Thoughts on Marlon Wayans “Good Grief” Comedy Special: Now Streaming on Amazon Prime
Marlon Wayans is the youngest of the ten talented Wayans kids, who burst into our consciousness over thirty years ago with the groundbreaking In Living Color television show. Now 51, Marlon has churned out over thirty films (as actor and often as a writer and producer as well), a successful television series (The Wayans Bros., 1995–99), countless appearances on other shows, as well as continuing his stand-up comedy career.
This month, he presented his fourth stand-up special, Good Grief, on Amazon Prime. This one deals with the loss of his parents three years apart, and how that sent him into a tailspin of depression. Not exactly the stuff of comedy.
But if you think it’s not, you didn’t know the matriarch of the family, Elvira. One gem that she imparted to her kids was this: “If you learn to laugh in your worst moments, you are going to be smiling for the rest of your days.”
I’ve always been a fan of Marlon’s, with his rubbery face that can go from a crooked grimace to wide-open howl in a moment, and eyes that can convey anything from a wry observance to the greatest outrage. Of all the Wayanses, he seems to be the one who has most consistently remained visible to the public with project after project.
