Terrence “T.C.” Carson, known for his iconic role as Kyle Barker on the hit ‘90s show Living Single, claimed that he was written off and ultimately fired from the series after execs behind the scenes deemed him difficult to work with.
Carson opened up about his emotional departure from the show during a 2020 interview on VladTV. The accomplished voice and screen actor revealed his skepticism when producers informed him that his character would be relocating to London in the fifth season, prompting concerns that his tenure on the show was nearing its end.
“I asked some people — the writers — I said, ‘Are you y’all getting ready to fire me? I just need to know so I can tie up some things,’” Carson told Vlad during his December 2020 interview. “I was in the middle of creating a new space to live…I just needed to know.”
Carson continued, “And then I’m watching the episode when I’m leaving to go to London. And not even five minutes later, my phone rings. It’s my lawyer calling me to tell me that they’re not bringing me back next year. It’s the way it was done. I had given a lot for that show. And I thought I deserved a little bit better than that.”
Airing from 1993 to 1998, Living Single chronicled the experiences of a group of single men and women navigating life in Brooklyn. Carson took on the role of the polished stock broker, Kyle Barker, and had a love-hate relationship with the head-strong attorney, Maxine Shaw, depicted by Erika Alexander. In his VladTV interview, the Hollywood luminary revealed that he developed a deep connection with Alexander during their time on the show. However, his abrupt exit from the series left both him and the actress in tears and emotionally shattered.
“We were like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers…She was my other half. I was her other half. And how would you feel if you were working with somebody who took your other half away?”
When asked if his termination from the show left him “messed up” financially, Carson said money wasn’t the issue. He was more concerned with how he was painted to be difficult and problematic behind the scenes.
“It was the backlash from people knowing I was fired. What I found out was being told was that I was a problem, that I was coming in late, that I did not know my lines,” Carson added during his VladTV appearance. “It’s one thing to fire me, but don’t disparage my name. Don’t knock my work ethic. I’m really clear about what I do. And I come to work prepared. I come to work on time. That was the thing that was hurtful, because that made it hard for me to work.”
Fans react to Carson’s VladTV interview.
A clip of Carson’s VladTV interview posted on May 27 by the Golden Era Stories Instagram page, stirred contemplation among users. They delved into the significance of his character for Black audiences, with some noting how his character portrayed powerful elements of Black excellence on the small screen. Other users were mesmerized by the powerful connection that Carson and Alexander shared on screen.
“He showed us an educated, sophisticated, classy Black man of course that was taken off TV,” wrote one fan of the show.
Another netizen replied, “He gave so much to that character and the audience. No matter what TC will always be the blueprint for dignity, success, and class to his fans.”
A third user penned, “Kyle and Max were my favorite characters, the show just wasn’t the same without their banter!”
A fourth person added, “That was SAVAGE the way they did TC. The chemistry shared b/w him and Erica was ICONIC!!!!! The fact that they were spreading lies about his work ethic is crazy. You could tell TC embodied the role of Kyle by the way it was conveyed on screen. I STILL watch this show today… It’s a CLASSIC!!!!”
In an interview with Comedy Hype in March 2020, Carson speculated that he was removed from the show because he was vocal about issues that he and his castmates experienced on set.
“There were times when we would have issues on the show and we would come to them as a cast, but I would be the spokesperson for it,” the star explained.
“So, that last season before I left, they called me in and they basically said, ‘Well, all these problems we’ve been having, they listen to you. You’re the person they listen to. So if you said something else, then they would do that.’ I looked at them and said, ‘Well, first of all, we’re dealing with five grown people, and they have their own mindset and own ideas about what we’re doing. Everything we come to you with is a group decision, not my decision. But if you think I have that much power, then I need to have a different job.’ I don’t think they liked that.”
Carson added, “My whole time on Living Single I was happy I had a job, but I understood the importance of the job I had. I understood the importance of what these characters meant to my community. And so, when I come to you with a problem it’s because of that, not because of ego. And it was looked at as ego.”
Despite the conclusion of his time on Living Single as Kyle Barker, the gifted actor found continued success. Hailing from Chicago, he ventured into blockbuster territory with roles in acclaimed films such as Greenleaf and U-571, sharing the screen with Matthew McConaughey. Additionally, the seasoned performer lent his voice to the iconic character Kratos in the beloved video game series God of War.
Damn, Kyle Barker was iconic! What do you think about Carson’s story?
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