"I Said..." provided Key And Peele with their first viral sketch. The title duo previously spent time on sketch show Mad TV before joining up for Key And Peele, which debuted on Comedy Central in 2012. Word of mouth about the series soon spread and their best skits tended to go viral. Some of their most famous sketches include Key's recurring angry teacher Mr. Garvey, The Shining-inspired "Continental Breakfast" and "Obama Meet And Greet."
Key And Peele came to an end after five seasons in 2015, though the pair later partnered for action-comedy Keanu, which was very much in the same tone as their sketch series. Keegan-Michael Key has since appeared in movies like The Predator and has become a host on several shows, while Jordan Peele unleashed his inner horror auteur, winning acclaim for his 2017 directorial debut Get Out. In addition to his own directorial projects, he's also a producer on several major shows and movies, including Nia DaCosta's highly anticipated Candyman sequel.
Key And Peele's best sketches tended to take awkward scenarios like a first date and gradually dial up the lunacy. "I Said..." was a sketch featured in their very first episode, and saw two friends and their wives meeting up, but while their spouse's backs are turned Key and Peele's characters start complaining about their wives' behavior, such as taking too long to get ready or picking out a movie.
They cap off their tough talk by calling their spouses "bitch," only they're incredibly careful to make sure they're saying this out of earshot. Key And Peele's "I Said..." sketch is mocking their faux manliness as they brag about speaking this forbidden word - only to be terrified of the consequences if they're discovered saying it. This, naturally, builds to outlandish lengths, to the point they both travel to outer space to find a literal safe space to say it freely.
Key And Peele's "I Said..." established the comic formula for the series, and it didn't take long for it to get spread far and wide. Other skits from this opening episode included the introduction of Key's Luther, the "anger translator" for President Obama and "Gideon's Kitchen," which featured a contestant trying to impress a tough Gordon Ramsay-style celebrity chef who gives some very confusing feedback on a dish. Funny as they were, "I Said..." proved to be the highlight of the episode, and showed the series was going to have legs.