Marlon Wayans is pushing back against cancel culture.
The actor, writer, and director has been making films for over three decades and in a new interview with Buzzfeed insists he will not censor himself to appease younger generations.
The topic came about while discussing films like his 2004 hit "White Chicks" and whether they would have the same success amid the "cancel culture" of today.
"They're needed," Wayans said. "I don't know what planet we're on, where you think people don't need laughter, and that people need to be censored and canceled. If a joke is gonna get me canceled, thank you for doing me that favor. It's sad that society is in this place where we can't laugh anymore."
In the film, Wayans and his brother Shawn play the role of two FBI agents who, in order to foil a kidnapping plot, go undercover as white women. Over the years, some have considered "White Chicks" problematic, but Wayans stated he would not stop making films that make people laugh.
"I ain't listening to this damn generation. I ain't listening to these folks: These scared-a** people, these scared executives," he continued. "Y'all do what you want to do? Great. I'm still gonna tell my jokes the way I tell them. And if you want to make some money, jump on board. And if not, then I'll find a way to do it myself.
"I know my audience. My audience comes to my shows every weekend, and they leave feeling great and laughing. One thing about the Wayanses: We've always told the worst joke the best way."
Back in 2020, Wayans also defended his film, pointing out during an interview with Entertainment Weekly that the people who most loved "White Chicks" were white women.
"That's how you know it's a good movie. A good joke in comedy is when the people you make fun of laugh the loudest," he said. "And what's beautiful is that we're equal-opportunity offenders. It was a great exploration of gender, of race, of pop culture, and done with kid gloves so everybody could laugh. And I think that's what makes it a cult classic to this day."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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