Comic Damon Wayans Sr. revealed a shocking romantic connection that blurred household traces throughout his current look on Shannon Sharpe’s “Membership Shay Shay” podcast.
Partially two of the April 2 episode, the comedy legend confessed to courting the identical lady his nephew dated following his divorce within the early 2000s after 16 years of marriage.
The revelation got here throughout a wide-ranging dialog the place Wayans mentioned every little thing from Kanye West’s want for steerage to recognizing Katt Williams’ star potential early in his profession.
But it surely was Damon’s candid admission about his romantic life that left Sharpe visibly shocked.
“Yeah, I used to be in love together with her. That’s the factor,” Wayans admitted when requested if he had dated the identical lady as his nephew, whose title he didn’t point out.
He in contrast the scenario to the notorious Jackson household dynamics, asking Sharpe, “Come on, you ain’t by no means did… you by no means did Jackson 5?”
Sharpe rapidly shot again, “Hell nah, I ain’t by no means did that. I imply, for a member of the family, that’s off limits, Damon.”
The “Main Payne” actor stated, “No, however… It wasn’t like they had been in love.”
Wayans, now 63, defined that he had been divorced from his ex-wife, Lisa Thorner, and was alone for 2 years earlier than assembly the lady round 2001 or 2002.
When he found his nephew had beforehand dated her, he merely requested concerning the scenario after which proceeded with the connection. “You understand what’s up with that?” he recalled asking his nephew, who replied, “Ohh, that’s you…”
Wayans’ response was easy: “OK, cross the Courvoisier, let’s go.”
Damon Wayans on courting and falling in love with the identical lady that his nephew dated. pic.twitter.com/DYAZbEB9LH
— The Artwork Of Dialogue (@ArtOfDialogue_) April 3, 2025
Followers had combined reactions to his revelation when clips from the interview appeared on The Jasmine Model’s Instagram.
“Males don’t care. I’m positive his nephew gave him his blessings,” commented one follower. Whereas one other stated, “As a result of males fall in love with their eyes! Earlier than y’all begin, a MAN even informed me this.”
Others had been extra essential, with one observer bluntly stating, “That’s disgusting and disrespectful” whereas one other added, “LA life is totally different smh.”
Some viewers targeted on what might need motivated such a choice.
“Nah Damon who was she?! What lady made you say eff you nephew?,” one stated, whereas one other requested, “So are they nonetheless collectively?”
Whereas the “My Spouse and Children” star by no means explicitly named the lady through the interview, sources point out he was referring to Charity Duplechan, creator of “Unbelievably Vegan” and present host of her personal cooking present on Max streaming.
The pair reportedly started courting round 2003, with Duplechan’s culinary abilities apparently enjoying a big function in Wayans’ affection.
“For those who had seen her, you perceive… and she or he cooked? She went to Cordon Bleu,” Wayans informed Sharpe, who appeared more and more intrigued because the dialog progressed to her culinary talents.
When Sharpe requested if she may cook dinner soul meals classics like oxtail and collard greens, Wayans enthusiastically stated she may, including that she was “a bona fide chef” and made “desserts” too.
Duplechan has constructed a formidable profession since her days with Wayans.
Tennis icon Venus Williams wrote the foreword for her cookbook, praising Duplechan’s method to plant-based cooking.
At present residing in Tennessee, she launched her streaming present “Unbelievably Vegan With Chef Charity” in 2024 and has been photographed socializing with celebrities like Kim Kardashian and Sandra “Pepa” Denton through the years.
The bizarre romantic overlap isn’t unparalleled in leisure’s royal households.
As he talked about within the interview, the Jackson clan skilled a extra difficult model of this phenomenon when Jermaine Jackson married his brother Randy’s ex-girlfriend Alejandra Oaziaza in 1995.
Alejandra had already had two youngsters with Randy earlier than having two extra with Jermaine, making a scenario the place the kids had been each half-siblings and cousins.
Referring to their uncommon household scenario, Wayans admitted, “Household gatherings is awkward,” referring to the Wayans Dynasty.
The brothers — Keenen Ivory, Damon, Shawn, and Marlon — had been lately honored with the NAACP’s Corridor of Fame Award in February 2025. They stay dedicated to increasing their leisure empire.
The household continues working collectively professionally, with Marlon lately showing on Damon’s CBS present “Poppa’s Home” in an episode directed by their sister Kim Wayans.
Because the Wayans brothers collaborate on new tasks, together with Marlon and Shawn’s dedication to a different “Scary Film” installment, they show that household ties, nevertheless difficult by previous romantic entanglements, stay the muse of their enduring success in Hollywood.