Keenen Ivory Wayans On Who He Passed On For ‘In Living Color’

“In Living Color” was a launching ground for some of Hollywood’s biggest names, including Jamie Foxx, Jim Carrey and even a young Jennifer Lopez, but who did show creator Keenen Ivory Wayans pass on?

“I missed out on Martin Lawrence, Chris Rock and John Leguizamo,” Keenen told Billy Bush and Kit Hoover on Thursday Access Hollywood Live, when asked if ever passed on anyone who hit it big.

“And not that they weren’t good. It was just at that particular time, they were not on the same level as the people that I had already cast,” the actor/comedian, who is now a judge on “Last Comic Standing,” explained.

“So, I definitely thought about them for future, but by then they had gone on to become stars,” he told Billy and Kit.

Keenen also weighed in on rumors of tension between Jennifer Lopez, who was one of the show’s Fly Girls and Rosie Perez, who was the choreographer for the group of dancing beauties.

“I don’t know if it was just two Latino women in the mix at the same time,” he said of tension between the two. “I just think it was just two strong women and they’d butt heads, but the end result is great things came out of it.”

See Keenan Ivory Wayans and his brothers are on a month-long comedy tour kicking off July 18 at Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut and “Last Comic Standing” Thursdays at 10/9c on NBC.

— Jesse Spero

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