Comedian Marlon Wayans defended his friendship with fellow comic Dave Chappelle, who has faced criticism for his jokes about the transgender community. In an interview with Variety, Wayans stated, "I wouldn’t hang with Dave if he was full of hate. I don’t hang with people like that." He emphasized that he understands Chappelle's intentions are not to offend and views him as standing up for his right to express himself as a comedian.
Wayans, who has a transgender child, expressed that he would not dictate what Chappelle can joke about and sees Chappelle's situation as a struggle against censorship. He mentioned, "As a comedian, I respect his journey. And as a friend, I respect his journey. And for my child, I respect their journey." Wayans believes he can bridge the gap between his friendship with Chappelle and his responsibilities as a parent.
Wayans also revealed that he had written scenes for Chappelle to appear in the upcoming "Scary Movie 6," expressing his hope to collaborate with him in the future. Chappelle has previously faced backlash for his comments in his Netflix special, "The Closer," and continued to address transgender topics in his later special, "The Dreamer." Wayans has been vocal about his opposition to cancel culture and encourages comedians to continue making bold jokes despite potential backlash.
