >> Henry Daniel Cho. >> [laughter] >> Yeah, it could be. >> Is it this guy? That is that Henry Cho?
11:51 Well, that's Henry Cho. >> That's Henry No, I know who he is. He's the guy with the southern accent. Not hen It wasn't him. That was Danny Cho. >> I don't know Danny Cho. >> You think they just spelled the name wrong? >> I mean, it is freaking Google. Maybe they just have it wrong, you know? >> That's probably Danny. >> It says it's the In Living Color produced a 2012 pilot for Fox hosted by Keenen Ivory Wayans that never went to series. Wow. >> Danny was Wait, what what year did it say? >> 2012. >> Oh, yeah. I was off by like 3 years. But Danny was on Mad TV. He He played Bobby Lee's like North Korean guard and stuff and like yeah. >> Oh, really? [laughter] Did you guys ever do Jk videos with him? >> No, but Bobby Yeah, he he was in Jk skits. Yeah. >> Damn, that's crazy. I didn't know there
12:41 was information actually about this like whole thing. >> I think for the longest time and maybe even for now, we've always prioritized lifestyle over anything else like career moves and goals and things like that. And I know that for a fact, it's bit us in the butt like a million times. But then I had a lot of ████ fun. >> [laughter] >> It says here that that footage actually exists. They filmed They filmed hours of footage um wrapping production on two full pilot episodes. Um it says uh Damon Wayans Jr. confirmed that he shot a few guest spots for it. Uh and the reason for the cancellation is that network executives at Fox were ultimately unimpressed with the final
13:32 product. And uh Keenen Ivory Wayans publicly admitted that the bar was set too high. He and Fox mutually agreed that they did not believe the show would perform well enough to survive past a single season. Rather than risk damaging the show's legacy, they walked away. >> Wow. >> See, but she was right. She said the the talent was lacking. >> Wow, I can't believe that's all on there. >> The two completed 2012 pilot episodes are considered lost media and are locked away in the Fox vault. >> So, they still have it? >> Dang, yeah. >> I want to see how bad it was. >> It's locked up like uh freaking Catwoman or whatever. >> Wow, that's smart. >> But, I mean if you think about the OG In Living Color cast, though. Those guys were seasoned. Like, they're ████ stand-up All of them individually went off to being greats.
14:24 Jamie Fox, Jim Carrey, like all the I like the Keen like the I the Wayans brothers, you know, everybody like >> It says here that original cast member David Alan Grier, who's legend, >> Oh, yeah. >> it says later revealed that there were messy internal discussions about trying to mix the original cast with the new cast, but the creative teams couldn't find a formula that worked. >> Wow. >> Interesting. >> It's crazy to learn more information on this. >> Yeah, that's crazy. I wonder who were the main writers, too. >> Yeah. >> Cuz a lot of it starts with the writing. >> Cuz all while all >> this was happening, we were hearing about it on the dance side, because everybody wanted the everybody wanted the Fly Girls job, and the people who were the creative directors for the dance side were Tabitha and Napoleon, who were also the the ones in charge of ABDC. When we both times that we did it, so. >> It even launched so many girls like the Jennifer Lopez. Like, it's crazy just
15:15 from yeah, the dancing part. Like >> Yeah. >> That was a iconic show, though. Like, a big part of JK Films is because of In Living Color, what we grew up watching Jim Carrey being a major ████ >> Yeah, that was the best humor, man. Yeah. >> And then to be a part of it, that was a big thing that I was like it wasn't just about the money and all that. I was like >> The legacy, dude. It's huge. >> Throwing away this opportunity of being a part of something that was major. >> Yeah. It's probably how people feel when they're asked to be on SNL. Like even if it's not funny now, it's still a nice legacy. >> Yeah, for sure. [laughter] >> Dude. >> At least they're still alive. Cuz I heard like you don't get paid ████ for the first 3 years. >> Bad freaking gig, but you know. >> First 3 years you don't get paid ████ And then the the next couple of steps up are pretty good. Like like uh like the pay equivalent to your fame.
16:05 Cuz when you're on SNL you're like oh my god, you're on a big show, you're a recurring regular. And then it'd be like I don't know like 800 bucks an episode or something crazy. And you're like wait, shouldn't you be driving a Ferrari or something if you're on that show? Yeah. >> And you get treated like crap. Like all their stories about how the experience went. It's like being hazed. It's like crazy. Yeah.
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