How Marlon Wayans Is Healing Days After His Dad Howell Wayans' Death
Marlon Wayans is using his pain to uplift others.
Just days after the death of Howell Wayans at age 86, Marlon is detailing how comedy has helped him grieve the patriarch of his family.
"I've learned that, in my life right now, I have so much stuff that can be depressing, you know?" he said during an April 6 interview on Good Morning America. "I lost my mom in 2020, I lost my dad like three days ago, and I realized the only thing that saves me is the stage because, when I'm hurting, those laughs that I hear from other people healing from my pain, I go, 'I realize my purpose.'"
The Air actor, who previously said losing his mom Elvira Alethia "shattered me into 1000 pieces," went on explain that he feels people in his line of work have a duty to use their platform to uplift others.
"I think it's important for all of us to do what comedians do, which is look at this world, look at this life, and always try to spend your life trying to find smiles," Marlon continued, "and that's what I do on the stage."
In the wake of his father's passing, the comedian took to Instagram to reflect on words of wisdom Howell passed down to Marlon at a young age.
"My Dad said, 'a man takes care of himself and his responsibilities. His family is always first,'" Marlon wrote in part alongside a photo of the two April 1. "From that day on I wanted to be a man."
"Thank you Pop for being an example of a Man to all your boys," the Scary Movie star added while telling his dad to "kiss Ma for me. Tell her her babies miss her."
As he put it, "I got two angels. I feel y'all lifting me already."
In addition to Marlon, Elvira and Howell—whose cause of death has not been revealed—shared nine other children together: Keenan Ivory, Damon, Shawn, Dwayne, Kim, Nadia, Elvira, Diedra and Vonnie.
Most of the family members collaborated on hit projects in Hollywood, including I'm Gonna Git You Sucka, Hollywood Shuffle and The Wayans Bros.
Back in 2004, Marlon praised his mother for how she raised him and his nine siblings. "I credit my mom a lot because although she had 10 children, we all had our time and space to be the baby," he said on The Oprah Winfrey Show at the time. "She made us all feel loved."
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