Which network aired 'The Wayans Bros'? Marlon Wayans says NBC passed on their show because they thought ‘Pops’ character was “too ghetto”

Actor and comedian Marlon Wayans was a recent guest on the Baby, This is Keke Palmer podcast, which aired on July 29.

Almost towards the end of the podcast, Keke Palmer played a game with Wayans where he had to let go of one item from a list. The category was 90s Black sitcom, and the shows were Martin, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, The Jamie Foxx Show, and The Wayans Bros.

Wayans said he wouldn’t choose The Wayans Bros. Palmer, then mentioned that the character Pops, played by John Witherspoon, is the best. For those unaware, Witherspoon died in 2019 at 77.

The Wayans Bros. aired on The WB Television Network. Talking about how NBC passed on the opportunity to air the show, Marlon Wayans said:

“You know, we didn’t make it to NBC because NBC wanted to…we did a table read and they thought he was too ghetto and they wanted us to have a different father in this. They get like a Danny Glover type and we was like no.”

Marlon Wayans felt Pops’s character would be played either by the late actor or no one else, before adding:

“But then, you know, the WB was starting, and it was like, I think that’s a great combination. So, everything is God. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure and it’s not about the doors that close, it’s the ones that open up.”

Marlon Wayans looks back on why he didn’t listen to music

Marlon Wayans also talked about how he didn't listen to music because it distracted him. He preferred quiet time to think clearly and connect with God. When he went for walks, he liked listening to books instead.

He said he spent time thinking about big things like his future, his work, and how to turn his own life experiences, including his pain and mistakes, into comedy. He felt that listening to music meant focusing on someone else’s creativity, but he wanted to focus on creating his own ideas in silence.

Marlon Wayans also told Keke Palmer:

“But you know what? I don't watch a lot of TV anymore. I would stop when I said I know enough about the world and about people that I need to really figure me out and I need to talk to God cause he's the source and my therapist cause that's the other source and I need to figure out how I can take myself and be a prism to infect the world with whatever lessons and drama and trauma I have been through and give them laughter.”

Marlon Wayans shared that losing his parents helped him learn more about himself because it took a lot of healing to deal with the sadness. He created a comedy special called Good Grief about how he handled their passing, and he believed it was his best work.

He explained that comedy can go deep, like peeling the layers of an onion, and the best kind of comedy comes from turning sad moments into something joyful. When others saw it, they felt thankful because it helped them deal with their feelings, too.

Trending

Also read: Is Robin Roberts returning to GMA? What we know as host addresses being absent from her morning show

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback