David Alan Grier Will Not Be the Next Colonel Sanders Because It’s Just Not a Good Idea

By Ally Sabatina March 4, 2016

For some reason and at some point, KFC thought enlisting a black man to personify their long standing mascot, racist, white plantation owner Colonel Sanders would be a good idea. And now it turns out not to be true. Other actors like Darrell Hammond, Norm MacDonald and Jim Gaffigan have famously played the Colonel with Gaffigan as recently as last month. Shortest gig ever?

Looking for a new hire, the alleged black man was set to be David Alan Grier because… well, what was the last thing you saw him in? Unfortunately for Grier, we’re not going to be seeing him in anything again soon. As KFC executive Kevin Hochman told the New York Daily News:

We are very excited to learn that Mr. Grier is such a big fan of KFC and The Colonel, We’re a big fan of him as well. We hope to continue the conversation with him over a $5 Fill Up.

How kind. How strange.

More opportunities for peoples of color on the screen did not mean there should be a black Colonel Sanders.