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Marlon Wayans' Hollywood Stories & Mo'Nique Saying The Wayans Bros Stole Her Joke In White Chicks

Club Shay Shay・120 minutes read

Marlon Wayans reflects on his upbringing, family dynamics, and career in Hollywood, emphasizing the influence of his parents on his success and values. He discusses the challenges faced, the importance of originality in comedy, and his evolving perspective on fatherhood and relationships, highlighting his Wild Child tour and stand-up special.

Insights

Marlon Wayans' upbringing in a large family in New York's projects shaped his values and humor, emphasizing the importance of family dynamics and parental influence.
Marlon Wayans' journey in the entertainment industry was marked by challenges in establishing his own identity separate from his famous family, highlighting the struggle for recognition and success.
Damon Wayans' reflections on his career underscore the significance of hard work, family support, and personal growth in shaping his evolution as a respected artist in the entertainment industry.
The importance of family support, hard work, and rewriting processes in creative endeavors, as highlighted by Damon Wayans and his experiences in the industry, underlines the essential elements for success.
Marlon Wayans' commitment to creating content that brings joy and leaves a legacy of happiness, alongside his advocacy for black ownership and unity in the entertainment industry, reflects his values and aspirations beyond material wealth.

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Who is Marlon Wayans?
A bankable Hollywood star with diverse talents.

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Summary

00:00

Marlon Way: Hollywood Star and Family Values

Marlon Way is discussing Hollywood parties and his experiences at Diddy parties, mentioning leaving early and questioning the timing of events.
Shannon Sharp introduces Marlon Way as a successful comedic actor with over 30 years in the entertainment industry, highlighting his contributions to iconic movies and TV shows.
Marlon Way is described as a bankable star with films grossing over 1 billion Global box office dollars, known for his roles as a writer, producer, standup comedian, and Hollywood actor.
Marlon Way and Shannon Sharp share a conversation on Club Shay, with Marlon offering Shannon a drink of VSOP and presenting him with cigars from his partnership in the cigar game.
Marlon Way talks about his upbringing as the youngest of 10 siblings in a close-knit family, sharing stories of growing up in a small apartment in the projects in New York.
Marlon Way discusses his family dynamics, mentioning his mother's hands-on approach and his father's role in instilling independence and discipline in their household.
Marlon Way recalls the meals cooked in his household, ranging from steak to basic ingredients like rice, cornbread, and lard, highlighting the creativity in making meals with limited resources.
Marlon Way reflects on the love and security he experienced in his childhood despite financial struggles, emphasizing the importance of having a caring mother and a present father.
Marlon Way shares insights into his father's deep knowledge of the Bible and his mother's spiritual beliefs, highlighting the impact of their teachings on his life and values.
Marlon Way expresses gratitude for his upbringing and credits his parents for raising successful children, acknowledging the influence of his family dynamics on his career and personal growth.

14:16

Lessons from Parents: Legacy of Love

The speaker reflects on how they didn't fully appreciate their grandparents' advice until they left home and heard their childhood lessons replayed in their mind.
The speaker's mother provided business advice, urging them to invest in real estate, which has proven lucrative in hindsight.
The speaker's parents were intelligent and imparted valuable life lessons, with the father teaching a biblical scripture about honoring parents.
The speaker expresses deep respect for their parents, emphasizing the importance of honoring and caring for them.
The speaker recounts how they would fly home every Monday to spend time with their mother, taking her out for meals and ensuring her comfort.
The speaker recalls receiving money from their parents for special occasions like Easter outfits and school clothes, highlighting the family's financial struggles.
Despite once valuing material possessions like clothes and sneakers, the speaker now aims for a minimalist lifestyle focused on meaningful experiences.
The speaker experienced a shift in perspective after their parents passed away, realizing the insignificance of material possessions compared to leaving behind smiles and laughter.
The speaker shares their commitment to creating timeless comedy that brings joy to others, prioritizing leaving a legacy of happiness over material wealth.
The speaker attributes their sense of humor to their family, particularly their mother's sharp wit and their father's silliness, highlighting the comedic nature of their upbringing.

