When you talk about the most important families in Hollywood, a few familiar names generally get mentioned: The Kardashians, the Baldwins, the Goldwins, etc, but another family that deserves to be at the top of the list is
The Wayans.
When we talk about culture—the Culture, Black Culture, Pop Culture, whatever kind of culture you want to discuss—many roads lead back to the work of this family.
Two of their most iconic shows are experiencing milestones this year: In Living Color turns 35, and The Wayan Bros. sitcom turns 30. Both shows helped accelerate the careers of multiple actors/actresses, and each show influenced pop culture in a major way.
The most incredible thing about the Wayans family is that their impact doesn’t stop with Gen X.
It’s Multi-Generational.
We’re gonna dig into it a bit. Let’s talk about it.
A Lil Background On The Wayans…
The Wayans brothers we see on TV are just a few of the ten children Howell Wayans, and Elvira Wayan raised in New York City.
The first brother to break through to Hollywood, Keenen Ivory Wayans, left an indelible mark that changed the trajectory of comedy and Black History forever.
As it happens, they are the perfect case study for what a House of brands can be.
The “parent” brand is Keenen. His brand gave way to Kim Shawn, Damon, and Marlon — each crafting their own respective products/projects that may not bear the Wayan name by title but are institutions in and of themselves connected by that name & their brother.
This also includes the next generation of Wayans, who are continuing the family brand’s lineage (more on them later).
As a family, they’ve made many contributions, but here are just a few:
In Living Color
In Living Color was the first show created by Keenen Ivory, a Wayans brother. It’s widely credited with changing the comedy format and being a true competitor to SNL.
In Living Color, aired in the early 1990s, was known for its edgy comedy and diverse cast, and it was instrumental in launching the careers of multiple comics, including Jamie Foxx, Tommie Davidson, David Alan Grier, and Jim Carey.
It transformed sketch comedy, but the impact doesn’t stop there.
It transformed sketch comedy, but the impact doesn’t stop there.
I. Expanding Comedy Through Parody
True enough, movie parodies existed before The Wayans, but many modern parodies that we consider classics undoubtedly have their stamp on them.
And if we’re being honest, when you look at some of the lists of the best parodies, there aren’t many, if any, Black films on them. As such, I’d venture to say that The Wayans opened up the genre to a new audience that Hollywood had underserved.
A. I’m Gonna Git You Sucka
I’m Gonna Git You is Keenen Ivory Wayans’ directorial debut (he also wrote it and stars him). Interestingly enough, it was one of the projects that got him noticed by TV networks, ultimately leading to a deal that got him In Living Color.
The movie is heralded as a cult classic and appreciated for its parody of 1970s blaxploitation films. It even features some of the stars of that era, such as Yaphet Kotto, Jim Brown, and Isaac Hayes.
B. Scary Movie
If you didn’t know, The Scary Movie franchise is also a product of the Wayans family — specifically, a product of Keenen Ivory, Shawn, and Marlon.
The budget for the film was only $19 million, but when all was said and done, it made almost $300 million at the box office. According to Wikipedia, it was the most successful film ever directed by a Black Person until the release of Fantastic Four in 2005.
In keeping with the tradition of putting on young Black talent, Scary Movie was one of the first films for stars like Regina Hall (she had previously appeared in The Best Man, her first film, followed by Love & Basketball).
C. Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice In the Hood
Don’t Be a Menace is another cult classic parody film that Black Millennials grew up knowing and loving especially for how it poked fun at the tropes of living in the hood that could be seen around that time in films like Boyz N Da Hood, and Menace II Society.
D. White Chicks
White Chicks is another parody that is still beloved by Millennials everywhere and another box office hit in the Wayans catalog.
It was also a pivotal movie for actors like Terry Crews, who were working to reach the next level. It happened in the midst of a ton of other Wayans shows and films dominating the Hollywood scene, like the aforementioned Scary Movie.
II. Expanding Comedy Through Sitcoms
The influence of The Wayans is very much in the world of TV, particularly with sitcoms. As the ’90s progressed into the 2000s, it wasn’t just Keenen on the TV front; it was also Marlon, Shawn, and Damon who had their own shows, too.
A. The Wayans Bros.
The Wayans Bros was on one of the shows that helped make The WB relevant before it merged with The CW. It was a hub for multiple facets of Black culture, from fashion to music.
They also wore clothing from iconic Black designers in the 90s, such as FUBU and Karl Kani, and they routinely featured supporting actors who were fellow comedians on the come-up.
The show also infused Hip-hop culture into their show, The theme song being the instrumental from A Tribe Called Quest’s “Electric Relaxation” — the first time that a Hip-hop song was used as a theme music in a Sitcom, according to Revolt. The show also had multiple cameos from Busta Rhymes, Missy Elliott, Roy Jones Jr., and many more.
Moreover, The Wayans Brothers came at a time when many Black actors were finally getting their shot at a weekly sitcom, and it further solidified the comedic legacy of The Wayans Family, which ran for five seasons in total. Stars featured included John Witherspoon, Lela Rochon (from Waiting To Exhale), and Deidre Baxter.
B. My Wife & Kids
My Wife and Kids kept the 10+ year run of Wayans family comedy going for another 5 seasons with this show co-starring role for Tisha Campbell, and it also featured appearances from rising comedians like Katt Williams.
At the time, there weren’t many shows of Black families on TV, although there had been some here and there in the past. But a new show, with the comedic stylings of the Wayans backing it, made My Wife and Kids a classic Black TV show.
C. Poppa’s House
All roads lead to 2025, where a new generation Wayans star is collabing with the prior generation on a CBS show named Poppas House.
This time, Damon is back as a father-son duo who live under the same roof and go through all of life’s motions simultaneously.
EPILOGUE
Without The Wayans, you won’t get any of the work you see above, and the world would be less for it.
Scary Movie 7 is on the way, and the next generation of Wayans family members is making their way, including Damon Jr. with his CBS show and Chaunte Wayans, a budding comedian out in Los Angeles.
For those who aren’t counting, their run as a family is going on 30+ years of stellar comedic films, sitcoms, standups, and much more. Marlon had to pop out and remind people earlier this year, but in case you missed that, hopefully, this serves as a reminder.
If you want to laugh this weekend, check out one of the shows or movies above—I guarantee you won’t regret it.
One.
The Wayans, definitely had a huge impact on the African American culture. It’s good to see the Wayans legacy (old/new school), in addition, Marlon not only show his comedian chops but also his acting range in a drama. It shows the talent of this family. Trend setters.