NEW BRUNSWICK—The Rutgers University Programming Association (RUPA) brought entertainers Shawn and Marlon Wayans to the city’s historic State Theatre on Friday September 19 for a special performance.

Marketed as the “Knights of Comedy” Show, RUPA handpicked the Wayans Brothers from a long list of performers provided by Concert Ideas, according to Maria Bayas, RUPA Director in Comedy and Media.

Concert Ideas is “the nation’s largest and most experienced college booking agency,” according to their website.

Having the Wayans Brothers “could be a throwback homage to our childhood… To have the two of them together, Shawn and Marlon, was a big bonus for us,” said Bayas..

Marlon Wayans took the stage first, opening up by joking about his financial struggles in college and drinking.  He joked that in college he was so broke that would trade food for sexual favors.

Marlon also talked about his favorite basketball player, Michael Jordan.

He says, Jordan influenced us to do lots of things:

  • Drink Gatorade, “even though it tastes like white people trying to make Koolaid”
  • Eat Wheaties, which makes him get a fart bubble in his stomach just thinking about it
  • Wear Hanes, aka “tighty-whities”
  • Get women to watch basketball

Marlon told several jokes about differences in alcohol use between different races.

“All I learned in college was who to drink with and who not to drink with. White guys’ party don’t really start ‘till they throw up. See, that’s when my party ends.”

His jokes about drinking turned into jokes about sex.

After talking about how much he likes drunk white girls, he jumped onto the seat of a girl sitting in the front row, pushing his crotch into her face, insinuating the act of oral sex. Afterwards he laughed and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

Jokes about sex turned into jokes about rape, as Wayans discussed the first openly gay professional football player Michael Sams.

But some found Marlon’s jokes offensive.  Rutgers student Jasmine Eaton said that Marlon’s vulgarity was not appropriate.

“I think that comedians have a social responsibility, just like everyone else. Just because it is in the name of comedy, doesn’t make vulgarity and being offensive okay.”

Shawn Wayans took the stage next, opening up by talking about vulgarity and repetition in today’s hip-hop music.

His parents grew up on Motown, Shawn says.

“I have fond memories of my mom and grandmother cooking in the kitchen and dancing. Can you imagine what it will be like when our grandkids are listening to today’s music 30 years from now?”

He talked about how the lyrics in music are disrespectful to women, adding that despite the repeated insensitive language, women ignore that and dance to it anyways.

Shawn said thinks that rap music changes people, and pointed out a few celebrity examples.

“Anybody that listens to rap, their behavior changes.”  Guys turn into thugs, and women get overly sexual, such as Miley Cyrus,” says Shawn.

“I know you white people are embarrassed about Miley. But now you know how black people feel when we look at Flava Flave on TV.”

He also joked about his good friend Kat Williams’s situation where he was caught on camera slapping a sales associate at Target.

Through his jokes, Shawn had good advice to share on family, love, and staying humble.

“I’ve been in show business for 26 years. I’m not on drugs. I love what I do. You can’t lose yourself in this game. Being famous ain’t as easy as people think it is.”

He misses the days when he could pee in public in peace, he jokes.  Family is everything to Shawn. He talked about being a dad to his kids, and naming his youngest son after his brother Marlon.

“Yea, I named my son Marlon, just in case he turned out gay.”

He even had a few things to say about love.

“Make sure you pick the right partner, or you will end up with the wrong life.”

After the show, RUPA members and contest winners went back stage for a meet and greet with the three comics.

RUPA’s next special guest is 23 year-old Chicago rapper, Chance the Rapper.  Tickets sold out in less than an hour for the October 10 show at the College Avenue Gym.

“We are really happy about that. Obviously there is going to be some bad reactions, but from a planning perspective, to have a show sell out in 30 minutes, it’s always fantastic,” Bayas said.

This is Bayas’s first year as Director of Comedy and Media, and she was happy with the success of her first big event. 

The next RUPA comedy show will be held in November, and RUPA is not releasing the names of the performers.