I was watching a special, Showtime's "Inside Comedy" and it got me thinking about these 2 comedic geniuses.

What if their roles had been reversed and each was on the opposite show come 1990? In Living Color premiered in April of 1990 and Rock made his SNL debut in September.

Jim Carrey (known as James on ILC) had actually auditioned on SNL in 1980. That is the season Eddie Murphy was hired. Chris Rock was actually asked by Keenen Ivory Wayans to join In Living Color in 1989. But a stand-up routine on the Arsenio Hall Show (FOX affiliated) didn't sit too well with the heads at Fox and didn't want him on the show.

Once each got their gig, they were each known as the odd man out. Rock was the token black guy on SNL and Jim was known as "the white guy" on ILC. But, I think it would have been totally different the other way around.

ROCK on SNL:

Chris was hardly in any sketches. I think he only had one recurring character, Nat X. IF he were a basketball player, he'd be on the bench as the starters were Dana Carvey, Mike Myers, Phil Hartman and Chris Farley. He was on the bench with Sandler, Spade and Rob and Sandler eventually became a starter. Shawn Wayans even made fun of him of a ILC sketch that oddly featured Molly Shannon as a extra.

JIM on ILC:

Jim on In Living Color was the complete opposite if Rock. Jim had many recurring characters from Fie Marshall Bill, Vera De Milo two of the most known characters in ILC history. And unlike Rock, he was a major player along with Keenen, Damon and DAG.

But imagine Jim on SNL:

Would Jim have been able to stand out on his own during SNL's early 90s years? He wouldn't be the token white guy anymore. And SNL wasn't as free as ILC. Keenen would let them get away with anything, not so much with Micheal's. Jim would have either been a huge superstar (earlier than Ace Ventura) or he would have been terrible on the series. It would have all depended on what Micheal's let him get away with.

Chris on ILC:

Chris on ILC, it would have helped him and hurt him. Of course, he would have gotten more opportunities on ILC. Hell, when he guest starred for like half of the last season on ILC, his character "Cheap Pete" was better than anything he'd ever done on SNL. But, it would have hurt his stand-up. Rock was pissed of after he left SNL and then ILC got canceled, h went back on the road and got into his stand up act more and out came Bring the Pain.

What's your take?

I think Chris was lucky to get on SNL. I liked him on SNL, but he is not good at playing characters, and not a very good actor in general. But he had a certain appeal. Thank god he found his way with his standup, because he is one of the best modern comics, and a great social commentator.

Jim, on the other hand, is a genius at playing comedic characters. He was the perfect fit for In Living Color. I think he fit the tone of that show better than SNL, too, as I always felt ILC to be a little sillier than SNL. Maybe that is a misconception. I'm sure he would have been great on SNL, too, he was undeniable.

Oh well

I dont think Carrey would have made it on SNL, cause Lorne wouldnt let anyone get away with that much improv on his show. Not that its a bad thing, cause after season 1 Carrey could have used some restriction.

scorp84 said:

As its already been stated, FOX and the Wayans let Jim be "Jim" on "color". I doubt he wouldve been given the leeway to do what he does best at SNL. Rock, just never really did it for me in the character department, and that showed in his films. He cant carry a film on his own like his peers.