Marlon Wayans Talks Standup, 'Fifty Shades of Black' and New Sitcom

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Photo Credit: NBC

Marlon Wayans has been a bona fide star ever since his role in the popular ’90s sitcom “The Wayans Bros.” more than 20 years ago. Since then he has starred in, written and produced films such as Scary Movie , White Chicks and A Haunted House . His latest film is a parody of Fifty Shades of Grey titled Fifty Shades of Black.

We talked with Marlon about his latest film, a pilot he is working on for NBC loosely based on his life and his stand up show Sunday, April 24 at the Pabst Theater.

You’re staying busy these days.

Yeah, man. I’m working hard. I’ve got bills to pay. I’ve got Wayanses to feed.

I wanted to start off talking about Fifty Shades of Black. What made you want to do a Fifty Shades of Grey parody?

I don’t know. I get these little pieces of inspiration. I think its God talking to me, or maybe it’s the devil.

You think God wanted you to make a Fifty Shades of Grey parody?

Well, when I read the book I thought it would make an awesome parody book. Then I changed my mind and decided to make it into a movie. 

Parody has been a go-to form of comedy for you ever since Don’t Be a Menace (to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood) . Why is that?

I was kind of raised in it. Ever since I read I’m Gonna Git You Sucka and saw Airplane I knew that parody was something I needed to do. I was raised in sketch so I grew up looking at the world and saying, “Here’s what’s funny about it.”

Is it true that you got into standup comedy to prepare for a role playing Richard Pryor?

Yeah. I felt like if I’m going to play the greatest comedian in the world I should make sure I know how to do standup. Before that I was too scared, but the actor in me brought me to the stage. 

So you had never done standup before this role came along?

I had tried it before, but that movie really gave me the opportunity to become a real standup comedian. Ever since then I’ve been on the road. I got the [Richard Pryor] part, and then I lost the part. I said I wanted to play a great, but now I want to be a great. My whole journey is to be the best standup comedian I can, hit as many stages as I can, and be as great as I can be.

What have you learned from the process of becoming a standup comedian?

I think it’s teaching me how to be appropriate in terms of the audiences. Some audiences like something different, so you kind of adjust to them. You hear the groans, or you hear the laughs, and you figure out what jokes work in different places.

What should we expect when you come to Milwaukee?

The unexpected, because I don’t know what I’m going to do from time to time.

You just go up and kind of freestyle it? 

There’s always a playlist, but I change it up kind of like a DJ. You have things that you like to play, but you switch it up depending on how you feel.

Has doing standup helped with your acting and writing for film and TV?

It’s definitely helped with movies. I just filmed my pilot and it helped me with how to work an audience. It gave me something special.

Can you tell me about the pilot?

It’s called “Marlon.” It’s loosely based on my life, and being an inappropriate dad. It’s very anti-Cosby. It’s all the shit he wouldn’t say. It’s very raw, very real, very earnest and very edgy. It’s the stuff you say to your kids, but you don’t want other people to hear you say.

When is that coming out?

I’ll find out in May if it’s getting picked up.

How is the approach different now than when you were doing “The Wayans Bros.”?

It’s a little bit more mature and appropriate. I’m learning when to be what. Now I have a family and a relationship to deal with so it makes it a little different.

Is White Chicks 2 going to happen?

I hope so. As much work as it is I would love to do it. I think that we have something to say. I think that there’s a lot of mileage in it, in terms of where pop culture is now, and where race is right now. We really have a lot to say.

So you see White Chicks 2 as a way to make a social statement?

I try and put some sort of socioeconomic jokes in all of my movies. And political stuff. It’s important.

What was the political statement in a movie like White Chicks ?

It was more of a gender movie. It was also a way to poke fun at every culture, and see things from a different angle. What’s funny about White Chicks is white chicks love White Chicks .