Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, Marvel’s Kang the Conqueror—bah. Mere amateurs. There is but one true master of the multiverse, and his name is Sherman McDaniels, the seemingly immortal host of Sherman’s Showcase, the Soul Train–Solid Gold–In Living Color–inspired Black-variety-show spoof that just wrapped up its second season on IFC. (Both seasons are available for viewing on the IFC site, Hulu, and other fine streaming vendors.) Created by Bashir Salahuddin, who stars as Sherman, and Diallo Riddle, who plays Sherman’s dodgy producer, Dutch, each compilation episode of Sherman’s Showcase offers a bulging goody bag of comedy, satire, in-jokes, inspired gyrations, backstage intrigue, and guest-star appearances as it bounces from decade to decade, musical genre to musical genre, without losing its bearings or missing a beat.
Binding its centrifugal elements together is the maestro force of Sherman’s ego. Where Soul Train’s illustrious host Don Cornelius introduced and interviewed the guest performers in a mellow-jazz voice that could be poured like Kahlúa over ice, Sherman comports himself as more of a ringmaster in resplendent finery, his array of electric-rainbow jackets cut sharp and snug to contain his splendacious aplomb. “Hey there, cats and kittens,” he greets the audience, wielding his long-stemmed microphone like a wand.
