Podcast Summary
Holmberg's Morning Sickness - Arizona
Episode: 01-09-26 - Marlon Wayans - Stand Up Live - In Studio
Date: January 9, 2026
Host: John Holmberg (with Brady Bogen, Bret Vesely, Dick Toledo)
Guest: Marlon Wayans
Episode Overview
This episode features comedian and actor Marlon Wayans in a lively, unfiltered studio visit promoting his Stand Up Live shows. The conversation is packed with irreverent humor, sports banter (especially about football rivalries), reflections on fame, the entertainment industry, dark comedy, and signature Marlon riffing on current events and pop culture. The hosts and Wayans riff about race, sports heartbreak, Diddy’s infamous parties, life after loss, and the essence of comedy in facing tragedy.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Playful Banter & Racial Humor (00:28–02:40)
- Marlon enters with high energy, joking about the hosts being his “favorite whites” and coining the term "Cracker Love."
- The group comically navigates the awkwardness of mutual racial appreciation.
- Quote:
“I named this show My Favorite Whites. Whites only.”
— Marlon Wayans, (00:32) - They establish their camaraderie through mutual ribbing, poking fun at social taboos around expressing racial preferences.
2. Sports Rivalries & Pure Hate for the Ravens (01:46–08:08)
- Both Marlon and Holmberg are Steelers fans, and they do a deep comedic dive into NFL rivalry, particularly their disdain for the Baltimore Ravens.
- Marlon talks about his complicated feelings about hating black quarterbacks because of representation in the past, now feeling free to dislike some since there are more.
- Quote:
“It's really hard to hate black quarterbacks. ... There wasn't enough of us.”
— Marlon Wayans, (04:01) - Hilarious exaggerations discussing Lamar Jackson and the pain of rooting against fellow black athletes.
- Quote:
“It's not race based. It's just his ugly ass face. I just hate it.”
— John Holmberg, (05:34) - Touch on dark prayers for rival team losses and the dubious joy in their failures.
3. Mike Tomlin & Steelers’ Consistency (08:09–09:18)
- Marlon commends Mike Tomlin’s coaching:
“Mike Tomlin is probably one of the greatest coaches in history to keep consistently making the playoffs with nobody.”
— Marlon Wayans, (08:18) - Critique of older quarterbacks like Aaron Rodgers being the Steelers’ best recent option.
4. Diddy Parties & Fame Sidebar (10:02–12:13)
- Discussion moves to music industry scandals and Diddy’s infamous “freak-off” parties.
- Marlon laments never seeing the “freak-off” despite attending the parties.
- Quote:
“Part of me is mad at Diddy. ... I never got to see the freak off.”
— Marlon Wayans, (10:38) - The conversation is gleefully raunchy, with jokes about STDs as party souvenirs.
5. Drugs, Recovery, & Tragedy (13:11–14:43)
- Marlon candidly recounts trying molly and flavored cocaine during COVID but stopping after losing friends to fentanyl.
- Reminisces about his friend Fuquan Johnson.
“I lost a dear friend, Fuquan Johnson ... I actually hated him. But really, you know, he’s black, I got a root for him.”
— Marlon Wayans, (14:08) - Marlon advocates for cigars and whiskey (“Liga Tridente” cigars, whiskey from Fox Cigars).
6. Inside Comedy: YouTube, Family, & Boredom (12:13–13:11)
- Promotes his YouTube channel and shares that off-stage, Marlon is “boring”—writing, sleeping, “scratching [his] sack.”
7. Standup, Merchandise, & Favorite Black/White Lists (15:10–20:13)
- Promotion of his Wayans Brothers merchandise and a comic back-and-forth about who is whose “favorite black guy.”
- “I want to be your second favorite black. ... I don’t want first, baby black, ‘cause yeah, he runs 20 yards.”
— Marlon Wayans, (19:45)
8. Words of Wisdom: Laughing at the Dark (20:13–20:55)
- Marlon closes with a powerful reflection:
“Live every day like it’s your last. ... laugh at all that is dark. Because life goes on, it gets darker and darker, and you start losing parents and loved ones ... you can always laugh at the worst situation.”
— Marlon Wayans, (20:13)
9. Ridiculous News Interview Questions (21:23–22:20)
- Ribbing about predictable journalist questions about growing up in the famed Wayans family.
