I ain’t one to gossip, but when a whole family takes the world of comedy and turns it inside out, there’s no way we can stay silent about that!
The year is 1990, and the realm of sketch comedy is about to be forever changed. Keenan Ivory Wayans took his hella funny family and set out on a mission to bring the outrageously laugh-out-loud, witty and ridiculous skits to Hollywood
When foolishness flows through your veins and insanity doesn’t fall far from the sibling tree, the world was bound to be gifted with a group of siblings who have been pushing the envelope for as long as they were allowed to... with the gift of comedy loaded in the chamber, the Wayans set out to create opportunity and, most importantly, representation.
Tonight, at the 56th Annual NAACP Image Awards, the Wayans family is being honored as a family that has single-handedly reinvented what it means to be funny.
Playing upon Black stereotypes, reclaiming them, flipping and reversing them and saying "yes, we can turn our struggles into success," to humbling Hollywood and reminding them that they aren’t exempt from jokes, to dressing as women and making us crack up, the Wayans have done it all!
Kim, Marlon, Damon, Shawn, and Keenen have created a generational blueprint for the Wayans who have followed. They have proven that yes, we can create our own lane, yes, we can collaborate as a family on projects, and yes, we can write, produce, and star in our own films because if we don’t ensure our own representation, who will? Their hard work and dedication have paid off, as their children are following in their footsteps and building upon the Wayans' legacy from acting and producing to stand-up comedy.
The multiple sitcoms such as My Wife and Kids, The Wayans Bros, Marlon, and Poppa’s House... the blockbuster movie franchises like Scary Movie, White Chicks, Major Payne, and Little Man...and even dropping comedy specials on Netflix—the Wayans have done it all. This family has opened doors, built tables, and added chairs for their people, showing our community that, in the words of Marlon Wayans, "Not only can you dream, but you can make your dreams come true."
Congratulations to the Wayans family on being inducted into the NAACP Hall of Fame! It’s not often that talent can be sustained across generations, but the Wayans have done just that! Let us know what’s your favorite Wayans movie, show, or moment?
Mine? It has to be the entire run of Damon’s hit sitcom My Wife and Kids!
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