On this day March 15 1986 comedian Damon Wayans was fired from Saturday Night Live after making an unauthorized change to a sketch. During the Mr. Monopoly skit Wayans played his police officer character as flamboyantly gay instead of following the script leading to immediate backlash from the show’s producers.
Wayans had been frustrated with his limited role on SNL and later admitted that the move was intentional as a way to exit the show. Despite the firing his career skyrocketed shortly after with his success on In Living Color and later as a film and TV star.
Fun fact: Although he was fired Damon Wayans returned to SNL as a guest host in 1995 proving there were no hard feelings in the long run.
Trivia question: What was the name of the sketch comedy show created by Damon and Keenen Ivory Wayans that launched in 1990?
Wayans had been frustrated with his limited role on SNL and later admitted that the move was intentional as a way to exit the show. Despite the firing his career skyrocketed shortly after with his success on In Living Color and later as a film and TV star.
Fun fact: Although he was fired Damon Wayans returned to SNL as a guest host in 1995 proving there were no hard feelings in the long run.
Trivia question: What was the name of the sketch comedy show created by Damon and Keenen Ivory Wayans that launched in 1990?
