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Keenan Ivory Wayans

*1958 US
Producer
A.k.a. Keenen Ivory Wayans, Sr.

Actor - Producer - Director Keenen Ivory Wayans, Sr. (born June 8, 1958) is an American actor, comedian, producer, director and writer, and a member of the Wayans Family of entertainers. From 1997 to 1998, he hosted the talk show The Keenen Ivory Wayans Show. Most recently, he was a judge for the eighth season of Last Comic Standing. Wayans was born in New York City, son of Howell Wayans, a supermarket manager, and his wife Elvira, a homemaker and social worker. His father was a devout Jehovah's Witness. Wayans attended Tuskegee University. However, he dropped out in his final year to become a comedian. In 1990, Wayans and his brother Damon, Sr. created, wrote and starred in In Living Color, an American sketch comedy television series that originally ran on the Fox Network from 1990 to 1994. The show was notable for producing comedy with a strong emphasis on modern black culture. The show also starred Jim Carrey, Kelly Coffield, Kim Coles, T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh, Jamie Foxx, brothers Damon Wayans, Sr., Shawn Wayans and Marlon Wayans, sister Kim Wayans, David Alan Grier, Tommy Davidson and featured Rosie Perez, Jennifer Lopez, Carrie Ann Inaba and Laurieann Gibson. Wayans is one of many family members who have had successful careers in the entertainment industry, including his siblings Damon, Sr., Kim, Shawn and Marlon. His nephews and nieces include Craig Wayans, Damon Wayans, Jr., Michael Wayans, Cara Mia Wayans, Damien Dante Wayans and Chaunté Wayans.

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