The Wayans Family Receives a Major Honor as Fans Question Why Keenen Ivory Is Missing In Action
The Wayans family’s induction into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame at the 56th NAACP Image Awards on Feb. 22, 2025, was a celebration of their pioneering contributions to entertainment. Yet, as the family gathered at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium to receive this prestigious honor, fans quickly noticed Keenen Ivory Wayans, the visionary who launched the family’s entertainment dynasty, was missing from the ceremony.
The evening began with David Alan Grier presenting the distinguished honor to family members, including Damon Sr., Marlon, Damon Jr., Kim, Chaunté, Damien Dante, Gregg, Marshay, and Craig. Noticeably, the family arrived at the event wearing matching color palettes.
Fans immediately celebrated on social media, with one writing, “The Wayan are THE blueprint! They are the first family of Comedy! So thankful for what they have given!”
Damon Wayans Sr. got emotional as he reflected on his family’s journey during his acceptance speech, taking it back to a pivotal moment on May 5, 1975. That night, he and his brother Keenen watched Richard Pryor’s television debut. While Damon saw a hilarious comedian, Keenen saw his destiny. That realization pushed him to make a life-changing decision — walking away from Tuskegee University just six months shy of earning his engineering degree to chase a career in stand-up comedy.
The” Major Payne” actor shared their mother’s initial skepticism about Keenen’s career choice, quoting her saying, “A comedian? I’ve known you your whole life; you ain’t never said nothing funny.”
He then described Keenen’s determined journey, including a 1980 cross-country trip with fellow comedian Robert Townsend in a rented U-Haul to chase their Hollywood dreams. When Damon visited Keenen in 1982, he found his brother living in a sparse two-bedroom apartment with just a waterbed that made him “nauseous whenever I lay down.”
Marlon recalled the family’s pride in watching Keenen’s first Johnny Carson appearance: “We all watched on a black and white TV in our kitchen, and I remember it was a tube television, antenna was broken so we had a hanger in there for an antenna and a fork to change channels. … From that day on me as a child, I sat there and I was like, ‘Wow, you mean not only can you dream but you can make your dreams come true.’”
As the ceremony progressed, social media lit up with questions. about Keenen’s absence, along with that of another brother, Shawn.
“Would have been great to have seen Shawn and Keenan,” one fan posted on The Shade Room’s Instagram, while another tweeted, “The entire Wayans Family getting the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame induction is WELL deserved. SN: Where the heck is Keenan?!?!”
The entire Wayans Family getting the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame induction is WELL deserved 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 SN: Where the heck is Keenan?!?! #NAACPImageAwards
— T.J. (@TperiodJperiod) February 23, 2025
Concerns about Keenen’s well-being surfaced on X, with users asking, “Is Keenan Ivory Wayans ok???” or “Where’s Keenen Ivory Wayans? This speech sounds like he died.”
Some offered more optimistic interpretations, suggesting, “I assume that Keenen and Shawn are more comfortable being behind the scenes nowadays.”
The tributes highlighted Keenen’s revolutionary impact on entertainment, particularly through “In Living Color,” which launched in 1990 and introduced audiences to future stars like Jim Carrey and Jamie Foxx.
“There are people who owe their careers and success to Keenan Ivory Wayans, namely Jim Carrey and Jennifer Lopez. I’ve never known them to acknowledge what ‘In Living Color’ did for them,” one fan pointed out.
Another added, “If this was a white family that accomplished all that the Wayans have they would be plastered EVERYWHERE … every Wayan should be a Billionaire.”
This is particularly relevant since Carrey, Foxx and Lopez’s films combined have amassed over $16.5 billion in the box office.
Fans continued celebrating the family’s legacy, with users noting, “It only takes 1 family member willing to do something different, that creates generational wealth,” and “Keenen Ivory Wayans is the Twinkie Clark of the Wayans brothers doing all the work.”
Keenen Ivory Wayans is the Twinkie Clark of the Wayans brothers doing all the work #NAACPImageAwards #clarksisters
— What’s Da Bizness (@whatsdabizness) February 23, 2025
Beyond television, Keenen’s influence reshaped Hollywood when he directed and co-wrote “Scary Movie” (2000), which became the third highest-grossing film directed by an African-American, according to IMDB.
His pioneering work paved the way for numerous family successes, including Damon Sr.’s “My Wife and Kids,” Shawn and Marlon’s “White Chicks,” and Kim’s’ dramatic turn in “Pariah,” demonstrating the family’s versatility beyond comedy.
Despite his physical absence, Keenen’s spirit permeated the evening’s celebrations, with Marlon paying tribute in his speech: “We wouldn’t be here… If it wasn’t for our big brother Keenen Ivory Wayans.”
Actually, so many in Hollywood could say the same thing.