- Outrageous joke about being molested by family as a classic dark-comedy bit.
10. Conspiracies, Black People & Space, Titanic, and Submersibles (22:27–26:44)
- Marlon dismisses most conspiracy theories and jokes black people wouldn't go to space or on the Titanic/submersibles.
-
“No black man going to space. Jeff Bezos could have paid me ... my black ass is right here.”
— Marlon Wayans, (23:17) - Titanic jokes about the absence of black people aboard, plus “smell” gags about Pakistani/Saudi passengers on the doomed submersible.
11. Golfing Fails and Sports Movie Acting (27:16–29:59)
- Marlon started golfing; admits he’s “terrible,” not a natural athlete, and had to be taught to “walk again” at football quarterback camp for a role.
- The football scenes in the movie used a stuntman.
-
“My stuntman played in the football movie. ... Y’all teach me how to walk. Leave me alone.”
— Marlon Wayans, (29:19)
12. Movie Talk, "Scary Movie 6," and Parody (30:03–36:01)
- Marlon discusses his latest movie work, the process of parody (using “Scary Movie” as an example).
- Dives into the influence of movies like “Airplane!”—reveals it's a shot-for-shot remake of “Zero Hour.”
- Makes plans to involve “Thriller” (studio in-joke) in future projects.
- Quote:
“Airplane, to me, is ... the movie that made me want to do parodies.”
— Marlon Wayans, (33:36)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- On White/Black Lists:
“You are my favorite white guy. ... I can’t say you’re my favorite black because it sounds terrible.”
— John Holmberg & Marlon Wayans (00:52–01:03) - On Supporting Black QBs:
“It’s really hard to hate black quarterbacks ... Ever since Doug Williams, I’m like, come on, I gotta love my people ... My favorite one I hate is Geno Smith. Get rid of him. I smile every time he gets, I think he’s Dominican.”
— Marlon Wayans (04:01–04:23) - On NFL Rivalries:
“I hate the Ravens so much more than I like the Steelers. ... I was happy when that boat hit the bridge.”
— John Holmberg (05:33, 06:50) - On Diddy & the "Freak Off":
“Part of me is mad at Diddy. ... I never got to see the freak off. You’re letting people, reaching people to ... that beautiful woman, I would have paid you double.”
— Marlon Wayans (10:38–10:51) - On Curbing Drug Use:
“I quit ... I lost five friends to fentanyl in one week and I was like, I’m never touching anything ever again.”
— Marlon Wayans (14:08) - On Dark Humor & Coping:
“Laugh at all that is dark. Because life goes on. It gets darker and darker ... you can always laugh at the worst situation.”
— Marlon Wayans (20:13) - On Black People & the Titanic:
“Titanic was a tragedy because there was all white folks on the Titanic. ... We didn’t even ... we wasn’t even servants on that boat. We like, nah, I’m good. Sounds like a trap to me.”
— Marlon Wayans (24:30) - On Movie Parody:
“A good parody, you find the story ... and then put the jokes and the characters within it.”
— Marlon Wayans (35:18)
Noteworthy Segments with Timestamps
- Best “Favorite White” Joke: 00:28–01:13
- Steelers/Ravens Rivalry: 01:46–08:08
- Mike Tomlin & Steelers Praise: 08:09–09:18
- Diddy Party Tales: 10:02–12:13
- Drugs, Recovery, and Tragedy: 13:11–14:43
- Promotion/Comedy Reflection (“Laugh at dark things”): 20:13–20:55
- Absurd News Interview Questions: 21:23–22:20
- Conspiracies, Black/Astronauts, Titanic Legends: 22:27–26:44
- Movie Parody and Scary Movie 6 Announcement: 33:36–36:01
Tone & Style
- Edgy, quick-witted banter
- Unfiltered, boundary-pushing comedy
- Camaraderie, inside jokes, free-flowing humor between comics and DJs
For New Listeners
This episode offers a hilarious, raw, and insightful window into Marlon Wayans’ comic mind with plenty of NFL trash talk, reflections on showbiz and Black culture, and a relentless riffing style. Even the darkest memories are reimagined as punchlines, embodying the episode’s theme that in comedy, nothing is off-limits and everything can be laughed at—if you dare.