Token Black Guys came into heavy usage for the first time in the early 1980s. Nobody is certain what Token Black Guys did for employment prior to this era, but it is believed by many they worked as dancers and backstage afro fluffers on Solid Gold and Soul Train for many years. Carlton Banks, the first known Token Black Guy got his start in Jheri Curl commercials and went on to portray one of the lesser known Huxtable children, Lil' Tyrone, on the Cosby Show.