Stephanie Mills, the lead on Broadway was tapped to reprise her role as Dorothy, but a last minute power play from Diana Ross had her inserted into the role. Clips of Disney's Beauty and the Beast start to play, NC: (vo) That's like if they remade Beauty and the Beast and instead of "Be Our Guest," they sung (as Lumiere) "Get the Fuck Out." (The movie logo, clips and images appear as Todd narrates). Diana Ross has finally lost that annoying whivle, whivle, whivle look on her face. For anyone watching in 2015, the familiar faces resonate based upon more recent accomplishments. They then run away. I just have no idea what the fuck it is! Todd: In fact, what are we doing so close to this camera? And then SHE sings a song about believing in yourself. FI 1 and after going through a variety of names BENZ CLICK2 SCAT he wrote his name Mike then dropped The M and chose IKE327. NC: (vo) Behold! Martin was from the New York City borough of Queens, a Rockaway Beach native. "The Wiz" is just pure, unadulterated Black Excellence.”, Like the musical and motion picture, The Wiz Live! The film starred actress and singer Diana Ross as Dorothy Gale, Michael Jackson as the Scarecrow, Nipsey Russell as the Tinman, Ted Ross as the Cowardly Lion, Lena Horne as Glinda and Richard Pryor as The Wiz. What are you doing here? (NC and Todd both sit down on a couch) It's just that, you know, you review music, and, you know, music's just not really my thing. This is why we revere our stars and the accomplishments of productions like 'The Wiz.' There are lots of good scenes in the Emerald City. Like, everyone's happy. We're doing Pink Floyd's The Wall, five minutes. ", SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE WITH HOWARD COSELL - Show Premiere - Airdate: September 20, 1975. His tag is also seen in the 1979 cult movie The Warriors. Do not forget about your appointment with Batman. Munchkin Land is a lousy concrete playground?

Todd: (vo) You know, the 59th Street corn field, right next to the bridge. He wrote graffiti on every train line in New York City.

It's just Diana Ross staring directly into your soul with nothing but inky blackness behind her background.

Because they're black? NC: Uh, maybe now I can get some rest and relax-frickin-ation. NC: Yeah.

Let's see if we can get it even further away. Black audiences loved it. An adaptation of "The Wizard of Oz" that tries to capture the essence of the African-American experience. Just the Wiz. During her Emmy acceptance speech, becoming the first black woman to win Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for How to Get Away With Murder, Viola Davis asseverated her stance on the lack of minority roles in Hollywood: “The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else is opportunity. Claudia hopes this isn’t the case. From left, Common as The Bouncer, Mary J. Blige as Evillene, Queen Latifah as The Wiz, Amber Riley as Addapearle, Uzo Aduba as Glinda, Stephanie Mills as Auntie Em, Toto, Ne-Yo as Tin-Man, Shanice Williams as Dorothy, Elijah Kelley as Scarecrow, and David Alan Grier as The Cowardly Lion in "The Wiz. Todd: Oh, hell, yeah! Just right the fuck out of nowhere. Todd: (vo) I'm not sure how respectful it is to black audiences to make their version of Oz look like complete shit. It's time for you to make a home of your own. Its evolution into a feature film and many revivals emerged to become a reflection of African-American culture.

Why? NC: (vo) Or stay in the exact same spot and sing some more. IZ represented a new breed of fame-obsessed writers concerned with finding the perfect balance between quantity and quality. Oh, please don't be dead.

Here, it's just like the camera man was too lazy to walk the camera any closer. A drawer that eats people? Evillene: Don't touch that! You know what?

Todd: (vo) OK. Daffy Duck: A close-up, you jerk! Dr. Jones, Sr: (from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade) This is intolerable!

They sing about the trendy color of the moment, then the Wiz changes the color, then they sing about that. Take your favorite fandoms with you and never miss a beat. Todd: Seriously?

Frozen. Tin Man: (singing without much melody) What would I do if I could suddenly feel/And to know once again that what I feel is real? Michael Jackson, the King of Pop, gets one solo performance, but Nipsey Russell gets two in a row.

Todd: (vo) And Dorothy was RIGHT THERE! As Casting Director Claudia Jean tells us, 'The Wiz' motion picture and musical exemplifies the spirit of these actors to represent and have faith in their ability to succeed. Take one of the most exciting dancers of our generation and tie him to a pole. NC: (vo) Wow, she's hideous and she's so evil in this version, she runs a sweat shop in a horrible factory.

Lion: (singing) Or I just might knock you down! It's safe.

translate to viewers in 2015? Todd: (vo) So...is the Cowardly Lion supposed to be like...a pimp?

The Wiz (1978) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more.

NC: Oh, yeah, that's right. (Castle door closes). (Screen moves away) Further. Dorothy is awful, the direction is awful, and the story is bogged down by a bunch of dragging, slow musical numbers. Hey, maybe that's where he got the artistic direction for those buildings. NC: (vo) Yeah, okay, the original Wicked Witch also got hit by water in her own castle, but it was, like, a glass or a bucket. Todd: (vo) Also, she's a kindergarten teacher, but Auntie Em thinks she should teach high school to make more money. Mechanic Theatre in Baltimore and debuted on Broadway on January 5th, 1975. (Todd finally stops). It's pulled from an anecdote in Tom Junod's Esquire profile of Rogers (which is the primary inspiration for this film). I guess it doesn't help that she's constantly whimpering and simpering like that. If that's the way it has to be. But they look just like they're staying the same. Teenie! So was born the name IZ THE WIZ.

