Damon Wayans Reveals First Person Who Supported His Comedy

Damon Wayans reveals his longstanding career might not exist if not for this person from his past. Speaking on The Talk alongside Damon Wayans Jr., the 64-year-old explained how school was important on his journey to stardom, revealing it is the place where his comedic talent was first empowered.

“I had a teacher in seventh grade named Mr. Friedman,” reflects Wayans Sr. “He was a science teacher, and he was trying to explain inertia to the class. I said, ‘Okay, Mr. Friedman what happens when a fly flies into the train and the train starts moving, why doesn’t the fly get smashed against the train?’

He continued to remember, “After class he was like, you stumped me. He said, you have a gift, the problem is I need to control the room. He said because everyone listens to you. So I’ll make a deal with you, Fridays at 2:55 it’s your time to do whatever you want to say or do, for 5 minutes. And I would shut my mouth so I could perform. And I would do impressions of him and all the other teachers. He was the only one that told me that I had a gift. Everybody else said you’re gonna be dead or in jail, including the guidance counselor.”

The father-son duo appeared on The Talk hosted by Akbar Gbajabiamila, Amanda Kloots, Natalie Morales, Jerry O’Connell, and Sheryl Underwood in promotion of their new series Poppa’s House. The comedy premiered on Monday (Oct. 21) on CBS Television Network, and is available on demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs.

Poppa’s House was first announced in October 2022 and stands the senior Wayans’ return to network comedy since My Wife and Kids.

The series is directed by Andy Ackerman, and the show also stars Essence Atkins and Tetona Jackson.

The official description reads as follows:

“Starring Damon Wayans and Damon Wayans Jr., features Wayans as legendary talk radio host and happily divorced “Poppa” who has his point of view challenged at work when Ivy (Essence Atkins), a new female co-host, is hired, and at home where he finds himself still parenting his adult son, Junior, a brilliant dreamer who is trying to pursue his passion while being a responsible father and husband to Nina (Tetona Jackson).”

Check out the pilot episode above.

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