28:54

Marlon Wayans: Comedy, Family, and Success

Marlon Wayans and his brother Sean started studying comedy at a young age, watching shows like The Honeymooners and Abbott and Costello, with the dream of having their own TV show.
Marlon credits his brother Keenan as one of his biggest role models, along with his grandfather, and emphasizes that he never looked outside his household for role models.
Marlon grew up in a household with five legends, including Keenan, Damon, Kim, his mother, and father, who all raised him and served as examples for him.
Marlon recalls meeting Eddie Murphy at a young age when he visited his house, and despite Murphy's expensive attire, he interacted kindly with Marlon and his family.
Marlon mentions knowing Robert Townsend since he was seven or eight years old, with Townsend being like a big brother to him and providing opportunities for Marlon in the entertainment industry.
Marlon reminisces about his first time on a plane, arranged by Keenan, where the wing caught fire, leading to an emergency landing, and then visiting California where he performed with Robert Townsend at The Improv.
Marlon discusses his confidence in high school, attending a performing arts high school despite his father's initial reluctance, and later attending Howard University while his brothers were already successful in Hollywood.
Marlon reflects on his college experience, initially struggling academically but improving after his brother Keenan stopped funding his education, leading to a 3.6 GPA.
Marlon explains his decision to leave college to pursue his own path in the entertainment industry, despite pressure to join the family business, and his eventual success in securing a role in a film after impressing Damon Wayans with his improv skills.
Marlon highlights the importance of making his own way in the industry, separate from his famous family members, and the challenges he faced in earning recognition for his own talent and hard work.

43:10

Damon Wayans: Journey in Entertainment Industry

Damon Wayans discusses his journey in the entertainment industry, starting from writing movies at 19 years old with his brother, Keenan Ivory Wayans.
He highlights the creation of successful projects like "Wayans Brothers," "Don't Be a Menace," and "Scary Movie," attributing specific ideas to himself and his brother, Sean.
Damon emphasizes the challenges faced due to being pushed into Hollywood at a young age, lacking experience but relying on instincts from their funny family background.
He reflects on the initial struggles in understanding storytelling and improving over time, leading to better seasons of their TV show and movies.
Damon acknowledges the pivotal role of his brothers in providing opportunities but also the pressure and hard work required to prove themselves in the industry.
He recounts the intense process of rewriting scripts multiple times, such as 26 drafts for "Don't Be a Menace," and the last-minute changes needed to salvage the movie.
Damon shares personal moments of financial struggles, creative breakthroughs, and the support and feedback received from his brothers and colleagues.
He expresses pride in his growth as a comedian and actor, with a diverse range of skills honed over 30 years in the business.
Damon credits his family's work ethic, dedication, and the tough lessons learned in the industry for shaping him into a successful and respected artist.
He concludes with a message of gratitude for the opportunities, challenges, and experiences that have contributed to his evolution as a performer and creator.

57:48

Nurturing talent in creative environments: A summary.

Keenan encouraged the speaker to do more, recognizing their special talent and potential.
Writers from "In Living Color" were pushed to work hard, with 26 drafts preparing them for greatness.
Damon, a comedian, was highlighted for his unique and magical talent, particularly in creating characters and monologues.
Damon's ability to turn his pain and handicap into art showcased his brilliance as a comedian.
Kim Wayans was praised for her exceptional talent as a writer and actress, often compared to a black Carol Burnett.
The speaker emphasized the importance of rewriting and hard work in the creative process.
In Living Color's halftime show during the Super Bowl attracted a significant audience, leading to a shift in the NFL's halftime show approach.
Damon's bold and unconventional actions, such as doing characters he wasn't supposed to, showcased his brilliance and fearlessness.
Keenan's role in recognizing and nurturing talent, like Jim Carrey's, was crucial in shaping successful careers.
The speaker highlighted the loving and supportive environment on the set of "In Living Color," emphasizing the importance of positive energy and relationships in the creative process.

01:12:05

Comedian's idols, journey, and influential guests.

