Just when we thought we’ve gotten to know everybody with the last name Wayans, the world's funniest family has introduced a new offspring to the big screen— Damon Wayans, Jr. The son of Damien Wayans makes his debut in their new movie, “Dance Flick.” Directed by Damien Wayans and written by Shawn, Marlon, Keenan and others. The parody film mocks classics like “Hairspray,” “Flashdance,” “Save the Last Dance” and “Dreamgirls.”
Sometimes raunchy and always edgy, the Wayans go hard on everyone and everything, including our favorite celebrities like Amy Winehouse, Britney Spears, Brandy and Halle Berry. Marlon Wayans says, “We don’t like to come out and do nonsense. We watched the past seven years of people doing nonsense parodies.” Shawn Wayans adds, “We try to make ourselves laugh really hard.”
BET.com had to know more and sat down with both Shawn and Marlon. True to form, the brothers cracked us up ranting about being politically incorrect, gay rumors and the risk of President Obama jokes.
Is there anybody in the Wayans family that just wants to be a doctor or a lawyer?
Marlon: We'll have none of that sh*t! [Laughs]
[Laughs] Everybody's got acting talent!
Marlon: It's a lot less money needed to be a comedian. When you are a doctor or a lawyer you gotta go to school for like 30 years. You wanna be funny? You can be born funny—study that and keep doing it!
As far as Damon Wayans, Jr., how did you prep him to do this film?
Shawn: Little Damon's got raw talent. I knew he was funny, but I didn't know he was going to be able to do that. We auditioned him six times and he got funnier and funnier.
The movie is very politically incorrect. In this climate, were you nervous about being too edgy?
Marlon: We don't do shock jock humor. We don't do it for shock; we do it because it's funny. Our intent is never to be mean, it's just to be funny. Now, you're gonna go, "That is so wrong!" But that means it's so wrong because it's something that you were thinking but would never say. That's a great joke—we just go the balls to say it.
Well, the jokes on Brandy and Halle were funny. But, what about fellow celebrities; are you ever afraid to go there?
Shawn: We don't try to be mean. Some of our stuff is so honest that it comes across like that but we don’t really go after people. We just go after the moment. It has to be done, someone has to say it.
Marlon: Especially friends; Brandy is a good friend of mine. Brandy was like, "Oh, no, ya'll ain't." I was like, "Yes we are—sorry!" When you do stuff like that, they may not know it at the time, but when people laugh at it, it's easier to forget.
I heard Chris Rock say Bill Cosby and Oprah are off limits. Is there any topic or people you would never touch?
Shawn: For us, everybody's fair game. But, we wouldn't do anything that was for no reason and not funny. It has to have some funny there. The higher up you go on our hero chain, the more it has to be that much funnier.
Marlon: Exactly, right now, to do an Oprah joke—it got to be real funny! Look, Obama, I adore him. I think he is the greatest thing that ever happened. He's like the Black Superman to me.
Shawn: I don't wanna do an Obama joke but if the right one came to where he would go, "Now that was funny!”—
Marlon: That's the key, if you can make the person you are making the jokes on laugh then it's all good.
What is the craziest Internet rumor you all have heard about yourselves?
Shawn: There is always the gay rumor. Anybody who makes a million dollars is gay.
Marlon: There are pictures of me with my kids! [Laughs]
Shawn: Yeah, it's like—how are we gay? Why?
Marlon: Not that there is anything wrong with that!
Shawn: But why would you pick us? Did we come out with the YMCA wig on or something?
Marlon: What's funny, if I was gay, I would just say it and so be it. When you're a comedian—it's like Ellen, "I am gay and so what!" If I was gay I'd be like, "I'm gay so what!" And I'd be telling jokes about it!
Any chance we will get a "White Chicks" sequel?
Marlon: There is a great chance you might get a "White Chicks" sequel.
Shawn: We are kicking it around, we will see.
Marlon, you are in "G.I. Joe,” which a lot of people are looking forward to. What can you tell us about the film?
Marlon: The brother don't die in the first minute! He actually helps save the day, he doesn't get slapped around by the White bad guy and he gets the girl at the end of the day—now, she a White girl! But, he gets the girl. Honestly, at this point it's not about White, Black—it's about love is colorless to me. In today's world, I think America is mature enough for that. We got a Black President; it's kind of like the maturity of the world. What's great about this romance is it's just cute. It’s not sexual, it's a cute romance. I feel very good really about the movie. I saw it, there was a point I was looking at it and I was going, "I'm in that!" It's crazy—it has humor, explosions, romance, adrenaline and it got ninjas! That's all the ingredients for a huge summer blockbuster.
What's next for the Wayans family?
Shawn: We have a buddy action movie that we are doing with Paramount. Like a "Lethal Weapon," it's a comedy-action but more comedic. Me, Marlon and Keenan wrote it. We are starring in it and Keenan is directing.
Marlon: We got a book "101 Ways To Know;" so 101 ways to know you are a gold digger, 101 ways to know you're having a ghetto Christmas—funny little coffee table books with jokes and pictures. Those come out June 9th.
Shawn: We also have a kids' children book, which is kind of like Charley Brown meets Fat Albert with a hip-hop twist. We basically teach kids life lessons through humor and music.
“Dance Flick” is in theatres tomorrow.
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Clay is a blogger for BET.com's What the Flick. You can read more of his work at www.claycane.net.