Damon Wayans Calls Late Comedian Robin Williams a “Notorious Thief” Who Stole Jokes [Video]

Damon Wayans is accusing the late Robin Williams of running off with other comedians’ material.

Video

Speaking on “Club Shay Shay,” Wayans described Williams as a “notorious” joke thief, recalling how the comedian would often steal material from others. Wayans shared that Williams’ manager would compensate those whose jokes were taken, offering a $75 check each time.

“Robin Williams was a notorious thief. I ain’t lying,” Wayans said. “His manager used to walk around with a checkbook, and Robin would come off stage, and a comedian would be like, ‘Hey, he just took me…’ and he would just write him a check for $75.”

According to Wayans, this practice was well-known, and some comedians would even avoid performing when Williams was around.

Wayans also emphasized his perspective on comedy, suggesting that if a joke is taken, it’s not the end of the world.

“If this is not the last joke I’m ever going to tell, then I ain’t going to treat it like that,” he said. “You ain’t take my wife or my kid. It’s just a joke.”

This isn’t the first time Williams’ alleged material theft has been discussed. In 2017, comedians Richard Lewis and Robert Wuh, as well as Budd Friedman and Tripp Whitesell, mentioned similar accusations in an oral history of The Improv. Joe Rogan also joined the conversation, claiming Williams’ desire to “kill” on stage outweighed his ethical considerations.

“Killing was more important; filling that hole inside of him was more important than anything,” Rogan stated.