Eddie Murphy, Richard Pryor, and Damon Wayans are the comedian's idols.
The comedian wrote jokes for Eddie Murphy's movie Norbit in a week.
He improvised a tap dance routine called "Bust the Taps" on set.
Eddie Murphy laughed and enjoyed the routine, making the comedian grateful.
The comedian had a close relationship with Tupac, sharing laughs and hanging out.
He saw Tupac and Biggie shortly before they were shot, feeling a sense of loss.
The comedian's show "The Wayans Brothers" faced rejection due to John Witherspoon's character.
The show was eventually picked up by WB with John Witherspoon included.
John Witherspoon encouraged the comedian to pursue stand-up comedy.
The comedian reflects on his journey and the impact of his guests like Bernie Mac and Busta Rhymes.

01:27:10

Marlon Wayans on Black Sitcom Resurgence

Marlon recalls gambling with Buster after a show, winning $7,000 from him, and discusses the potential for a resurgence of black sitcoms like those in the 90s.
He expresses hope for surpassing past achievements in black sitcoms, emphasizing the need for black ownership in the industry to avoid marginalization.
Marlon praises the current talent in the industry, highlighting the emergence of visionaries like Issa Rae and Jordan Peele who create and produce content.
He stresses the importance of unity and empowerment within the black community in the entertainment industry, advocating for collaboration and support instead of competition.
Marlon discusses the concept of syndication in television, explaining the model of producing 100-200 episodes and selling them to networks and streamers for profit.
He believes in the syndication model's viability and criticizes networks for competing with streaming platforms, emphasizing the need for a return to syndication.
Marlon reflects on his journey as a writer and comedian, recalling his early sketches and the evolution of his stand-up performances without written scripts.
He shares his experience working on the "Scary Movie" franchise, discussing the challenges of dealing with Miramax and the unfair deals they received.
Marlon addresses the allegations against Harvey Weinstein, expressing his disapproval of such behavior and emphasizing the importance of supporting and nurturing talent.
He recounts the disputes over the "Scary Movie" franchise, detailing how they walked away from the third installment due to unfair treatment and the theft of their ideas.

01:41:30

Marlon Wayans: Craft, Values, and Success

The Zooker brothers were hired to work on Scary Movie 3 based on an idea presented to them.
The success of the first Scary Movie was attributed to the presence of Anna and Regina characters.
Scary Movie 4 did not perform well due to the absence of certain key elements.
Scary Movie 5 was influenced by ideas from the movie Haunted House, but a deal was not made.
Marlon Wayans made the movie "A Haunted House" for $1.5 million, which earned $19 million at the box office.
Marlon Wayans emphasizes the importance of respecting the craft and paying professionals for their work.
Marlon Wayans believes in trusting God for revenge rather than retaliating against wrongdoings.
Marlon Wayans stresses the importance of knowing one's worth and asking for fair compensation.
Marlon Wayans discusses his conduct and values, emphasizing the need to be a positive example.
Marlon Wayans talks about the making of White Chicks, the challenges faced during filming, and the creative process behind the movie.

01:56:22

Marlon Wayans: Comedy, Family, and Growth

White Chicks is considered a classic movie, loved by both white and black audiences, with a potential sequel discussed.
The speaker emphasizes the difference in treatment between sequels for white actors, who receive substantial financial offers, and black actors, who face budget constraints.
The speaker addresses accusations of joke stealing from Mo'Nique, denying any intentional theft and highlighting the importance of originality in comedy.
Personal experiences with his daughter's gender transition are shared, detailing initial struggles and eventual acceptance after a challenging period.
The speaker reflects on his mother's passing and the impact it had on his decision not to marry until he felt ready, citing his mother's importance in his life.
The speaker discusses his evolving perspective on fatherhood, emphasizing a more relaxed approach with his youngest child, allowing for mistakes and prioritizing happiness over academic success.
The speaker expresses pride in his growth as a father, acknowledging the impact of his youngest child in breaking down his ego and expectations.
The summary concludes with a mention of Marlon Wayans' Wild Child tour and stand-up special, highlighting his career and current projects.

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