The peddler's spring up dolls come to life and grow giant as our heroes (and reviewers) look with horror. They may as well just have filmed this in a McDonald's play land. IZ was also prominently featured in the 1983 documentary Style Wars.

God, movie, quit dragging it out! Everyone's dancing. Everyone loved it. NC: Oh, yeah, yeah. NC and Todd: (singing) Because the Wiz is a person in your neighborhood. Todd: (vo) So she finds out about Dorothy and sends out her flying monkeys. The message was clear. Todd: (vo; as Dorothy) Oh, Auntie Em, I had the most awful dream.

Todd: And while we're ranting, what the hell's with all the wide shots in this movie? They get to the Emerald City and they get to meet the Wiz. None of you were there. NC: (starts walking toward Todd) OK. So when 'The Wiz' comes on, I get giddy and so excited because it includes everything Black and beautiful in one film.”, For Jermaine, The Wiz was more than a Broadway rendition of a classic tale for us by us.

NC: (vo) OK, they escape the pointless obstacle, but, unfortunately, this leads them to the BAD part of Oz. My high school did a production of The Wiz. NC: (vo) They sing a song about how great the Wiz is, but...OK, is it just me or does this song sound like it belongs on Sesame Street? His work is also mentioned in Lauren Wilkinson (writer)'s book "American Spy" in a scene where the protagonist is walking down a NYC street covered by IZ tags.
Similar to integration in professional sports, black people can create their own platforms to showcase their talent, and can utilize these platforms to eventually get the chance to excel among their peers regardless of color. Before long, the show would receive critical and commercial praise, resulting in seven Tony award wins in 1975, including “Best Musical.”.

JUST THEIR BACKS! Announcer: (sings) Don't whiz on the Electric Fence! Cut to the Energizer commercial, where a sprinkler is taking out the Wicked Witch. Harper and his team utilized the funds to assemble a media blitz, trading airtime on radio for free tickets to shows and conducting as many interviews with the cast as possible. Todd: (vo) Yeah, like, go back and look at Munchkin Land. Chef: Stir, whip, stir, whip, whip, whip, stir! He also wrote "CI" (for Crazy IZ), and "Ike", (short for Mike). Unlike films where popular actors are cast in films hoping that name recognition will translate to commercial success, The Wiz concocted a harmonious mix of talent greater than the sum of its parts. (Screen moves away again) Further.

Christ, in this highly funded musical, the way to fix the situation is the same way the ENERGIZER BUNNY took her out!

Todd: You know, there are black farmers, Schumacher, right? Despite a opening night fraught with technical issues and suggestions to quit while they were ahead, "The Wiz, The Super Soul Musical 'Wonderful Wizard of Oz"' received standing ovations and curtain calls. It fails to understand The Wizard of Oz so hard that it doesn't even get the moral right. NC: (vo) You know, I can't tell if this scene is really creative or especially lazy. Five years later, Motown Records got a hold of film rights and cast the two biggest singers on its roster: the legendary Diana Ross and the quickly-becoming legendary Michael Jackson. I mean, it's kinda neat that parts of the subway come to life, but then again, it's just PARTS of the SUBWAY coming to life!

NC: (vo) Well, in one of the scenes from the source material that they managed NOT to screw up, they meet the Wiz, who tells them that if they want favors from him, they have to go kill the Wicked Witch, who the movie has finally remembered to put in. I'm sorry! Three years later brought the film adaptation, which wasn’t without its share of controversy.

She's clearly a woman in her mid-30s. Footage of the movie plays out as NC and Todd give their thoughts. Todd: (vo) No complimenting Joel Schumacher while you're still alive. No, no! NC: (vo) OK, wait. The Grinch vs.

NC: (vo) The monkey bikers capture the four of them and bring them into the factory, where, because this is a kids movie, the witch starts straight up torturing them.

OK, apparently, we see Dorothy's family at a dinner party and singing a song, but Dorothy instead sings a song about how she's scared and doesn't know why.

Todd: (vo) Wow, Toto, we really aren't in Kansas anymore. Although the movie received critical disdain, it did not prevent it from attaining cult classic status.

Black culture routinely shows its indefatigable disposition over the course of time towards overcoming obstacles. Aunt Em: And whatever your fears are, well, they'll be defeated just by facin' up to 'em. They approach two cabs that come out of nowhere, but they leave. I just don't want to be here.

Todd: (vo) Or he could bounce around on that pole. It's dated. The tale of how 'The Wiz' went from an ambitious idea to almost not happening to becoming a seven Tony Award-winning Broadway hit is a microcosm of the perseverance of black people dreams in America.


The Wiz is a 1978 feature film released from Motown Records and Universal Studios.

NC: (vo) The Lion feels so bad that he totally botched that one, so Dorothy makes him feel better with--yeah, big shock, you're not gonna believe it--ANOTHER song! Man, I got to start watching my own stuff. Wicked Witch: Aaahhhh! Todd: And now, a reprise of The Wiz's show-stopping, signature musical number: Teenie, Teenie, Teenie. I'm sorry!