Keenen Ivory Wayans Missing In Action Again as Marlon Wayans’ Special Family Reunion Leaves Worried Fans Asking Questions

It’s been months since fans have seen Keenen Ivory Wayans, and the questions surrounding his whereabouts are mounting. Comedian Marlon Wayans took to Instagram this week to share an announcement about his upcoming guest appearance on CBS’ hit show “Poppa’s House.” His appearance on the show reunites Marlon with his brother Damon Wayans Sr., nephew Damon Wayans Jr., and sister Kim Wayans, who directed the episode.

The comedic family reunion, set to air Monday, March 24, prompted enthusiastic responses from the actor’s 7.2 million followers, though many immediately wondered why Keenen Ivory Wayans wasn’t part of the gathering.

“What’s better than 2 wayanses? 3!!! Im on @poppashousecbs MONDAY 3/24 Tune in,” Marlon captioned his post, highlighting the rare on-screen family collaboration.

But amid the celebration, concerned fans couldn’t help but notice the continued absence of Keenen Ivory Wayans, the pioneering older brother who launched the family’s entertainment empire.

Comments quickly flooded Marlon’s post with variations of “Where’s Keenan??”

“Where’s Keenan??” one person asked, as one asked, “Y’all making me worried … where Keenan at?” someone else wrote.

Another took it a step further, “Now we gone want Shawn Kim and Keenan,” unaware that the sister works on the show.

This pattern of Keenen’s public absences, including his last social media post being in January 2024, has become increasingly noticeable to longtime fans who recognize his foundational role in the family’s success.

Similar concerns about Keenen were raised just weeks earlier during the family’s prestigious induction into the NAACP Image Awards Hall of Fame.

Nine Wayans family members accepted the distinguished honor during the Feb. 22 ceremony at Pasadena Civic Auditorium, wearing matching color palettes, but Keenen Ivory Wayans and brother Shawn were noticeably absent.

Their absence sparked immediate social media speculation, with one fan lamenting on social media, “Would have been great to have seen Shawn and Keenen.”

During the NAACP acceptance speech, Damon Sr. emotionally recounted how Keenen Ivory Wayans’ ambitious vision changed their family’s trajectory after watching Richard Pryor’s television debut on May 5, 1975. While Damon saw humor, Keenen saw his destiny – abandoning his engineering degree studies at Tuskegee University just six months before graduation to pursue comedy.

“A comedian? I’ve known you your whole life; you ain’t never said nothing funny,” Damon quoted their skeptical mother as saying about Keenen Ivory Wayans’ career choice.

Marlon, the youngest of ten Wayans siblings, reflected during the ceremony on watching Keenen Ivory Wayans’ breakthrough Johnny Carson appearance on a makeshift television: “We all watched on a black and white TV in our kitchen… antenna was broken so we had a hanger in there for an antenna and a fork to change channels… From that day on me as a child, I sat there and I was like, ‘Wow, you mean not only can you dream but you can make your dreams come true.’”

In his upcoming “Poppa’s House” appearance, Marlon plays Melvin, Poppa’s entrepreneurial little brother constantly chasing get-rich-quick schemes — a character he personally pitched to Damon Sr., who both stars as Poppa and executive produces the sitcom, according to TV Insider.

Speaking with TV Insider, Marlon expressed profound admiration for his older brother Damon, calling him “probably my all-time favorite artist” alongside legends like Richard Pryor and Eddie Murphy. He credits Damon’s versatility and fearlessness as inspiration for his own comedy career despite initially feeling intimidated by his brother’s talent.

Fans are doubly excited, writing, “@marlonwayans This will be hilarious,” one person said as another wrote, “This show really [fire emoji] Entertainment wouldn’t be nun without The Wayans.”

The timing of Marlon’s guest spot carries additional significance, airing almost exactly 38 years after the March 20, 1987, release of “Hollywood Shuffle,” the groundbreaking film co-written by Keenen Ivory Wayans and Robert Townsend.

when we talk about black historical figures, Robert Townsend and keenen ivory wayans should definitely be in the conversation https://t.co/iy6INtig6g

— Reggie (@reginal92157107) March 20, 2025

This collaboration marked a pivotal moment in Black cinema that continues to resonate, with one Twitter user recently noting, “When we talk about black historical figures, Robert Townsend and Keenen Ivory Wayans should definitely be in the conversation.”

As fans eagerly anticipate the Wayans family reunion on “Poppa’s House,” the lingering question of Keenen Ivory Wayans’ continued absence from these public family moments remains unanswered — a curious footnote to the legendary family’s ongoing entertainment legacy that spans generations.