Marlon Wayans Mistakenly Thinks We Want to Hear More About ‘The Slap’

We’re looking forward to an upcoming comedy special about Will Smith slapping Chris Rock. Unfortunately, there are two of them. The first, the one that actually has our attention, is Chris Rock’s Selective Outrage, the live Netflix show that will presumably devote at least some of its jokes to last year’s biggest comedy story. But another comedian is weighing in on the Slap with his new HBO Max special. And for some reason, that comic is … Marlon Wayans?

OK, we get it. The Smith/Rock fracas was one crazy story. Of course comedians are going to make jokes about it. But devote an entire special to an incident in which you played zero part? That would make no sense. But the thing is, Wayans does think he had something to do with the face-smack heard ‘round the world. "That had nothing to do with Will, nothing to do with Jada, nothing to do with Chris. It was my fault." 

Hrm. OK, Marlon Wayons, we’ll hear you out. Or hear your press release out, anyway. “Wayans delivers a hilarious hour-long performance, unleashing his spot-on impressions and fearless physical comedy to address one of the most infamous recent events in pop culture — 'the slap' that took place at the 94th Academy Awards ceremony. With his inimitable blunt and boisterous style, Wayans skillfully weaves anecdotes from his own life with stories about his long-time friends, from divulging his teenage crush on Jada Pinkett Smith, getting humbled by Chris Rock in an early stand-up set, and examining the impact of Will Smith's long career.”

So it sounds like Wayans has at least met Chris Rock? But his connection to the other two leading players sounds a little … tenuous. He had a crush on Jada Pinkett Smith as a teenager? Get in line. Will Smith was a popular actor at the same time you had an entertainment career? Wayans is stretching the bit here. Maybe there’s more to the story than the press release or trailer is revealing, but it sounds like Wayans has built a comedy hour around some craziness he saw on TV.

Here’s the problem: We’re nearly one full year post-slap. Late-night comics had months to devour this turkey, leaving very little meat on the bone. 

Cracked is not immune, publishing several stories about the Slap … in the first half of 2022. Is there anything interesting or funny or insightful to say about the tussle at this point (except, of course, from Rock himself, who’s been keeping his powder dry)? We’ll have to watch to find out, right after we check out Shawn Wayans’s special about the Jeopardy host drama of 2021.