The Wayans family became Hollywood sensations overnight after the sketch comedy show created by Keenan Ivory Wayans, In Living Color, premiered in 1990.
Along with four of his siblings, Damon Wayans, Kim Wayans, Marlon Wayans and Shawn Wayans, Keenan has built an estimated $300 million empire. The family grew up in the projects of New York City.
Keenan had just starred in the hit film I’m Gonna Git You Sucka, and the struggling FOX network offered him a deal where he could create whatever he wanted. Keenan decided he wanted to do a comedy show like Saturday Night Live but racier and created one of the funniest shows of all time. It also put the FOX network on the map.
“I had done a movie called I’m Gonna Git You Sucka,” said Keenan. “And it was a big success. And I had set up screenings of the movie for all the studios’ film departments. But Fox didn’t come. Instead they sent the TV execs.”
“At that time, Fox wasn’t even a network. They were a startup. And I really didn’t have interest in that because I wanted to pursue film. But they said to me, ‘You know if you come here you can pretty much do anything you want to do.’ And I said, ‘Well, let me think about it.’ And then I kind of sat and said, ‘If I am given an opportunity like this, what would I do? So I started to put together the show for the idea.”
The actor and comedian hired four members of the Wayans family, and the rest is history. Aside from being hilarious, the show also broke race barriers as most of the cast was Black.
In Living Color also helped to launch the careers of David Alan Grier, Tommy Davidson, Jamie Foxx and Jim Carey. Jennifer Lopez was also on the show as a Fly Girl dancer.
Some of the show’s funniest characters and skits were “Men On Film,” “Benita Butrell Spills All,” and “Homie D Clown.”
The show ran for four years, and Keenan became a successful writer and filmmaker. Damon also used the show as a foundation to begin a successful film and television career.
Kim went on to author children’s books and worked behind the scenes as a writer and director. She also recently revived her character Benita Butrell from the show last year to advise people to vote.
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Their younger sibling Shawn also got his start on the show and went on to have a successful television and film career. Shawn and Marlon starred in “The Wayans Brothers” and the movie “White Chicks,” which was directed by their big brother, Keenan.
Marlon was too young to star in In Living Color, but he has also gone on to have a successful television and film career with the help of Keenan and Shawn. Marlon also starred in “Scary Movie.”
We can’t see what the Wayans family does next.
