INTERVIEW: Marlon Wayans On The Fate Of The “White Chicks” Sequel, Growing Up In The Wayans Family, And More

Marlon Wayans is headlining his first East End comedy show on Friday, November 8 at the Suffolk Theater in Riverhead. If you’re a fan of the actor and comedian, or are just in need of some comedic relief, you’re not going to want to miss this sidesplittingly gig.

We had the pleasure of chatting with Wayans, who had us cracking up about everything from competing for laughs in the Wayans family to the White Chicks sequel rumors, and much more.

Will this be your first time performing on the East End of Long Island?

MW: I think I performed on Long Island one other time. That was with my brother though. This is going to be my first one by myself.

What can the audience at the Suffolk Theater expect?

MW: Hopefully the laughs. Expect me to give it my all and what’s great is I think people can expect to laugh at kind of my expense, with things that’s relatable to us all. But, you know, I like people to take a vacation from the world. I used to always like talking about politics and race and those kind of things. But, lately I’ve been discovering just my life and myself. I think that, for me, that is kind of therapeutic. I think for an audience, especially in such a toxic world, if it gets a laugh at my expense and take a vacation from the news and take vacation from politics and take a vacation from whatever is happening in their life and just come laugh at mine.

And you do have a Hamptons connection as White Chicks takes place out here. So, I have to ask; Terry Crews said on Watch What Happens Live that the White Chicks sequel is happening. Is there any update on that?

MW: Terry Crews is way too buff for me to call him a liar, but I will say he got some things wrong. No, we’re not doing a sequel. Not yet. I mean Terry’s buff, he’s big, he’s diesel. If he said we’re doing a sequel… Then, hey man. I believe if you believe.

When preparing for a new comedy tour, what’s your process?

MW: I don’t really have a process when it comes to anything. I’m more or less, you know, take what comes to me in terms of it. It varies, it’s different because I’m always writing something, I’m always developing something, I’m always filming something. I’m not the guy that works in town, every night for five months to get his material. I usually work my material in five big chunks for like two weeks and then I’m out on the road with that new hour tweaking it and before I’m done with finding the hour, I’ve found five different hours. Then finally choose, okay, this is the hour I want to do. So, for me, it’s just about putting a nice playlist of jokes together and things I want to talk about and then it’s about finding now the story. I scrapped three or four different hours to come up with a new hour. So, I hope people really enjoy it. I like it. I think it appeals to everybody.

With nine siblings, many of whom went into the entertainment industry, was it a constant contest to be the funniest growing up?

MW: Only if I wanted to eat. No… I think we all competed for who was funnier. But, it wasn’t in a malicious way. We had a lot of laughter in the house. A lot of laughter and a lot of love and I think that that’s the main ingredients of Wayans.

You’ve had the chance to work with several of your family members throughout your career. What has it been like being about to collaborate with them?

MW: It’s been some of my greatest times. I learned a lot. I probably wouldn’t be the artist I am if I hadn’t spent the amount of time I have with each sibling. I’ve worked with them numerous times, and always learned something new from them. I’ve learned so much that now doing my own thing with Rick Alvarez, my producing partner, when we do our productions for our Ugly Baby, which is our production company, it’s like we hear in our heads the voices of my brothers and sisters. (Impersonates Damon Wayans) We need to go a little darker. (Impersonates Shawn Wayans) This is stupid. (Impersonates Kim Wayans) Man, there’s no heart in there.

So, they’re all kind in my head. And this is before I tell anything out my mouth. I think it’s kind of helping me to, at the same time, be a rebel and have my own voice. I am different and that’s okay. I no longer stress about being different. I just embrace the fact that I’m a Wayans, but I’m Marlon and Marlon’s where the individual lies.

Quite a bit of your recent works is available on Netflix. How have streaming services like Netflix changed the game for the comedy scene?

MW: It’s great because you’re in so many homes. With Netflix, you’re in 200 million homes in over 200 countries. Whether it’s a TV show or movie or your stand up special, I think you’re able to reach more people. I think a lot of companies are starting to understand that and they’re starting to build out their own platform, which makes it very interesting for me and Ugly Baby, because we’re a free agent. When it comes down to looking for a home, there’s so many out there. It’s an exciting time.

You recently wrapped Sofia Coppola’s On the Rocks. Tell us a little bit about that project?

MW: Sofia Coppola, a brilliant director, cast me to play Rashida Jones’ husband in a movie with Bill Murray. It’s a great role. I play her husband who she thinks is cheating on her. Her and Bill Murray, who plays her father, start spying on me. It’s a really cute, sweet dramady and I’m happy to be flexing some of that dramatic muscle and leading man muscle.

I also got another drama that I’m going to announce soon. It’s been a good year so far.

Is there anything else you’d like to add?

MW: Come check me out. Come laugh and enjoy your night and bring a date. I like to say live, love, laugh. Just enjoy life.

Doors, the bar and restaurant open at the Suffolk Theater at 6:30 p.m. and the show begins at 8 p.m. Tickets to Marlon Wayans at the Suffolk Theater are $65, $75, and $79.

Suffolk Theater is located at 118 East Main Street in Riverhead. For more information, visit www.suffolktheater.com.