Actor and comedy scion Damon Wayans Jr. is paving his own hilarious path

Damon Wayans Jr. is part of what some consider the first family of comedy.

The actor and funnyman is the son of comedian Damon Wayans, which also makes him the nephew of “In Living Color” creator Keenan Ivory Wayans. Wayans Jr. and his father even served together as executive producers and co-stars of the 2024 CBS sitcom “Poppa’s House.”

Though “Poppa’s House” ended after a single season, the son intends to make his own mark in entertainment.

After taking a break to record the show with his father, Wayans Jr. said he’s now back to his “element” of stand-up comedy, which he’ll perform live at Alpharetta’s Helium Comedy Club June 27 to June 29.

In an interview with UATL, he spoke of the tools of comedy, explaining how face mannerisms, vocal inflections and straightforward delivery help him tell jokes about life and family. These tools also allow him to distinguish himself from his famous — and famously funny — relatives.

“I’ve been doing stand-up for a long time, but I just haven’t released my own special yet,” Wayans Jr. said. “I aim to make everybody in that crowd laugh from beginning to end, because as soon as I start, it doesn’t stop.”

Helium Comedy Club marketing associate Ben Maher said Wayans Jr.’s charm and charisma make him unique.

“Damon carries on the Wayans family tradition in comedy while bringing his own style to the stage. His sharp wit and presence make for a consistently funny and engaging performance.”

Wayans Jr.’s most recent trip to Atlanta was to film the comedy movie “Let’s Be Cops” in 2014. It told the story of two friends who dressed in police uniforms for a class reunion and later became involved with mobsters.

Being part of “Poppa’s House” allowed Wayans Jr. another prized opportunity to collaborate with his family. The show, an idea his father developed over several years, also involved his cousins, uncles, daughter and diminutive aunt Kim Wayans, who remains a fan favorite for performances in “In Living Color” and films like “I’m Gonna Git You Sucka.”

Show business is the family business, and Wayans Jr. said when work involves his relatives, it’s important that everyone understands their roles.

“You must know your place — respect the hierarchy, when and how to say things — because it always keeps things respectful. There’s something about laughing with each other that keeps the morale high and wanting us to continue to create,” Wayans said.

“Everybody knows each other on a macro and micro level, so there’s no real way to not be funny. There are so many other people in my family that are funny, that don’t do in-front-of-the-camera stuff.”

Growing up in Vermont, Wayans wanted to be an animator. His plans changed after he accidentally saw the type of income he could generate by following in his father’s footsteps.

“I wanted to pave my own path and thought it (animation) would be my thing, until I opened one of my dad’s checks,” Wayans said.

In 2000, Wayans Jr. became a guest star and staff writer on his dad’s ABC sitcom “My Wife and Kids.” Being on set made him more confident in acting.

“It was my first time in a writers room. I was pitching ideas, and they were working,” he said.

“It opened up a part of me to make me feel like I could do this.”

Wayans tried stand-up comedy for the first time in 2005. He briefly used the name “Kyle Green” to avoid being compared with his father but was jeered by audiences for the obvious physical resemblance to Wayans Sr.

“It was nerve-wracking. My ears were red, face was flushed, and it was just so embarrassing, watching people watch me say jokes. It inspired me to work hard and get good at telling jokes in front of a crowd,” Wayans said.

Television is where Wayans began to thrive. In 2011, he appeared on ABC’s “Happy Endings,” which ran for three seasons.

He later joined the cast of Fox’s “New Girl” for two seasons. Wayans Jr. also provided voiceovers for the Fox animated series “Bob’s Burgers” and the 2014 Oscar-winning film “Big Hero 6.”

Comedic actor Damon Wayans Jr. filmed his 2014 comedy 'Let's Be Cops' in Atlanta.

Wayans believes he lands roles because of his personality and ability to improvise. “I don’t like to ruffle feathers, people think I’m easy to work with, and I bring my own sauce to what I’m doing,” he said.

Wayans hopes to continue to write, direct films and develop comic books and graphic novels to forge his own identity.

“Everything that I’ve done to this point has been someone else’s vision, so I want something that’s mine. I want people to know what I have in my pocket,” he said.

Damon Wayans Jr. June 27-29. Helium Comedy Club, 3070 Windward Plaza, Alpharetta. 470-508-7068. atlanta.heliumcomedy.com