Sinbad

Before the Kings of Comedy or Redhead Kingpin and the F.B.I., there was the true redheaded kingpin of them all, Sinbad. To many, he was the father-figure coach on A Different World, but newbies may know him as Milton on the FOX sitcom, Rel. As far as “clean comedy” is concerned, Sinbad ran with the torch that Bill Cosby, in all of his early anti-raunchy campaigning, ignited, but Sinbad did so with better panache, embracing popular culture—and with it, the black audience that supported him. Yes, his garish outfits predated Coogi sweaters and Steve Harvey’s ridiculous suits, but at least he had enough colorful punch lines to accessorize them. Have you ever heard the joke about how Sinbad was a one-time extra member of the Jacksons, and how Michael Jackson stole his signature scream from him when he screeched from getting a paper cut? Yeah, it’s unlikely that any of that is true, but just let Sinbad spin it and give him some laughs. He’s earned it.