Marlon Wayans isn’t going to let jokes get in the way of real friendship, or at least, that’s the sentiment he put out as it relates to his relationship with fellow comedian Dave Chappelle and his previous, controversial jokes about the LGBTQ+ community. But is he walking a line instead of picking sides completely? Let’s get into it.
As we previously told you, Wayans is a father to his transgender child, Kai, and has been extremely vocal about his support of their journey and his love for them. So, it would only be natural for any of his fans to wonder if and how he could still be cool with Chappelle, given his rocky history with what some would call anti-trans jokes.
If you’ll remember, within the last five years, Chappelle has been all over the country and our streaming services for his various comedy specials. However, in 2021 specifically, he came under fire for his then-controversial Netflix stand-up “The Closer” due to jokes that many felt were transphobic.
In the aftermath of “The Closer’s” release, the comedian was called out by the National Black Justice Coalition and GLAAD for his “lazy and hostile transphobia and homophobia”-laced jokes. Chappelle later said he was ready to come to the table with a listening ear for the trans community, but clarified that he wouldn’t “bend to anyone’s demands.”
Now, in a new interview with Variety, Wayans is sharing his two cents about all the hubub and explained that he’s still going to be cool with Chappelle despite what he said.
“I wouldn’t hang with Dave if he was full of hate. I don’t hang with people like that. I know Dave’s heart, and his intention isn’t to punch down,” Wayans explained. “Dave wants to freely tell his jokes, and if you’re going to be anti-comedy, then he’s going to keep attacking you until you learn to have a sense of humor. He’s just standing there and defending his front line as a comedian.”
The “Scary Movie” star explained that his unique position—as both a father to a transgender child and a longtime friend of Chappelle’s—places him in a rare middle ground. This perspective allows him to act as a bridge, giving him the space to “explain both sides” while maintaining deep respect for both his child’s journey and his friend’s perspective.
“As a comedian, I respect his journey. And as a friend, I respect his journey. And for my child, I respect their journey,” Wayans said. “And as the father of my child, I can appropriate my feelings toward my friend and my feelings toward my child, and how we can put those two things together, and I can explain both sides. I’m between them, so I can explain both sides to each other.”
However, whether or not you feel like he’s walking a fine line or playing it safe with his explanation, he made one thing abundantly clear in no uncertain terms: he’s not here for any form of homophobia, transphobia, or racism, and he’ll do whatever he can to stand against it.
“I’m not here for hate,” Wayans concluded. “Transphobia is a form of hate. Homophobia is a form of hate. Racism is a form of hate. All those small-hearted, small-minded people, there’s a hell for you. And if you think you’re gonna bully my child, go somewhere else. It’s not going to happen. I won’t stand for it.”
