Living Up to a Comedy Empire: Chaunt￩ Wayans on Family, Fame & Stand-Up

She comes from comedy royalty, but she's carving her own lane. Shantae Wayans, niece of Kenan, Damon, Marlon, and Sean. But she didn't ride any coattails. She started behind the camera as a production assistant on TV shows and movies. You've seen her on Wilding Out, Dance Flick, Fifty Shades of Black, and Tiffany Haddish Presents. She even rocked Madison Square Garden. Funny runs in the family, but Shantae's got her own lane. And she is here with us on The Factor on Censored, Shantae Wayans, and you will be performing at Punchline October 17th, Saturday night, Sunday night. So get your tickets before it is sold out. So we talk about this royalty, the family. How important for you was it to make it on your own? I think, you know, it was very important. And I think because, you know, you get a lot of people that think everything you do is given to your family. You know what I mean? So like you just get treated a different way. I remember Damon took us out on the road and we had little Damon and I only had like two jokes. You know what I mean? And we just started and he had us in this arena and we get on stage and they like, you know, and we like we started yesterday. So I think, you know, for a while we kind of started off with different names just to just to get our foot in there without having that pressure. And did you find a lot of people, fans, the public had unreasonable expectations for you? Oh, yeah, absolutely. And, you know, what's funny, people always go, oh, you are right. You got this famous family, blah, blah, blah. Here's the deal. People forget the ones that they didn't do right. You know what I'm saying? The ones they said no to. That comes back on us. Like we like, hey, we want to get into the festival. And like, nah, 30 years ago, you know, Marlon said no. of archaeologists digging up old history on you so there's gifts and curse and all of it but yeah and i saw part of your stand-up and you said there's their side of the family and the poor side of the family so you fall on the poor side what does that mean it means that every summer you know as i said like every summer i get to go out and have a great time all those movies you just named i was in every one of them but i was just you know you got to slow down the the you know, put it in slow motion But yeah, I wasn't having that exposure, though, at least being able to say I was in that and getting that role, whether it's in the background or the person walking down the street. I mean, you know, listen, I believe I say this a lot, like a lot of families start an empire for a reason. You know what I mean? And I and I think what's solid about my family is that we we all came up in the same projects. And so there's a certain work ethic that we all had to have to even get that type of opportunity, which people don't see sometimes. And when you think about the comedy that you perform around the country this weekend in Houston, October 17, 18 at Punchline. Yes. Where does your comedy come from? Everyone has a different place. Some may be from pain. Some may be from politics, watching life, living life. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. I try not to dip into politics, you know, even though. Shout out, Jolene, because, you know, you know, Jolene from the hood. She's like, we got to get this money in these streets. But but but my my story just comes from real life. You know, I talk about recovery. I talk about, you know, being this this tour is called. Apparently I'm grown because, you know, I'm married now and, you know, certain responsibilities that I didn't feel like I didn't know existed. You know what I'm saying? I'm learning now in my in my 40s. And how did you use that bump in the road when it comes to addiction to get where you are now? Listen, man, it's it's it's the experience and the journey. You know, at the time it was painful. It was, you know, a little hard. But, you know, my high power and stuff has pushed me along and guided me. And I get to talk about that and share that with people who have their own issues. You know, that's that's what I love getting back at comedy shows. people come up to me and they relate and and they feel like there's hope has there ever been a fan after one of those shows that's that touched you so much it brought you to tears oh yeah i you know i had someone uh maybe like six months ago uh come up to me and said that they lost their daughter it was a veteran uh older guy and he said he lost his daughter he decided to come out to see me um uh for the love of the family and he just said the stuff that I talk about again I love dark humor I you know it might be heavy but but there's we're living still and we have to live you know uh for for those that we lost and it was warm because it brought so much happiness to him and gave him more hope and for those who are attending this weekend in Houston on Saturday and Sunday at Punchline. What can they expect from? Oh, you're going to expect an amazing show. It's funny. It's relatable. It's heartfelt. It's all those things, but we have a great time. And then also on October 17th, we're doing an after party at A1 Plus Cigar Lounge. A1 Plus Cigar Lounge. So they get to see you three times. They get to see me three times. They just have to have a bag with them. Yeah, but I don't drink. So I'm going to be there with my cigar. There you go. Chunking. All right. Shante Wayans, thank you for joining us. Oh, thank you so much. I appreciate you. Pleasure to meet you. Thank you. And remember, she is at Punchline October 17th, 18th, and A1. Check her out and get your tickets online or at the door where you know how you people be getting them last minute tickets. Come on, get them tickets. All your life, you had to fight. I mean, listen. Guess what my money going to be like. But they putting it out there in these campaigns. Let me help you with your campaign. You don't need put all that money in billboards and stuff i could write you something and and have it up in the streets there you go you know what i mean save your money