Marlon Wayans (Atlanta Improv 5/7-5/9) never tires of trying new things

"Standup has made me a better writer," said Wayans in a phone interview in advance of his first appearance at the Atlanta Improv in Buckhead May 7 through 9. (Buy tickets here.) "Stand up has made me a better performer. Something might be offensive but if it's funny enough, they forgive the offensiveness. In comedy, you need to go for the jugular."

He said people who come to his show should brace themselves: "My show is not for the sensitive. It's for people who love dark comedy, who want to listen and go on a journey." He takes a comedic premise and mines jokes off of it for five minutes or so - about the length of a song.

"Every five minutes," Wayans said, "I want to earn myself the right to get a sip of water."

He auditioned six years ago to play legendary comic Richard Pryor in a planned biopic six years, but the project languished. Earlier this year, director Lee Daniels ("Empire," "The Butler") cast Mike Epps for a new Pryor biopic that appears to be moving forward.

"I'm okay with it," said Wayans. "I thought I'd be more disappointed with it. But I know from several years in the industry, if you don't share the same vision as the director, chances are it's going to be a frustrating process... My hats off to Lee Daniels and his choice."

On the bright side, the work inspired him to hit the comedy club circuit.

In February, someone leaked Wayans' audition tape playing Pryor. Wayans said he didn't do it. "I'm glad people got to see it but I wish it had come out after the movie was released. I don't want it to be a distraction for Mike or Lee."

Marlon Wayans - Richard Pryor Audition Footage from Tambay A Obenson on Vimeo.

He said he hopes one day someone will want to play him in the "Marlon Wayans Story."

"I'm steadfast on my journey," said Wayans, who is 42. "And I'm working on my legacy."

Wayans is the baby in his very illustrious family, which includes his frequent collaborator Shawn and two older brothers Damon and Keenen.

"I learned from my brothers' mistakes and their victories," Wayans said. "It's really a blessing to be the youngest. It's also a blessing to have giants who stood in front of you, to have big giant footsteps to fall into. It's okay. With time, consistency and hard work ethic, one day, I hope to leave footprints for younger generations."

Last year, he toured with his three most famous brothers on a big Wayans stand-up tour that unfortunately didn't make it to Atlanta. During the tour, they would rotate the order of who would perform when. The biggest challenge, he said, was closing a show after his older brothers had the crowd laughing nonstop for 90 minutes. Then again, if he was on earlier, "my brothers were always breathing down my neck. They rode me if I went over my allotted time by 30 seconds!"

Last year, Wayans worked with Atlanta-based TBS on a comedic reality competition show "Funniest Wins" that aired about the same time as NBC's "Last Comic Standing." The show didn't pull in enough viewers and TBS pulled the plug after one season. "I'll find a way to reinvent it," he said. "I'll do it in a better, stronger way."

But Wayans will be back on TV later this month hosting a new summer variety show on NBC called "I Can Do That" in which celebrities have a week to masters skills they have never tried before. For instance, celebrities will have a week to, say, become a Harlem Globetrotter, a part of Penn & Teller or a member of the Blue Man Group.

Among the celebrities are comic Jeff Dye, singer Joe Jonas, dancer Cheryl Burke and Atlanta's R&B star Ciara.

"She's great on the show," Wayans said, of Ciara. "She's beautiful. She looks like she's 19. [She's 29.] She has the soul of a 65-year-old grandmother."

COMEDY PREVIEW

Marlon Wayans

7:45 p.m. Thursday, May 7, $25

7:45 p.m., 10:15 p.m. Friday, May 8 $30

7;45 p.m., 10:15 p.m. Saturday, May 9, $30

Atlanta Improv

56 E Andrews Dr NW, Atlanta