Damon Wayans
A razor-sharp comic mind who helped shape 90s sketch comedy and brought a raw, street-smart edge to network television.
Born 1960 (age 66)·American comedian, actor, producer and writer·Birthday: September 4·Baby Boomers
Biography
Damon Wayans emerged from New York's tough streets and a large, talented family to become a defining comic voice of his generation. His early stand-up was marked by a confrontational, observational style that caught the eye of 'Saturday Night Live,' though his tenure there was brief. His true breakout came on the revolutionary Fox sketch show 'In Living Color,' created by his brother Keenen. There, his characters like the overly honest film critic 'Blaine Edwards' and the homeless 'Homey D. Clown' became instant classics, blending social satire with physical comedy. He parlayed that success into a string of film roles and his own TV vehicles, most notably the sitcom 'My Wife and Kids,' which he created, wrote, and starred in, presenting a relatable and often hilarious portrait of a modern Black family for five seasons.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Damon was born in 1960, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Damon Was Born
The biggest hits of 1960
#1 Movie
Swiss Family Robinson
Best Picture
The Apartment
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Damon's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1960Born
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1965Started school
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1973Became a teenager
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Could drive
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1978Could vote
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1981Turned 21
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1990Turned 30
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 40
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 50
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 60
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 66 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Created and starred as Michael Kyle in the hit ABC sitcom 'My Wife and Kids,' which ran for five seasons.
- Was a core cast member and writer on the groundbreaking sketch series 'In Living Color,' creating several of its most memorable characters.
- Co-wrote and starred in the action-comedy film 'Major Payne,' which became a cult favorite.
- Published a candid memoir, 'Bootleg,' in 2000, discussing his childhood and career.
Did You Know?
He was fired from 'Saturday Night Live' for ad-libbing during a sketch about a deaf football player.
He is the father of actor Damon Wayans Jr.
He initially worked as a telephone installer for New York Telephone before his comedy career took off.
“Comedy is about truth. You take the truth and you put a little curlicue at the end.”
