"SNL" SKETCH VIDEO BELOW ARTICLE:
Damon Wayans, celebrated comedian and actor, recently opened up about the controversial moment that led to his firing from Saturday Night Live (SNL) during its tumultuous 11th season. Speaking on Peacock’s docuseries SNL50: Beyond Saturday Night, Wayans candidly shared his experience, including the creative frustrations that pushed him to make a career-defining choice.
Wayans joined SNL in the mid-1980s with high hopes, feeling he was "born to be on Saturday Night Live." However, the reality of the show’s creative process clashed with his aspirations. In his interview, Wayans recounted how his pitches were consistently rejected, while the roles he was given leaned into offensive Black stereotypes. As Eddie Murphy, his former Beverly Hills Cop co-star, had warned him, “Write your own sketches. Otherwise, they’re gonna give you some Black people s*** to do, and you ain’t gonna like it.”
Frustration reached a boiling point during a live performance of the "Mr. Monopoly" sketch, in which Wayans played a cop alongside Randy Quaid. During rehearsals, Wayans followed the script, but during the live show, he went off-script, portraying his character as an effeminate gay stereotype. Although the audience laughed, Wayans’ deviation from the script was a direct defiance of the show’s leadership.
Guest host Griffin Dunne recalled, “I thought it was weird, but people still laughed.” However, as soon as Wayans stepped off stage, SNL creator Lorne Michaels fired him.
Reflecting on the incident, Wayans admitted, “I snapped. I just did not care. I purposefully did that because I wanted [Michaels] to fire me.” Although Michaels described the decision as “really, really hard,” Wayans’ exit marked the end of his SNL tenure.
Despite the setback, Wayans’ career flourished. He went on to create and star in the iconic sketch comedy series In Living Color, a groundbreaking show that allowed him to bring his own vision and characters to life. Years later, he returned to SNL as a guest host, reflecting on Michaels’ capacity for forgiveness and belief in his talent.
Visit Dan Lalonde Films For All Technology And Entertainment News
Source: Deadline
Photo Credit: NBC
Comments