tech
February 6, 2026
'We stole the Super Bowl audience': how In Living Color pulled off the greatest heist in US TV history
Turning Point USA is plotting its own half-time show in defiance of Bad Bunny – but one of TV’s Blackest programs already perfected the alt-cast in 1992
TL;DR
- Turning Point USA is planning an "All-American Halftime Show" featuring Kid Rock and other artists as counter-programming to Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime performance.
- In 1992, the sketch comedy show 'In Living Color' aired its own "Super Bowl Halftime Party" opposite the official NFL halftime show.
- This alternative broadcast attracted 22 million viewers, outdrawing the official show and prompting the NFL to significantly upgrade its halftime entertainment in subsequent years.
- 'In Living Color,' created by Keenen Ivory Wayans, was known for its fearless, streetwise humor and its focus on Black culture, ethnic nuance, and queer sensibilities.
- The success of the 'In Living Color' halftime special led to major changes in how the NFL approached its halftime entertainment, eventually booking global superstars like Michael Jackson and later Kendrick Lamar.
- The article draws a parallel between Turning Point USA's current strategy and 'In Living Color's' historical move, suggesting the latter achieved a more significant 'audience heist'.
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