In a recent "Club Shay Shay" interview, Katt Williams spoke out about the portrayal of Black comedians as caricatures on screen, often through the use of dresses, referencing iconic characters like Madea and Big Momma.
However Marlon Wayans sees nothing wrong with it and feels it's part of embracing artistry.
via: Vibe
During an appearance on Los Angeles' 92.3's "The Cruz Show," the acclaimed comedian asserted that the topic only appears taboo in the Black community.
Wayans used legendary white entertainers like Robin Williams, who put on a dress in Mrs. Doubtfire, as an example of someone celebrated for their “brilliance.”
“You talking to a black man that put on a dress,” he said. “That conversation to me, it’s silly. It’s a negative thing that is only in Black people. We have for some reason been programmed to look down on the craziest parts about our spirits. We’re supposed to embrace our past, our history, our heroes, different levels of comedy.”
“Robin Williams puts on a dress and wins an award, his community embraces him,” he added. “We’re labeled by our own people. That is not an artist mindset. When you’re an artist you go out and create art.”
In 2004, Marlon and Shawn Wayans teamed up for the now-certified cult classic White Chicks. The film saw the brothers donning whiteface and dressing up as women during an FBI investigation. The Wayans wore various women’s clothing and accessories in the film, including lipstick, dresses, heels, wigs, and more. The movie was created on a $37 million budget and raked in $113.1 million at the box office.
In an interview with Club Shay Shay, Katt Williams recently brought up Black male comedians wearing dresses to become successful. He pointed at movies like Big Momma’s House and Tyler Perry’s Madea character as “caricatures” of Black men and emasculating the Black community’s heroes.
Rickey Smiley addressed Williams and his claims. He also responded to Williams alleging that if the two appear on screen together, Rickey must don a dress because “that’s where he’s a believable actor.”
“That has nothing to do with my manhood being lessened for trying to play a role and trying to put food on the table for my family,” Smiley expressed.
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