If 2011 was the handoff, 2012 was the year the new generation took over. A sketch show changed how comedy talked about race, an ensemble rom-com beat a blockbuster, and the biggest names in the business came together to honor the man who inspired them. Here is how the year looked.
Breakouts
Comedy Central premiered Key & Peele in January and renewed it within two weeks. In April, Think Like a Man opened at No. 1, knocking The Hunger Games from the top spot, and by the end of the year Kevin Hart had sold out Madison Square Garden.
Television
Steve Harvey’s daytime talk show debuted with the strongest talk-show opening in years, and Arsenio Hall won The Celebrity Apprentice and lined up his late-night return. Jamie Foxx hosted SNL on his way to Django Unchained.
Honoring a legend
Spike TV’s all-star tribute to Eddie Murphy brought out Chris Rock, Tracy Morgan, Keenen Ivory Wayans and more, and became the most-watched special in the network’s history.
Going global
Trevor Noah became the first African comedian to do stand-up on The Tonight Show, the start of an American run that would end at The Daily Show desk.
Next up in our Year in Review series: 2013.
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