Marlon Wayans recently spilled the tea about the reason he and his family decided to cut ties with In Living Color.
Marlon recently appeared on Shannon Sharpe‘s Club Shay Shay podcast. The clip already has over 2.5 million views. During their sit-down, Marlon discussed what led up to the family’s unanimous decision to leave In Living Color, a comedy sketch show birthed by older brother Keenen Ivory Wayans.
“I remember when we left In Living Color because Fox was syndicating the show and it was hurting Keenen’s pockets,” he told Sharpe. “Keenen was like, ‘Nah, you ain’t gonna do this to me.’ My family said, ‘Fuck this money.’ And we all left In Living Color.”
In April 1990, In Living Color debuted on Fox and was an instant hit with 22 million people tuning into the first episode, according to Entertainment Weekly. The show jumpstarted the careers of Keenan and Marlon, along with Damon Wayans, Kim Wayans and Shawn Wayans. Other famous faces like Jennifer Lopez, Jim Carrey and Jamie Foxx also became household names thanks to the success of In Living Color.
Marlon said tension built up when they silently protested in a scene of a 1992 Christmas episode titled, “Driving Miss Schott.” They wore black shades as Foxx sang “This Christmas.”
“We’re going, ‘You ain’t going to f**k my brother. We’re a family. You touch one, you touch all,” he said.
Marlon added that Fox tried to keep them around by offering “big checks,” but they stood behind Keenen.
“$70,000 checks to stay on that show,” Marlon said. “I’m still a brother after this. No, I’m going to support my brother.”
Ratings for season 5 tanked, causing the show to end in May 1994.
“And that’s why season five, it got weird,” Marlon said. “It got Biz Markie. God bless Chris Rock, [but] he came at the wrong time. As brilliant as he is, he couldn’t save it. Because the eyes of the show is gone.”
Check out the full interview below!
