Damon Wayans candidly discusses his intentional departure from Saturday Night Live (SNL) in the 1980s in a recent interview. The actor and comedian shared his reasons for getting himself fired from the popular NBC show after a short stint during season 11 in 1985.
In the interview, Wayans revealed that he felt destined to be on SNL and had been working on characters even before his audition. He received valuable advice from fellow comedian Eddie Murphy to write his own sketches to avoid being given unfavorable roles. However, despite his efforts to pitch his ideas to the SNL writers, Wayans felt sidelined and was often given stereotypical or offensive roles that he refused to play.
The breaking point for Wayans came during a sketch titled “Mr. Monopoly,” where he decided to deviate from the script and portray a different stereotype that ultimately led to his dismissal from the show. Despite the consequences, Wayans admitted that he intentionally provoked his firing as he no longer cared about the role.
Following his departure from SNL, Wayans went on to achieve success in comedy movies such as Mo’ Money and Major Payne. He later starred in the hit sketch show In Living Color from 1990-94. Despite his rocky start on SNL, Wayans returned to host the show in 1995, marking a reconciliation after nine years.
Wayans’ bold move of getting himself fired from SNL broke the golden rule of no surprises on the show. However, it ultimately paved the way for his successful career in comedy beyond the confines of Saturday Night Live.
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