He grew up in a home filled with laughs and Wayans brothers and sisters. Joining Shawn Wayans and his siblings and parents were Richard Pryor, Eddie Murphy, Dean Martin, Lucille Ball and other comedic legends from TV, radio or the turntable or other stereophonic device.
“We all watched TV together. Nobody is on a phone watching a kid drink Tide,” said Wayans, referring to the so-called “Tide Pod Challenge” on social media, where people joke of feasting on the colorful capsules.
“It was a crazy time but it was the best time.”
Wayans, who performs standup through Saturday night at Off The Hook Comedy Club in North Naples, said he enjoyed listening to Redd Foxx, the star of the 1970s sitcom “Sanford and Son.” When recalling one of the main characters on the show, Aunt Esther, he imitated one of her favorite lines, saying: “You old fish-eyed fool,” which was usually directed toward Foxx’s character, Fred Sanford.
Like his younger brother Marlon, Shawn Wayans, 47, starred alongside older brothers Keenen Ivory and Damon. Shawn and Marlon performed on the sitcom “The Wayans Bros.” in the 1990s. Keenan Ivory directed the 2000 and 2001 comedies “Scary Movie” and “Scary Movie 2”; the 2004 comedy “White Chicks”; and the 2006 film “Little Man.” All co-starred Marlon and Shawn.
Shawn Wayans said his standup isn’t political, as he enjoys joking about “something funny going on that catches my eye.”
“I talk about life in general, whatever that is from running errands someplace or traveling. Whatever bothers me, I talk about it.”
And he’s not big on interacting with his audience, which some comedians do.
“People come for me to see a show, not for them to work,” he said.
“Now if you speak out and heckle me, I’m going to let ou have it. When you’re heckling, you’re at a disadvantage. First of all, you’re drinking and you’re going up against a guy who does this every night and he has the microphone and security. You can’t win.”
Wayans continues to work on various projects, with his latest the “Boo Crew,” a children’s TV show on YouTube. The show address right and wrong choices, focusing on a group of neighborhood kids of various ethnic backgrounds who encounter serious situations.
He compared it to the popular ’70s cartoon show “Fat Albert,” a creation of comedian Bill Cosby.
“It’s ‘edutainment,’ teaching kids life’s lessons,” Wayans said.
He said he enjoyed most performing with his siblings on the early 1990s, edgy sketch comedy show “In Living Color.”
“Everything I’ve done has been fun because I only do stuff that I find fun,” he said. “If I don’t feel like I can have fun with it, I don’t do it.
