My Favorite Wayans Family Projects

 

This coming weekend the Wayans Family will receive the honor, of being inducted into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame. If there's any family in the entertainment world that deserves this honor, the Wayans Family is it. They have been making folks laugh for well over forty years and have created legendary projects. 

So it's time to give them their flowers and share my favorite projects created by The Wayans Family. I'm omitting In Living Color and I'm Gonna Git You Sucka, and My Wife & Kids because it's a given why those are favorites.

Second Generation Wayans

This 2013 BET original dramedy was actually pretty good. I just think it was not what viewers were expecting from members of the Wayans Family. Focusing on Damien and Craig Wayans who both wrote the series, trying to navigate Hollywood keeping the Wayans name going.

It focuses on the cousins lamenting that they have had achieved the success their uncles and aunt have. With a relatable story of trying to keep family legacies alive, while making your own mark. It's a shame it was only given one season.

Fifty Shades of Black

When released in 2016, this movie was given a lot of flak. Co-written by Marlon, it is however a very funny spoof, you would expect from a Wayans. It's silly, doesn't take itself too serious and is harmless. If you need a good laugh and have some time to kill give it a chance.

Marlon

Another sitcom in the long list of one's not given a chance, and cancelled too soon. Co-starring Essence Atkins (who now costars in Poppa's House with Damon and Damon Jr.), the two play a divorced couple trying to co-parent in the modern world.

A real topic inspired by Marlon's real life, the show touched on the seriousness of the subject but used laughter to heal it. Debuting in 2017 it was cancelled by NBC after it's second season.

Scary Movie 2

The sequel to the surprise hit of 2000 and released a year later. I personally find Scary Movie 2 funnier than the first one. Spoofing primarily the supernatural and haunted house genre of horror movies. The jokes in my opinion just land a bit better.

I didn't appreciate it when it released but it truly is a gem.

Damon Wayans Still Standing

To me Damon Wayans is the funniest member of The Wayans Family. And this HBO stand up special from 1997 shows why. For a hour Damon captives you with his storytelling, using the stage as a prop, there's not a dull second in his performance. His performance in this special shows how much of an art stand up comedy is, and how its been lost. Some of his material later is the basis for My Wife & Kids.

Have an hour? Thanks to the power of YouTube check out the Special .

Blankman

Released in 1994 and co-written by Damon Wayans based on a story he developed. BlankMan is a silly ass movie if I'm being honest, but if I have an opportunity to watch it I will. It also was a early form of representation that went over my head as a child.

A Black superhero saving the city, but not just a Black superhero he's a "nerd" so to speak. So geek culture was on display in Blankman's alter ego Daryl, of course played over the top by Wayans. Daryl was also an inventor, handyman, computer whiz, and mechanic based on what he was able to build from junk. All components of the STEM field. 

While silly it has alot of heart and that makes it enjoyable.

Hollywood Shuffle

A lot of people don't know this, but Keenan Ivory Wayans co-wrote Hollywood Shuffle alongside Robert Townsend (another guy who deserves more flowers). The film follows an aspiring actor Bobby Taylor (played by Townsend) as he navigates the stereotypical world of Hollywood.

Wayans has a small role in the role, but it is a gem for how it is a satire on Hollywood back in the 80's. And much of the topics it covers and calls out is still relevant today.

Low Down Dirty Shame

Also released in 1994 Keenan Ivory Wayan's wrote, directed, and starred in A Low Down Dirty Shame. Playing a P.I. trying to get by who gets wrapped up in a case involving an old flame and foe. With Jada Pinkett Smith's character Peaches by his side, he sets out to close the case once and for all.

A homage to the Blaxploitation era of P.I.'s like John Shaft, I'm shocked a sequel was never made. The movie is funny enough to warrant one and still holds up today.

Major Payne

Major Payne a guy who's a pain in the ass. Released in 1995, 30 years later I can watch this movie beginning to end multiple times, like I have never seen it. The movie was co-written by Damon and it's just so funny with many quotable lines. And hasn't really aged as far as jokes being in bad taste or anything.

I know it's considered a cult classic, but I'm not sure how it is not a bonafide classic. Here's one of my favorite scenes and a collection of other funny ass scenes from the movie.

Mo' Money

Loosely based on the Mo'Money skits from In Living Color, Damon Wayans wrote and starred in this one with Marlon by his side. Playing brothers who hustle for a living, strongly opposed to working. Until Amber played by Stacey Dash catches Damon's character Johnny eye. Soon enough he has a job at her company and gets himself entangled in a credit card identity theft scheme.

It has comedy, and some action. And if if comes on TV or is available to stream and I have free time, I'm sitting down to watch it.

Don't Be A Menace To South Central While Drinking Your Juice In The Hood

I don't give a damn what anyone says Don't Be A Menace is the funniest spoof film ever, and the overall funniest movie by The Wayans Family. Released in 1996 it is a spoof of the 90's Hood movie genres, it targets and hits every movie from Boyz N The Hood on released up to that point.

Almost 30 years later I will watch it and laugh my ass off. Lines from the movie randomly pop in my head, so I have to quote them. It has alot of Easter eggs jokes you may miss, and things going on in the background to help drive jokes you may miss. 

For instance I never noticed until someone pointed it out on social media a few years back, that Ashtrays father had slip covers in his kitchen. The Wayans definitely took their time to make sure this movie was one of a kind and it shows.

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Robert Townsend Deserve's His Flowers Now

 Today is the 30th anniversary of one of my favorite movies The Five Heartbeats. Watching the movie which is a beloved amongst the Black culture, I thought about just how much Robert Townsend has given the culture that is often acknowledged but really overlooked. With The Five Heartbeats Townsend was a star in the film, in addition to producing, writing, and directing the film. That's alot of hats to wear for a movie that is about as close to perfection as they come.

Looking over his filmography his first major break in Hollywood was Hollywood Shuffle. Another film he starred in, produced, wrote and directed. The movie is a satire on the Hollywood industry and it's treatment of Black actors when it comes to finding the "right" role, very relevant today as it was in the 80's when the film was made.

In 1993 before Blade, before Black Panther, hell a year before Blankman. He gave us the first Black superhero on the big screen I remember Meteor Man. A film that at the time had a who's who of Black actors and actresses in it (Marla Gibbs, James Earl Jones, Bill Cosby, Luther Vandross, Robert Guillaume, Don Cheadle) and the list goes on and on. This film employed alot of Black people and likely inspired the next generation.

Those three films are probably Robert's most well known contributions to Hollywood, but it doesnt stop there. He directed Eddie Murphy's RAW standup movie, he wasn't credited but I'm inclined to believe him and Keenan Ivory Wayans helped write some of the jokes for the film. He directed B.A.P.S, starring Halle Berry and Natalie Desselle. Carmen:An Hip Hopera, Holiday Heart, Playin' For Love, Living For Love: The Natalie Cole Story, and The Little Richard movie are some of the additional films he's directed.

On the TV side, he created and starred in one of the WB's first sitcoms in the Cosby inspired Parent'Hood which ran for five seasons. He had his own variety comedy special on HBO called Robert Towsend and His Partners in Crime. Directed episodes of Love Is, Black Lighting, Last O.G., Soul Food and American Soul along with other TV series.

For some reason when the conversation about legendary or most influential Black filmmakers comes up. Robert Townsend is almost never bought up, not sure if thats just because he's never came across as a guy who really cares for the spotlight. In any case he has provided the culture with so much, and it's time we start giving him his flowers now. 

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