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Darryl Lenox

{{Short description|American stand-up comedian (1966–2023)}}

{{Infobox comedian

| name = Darryl O’Flynn Lenox

| image =

| caption =

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1966|1|28}}

| birth_place = Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.

| death_date = {{death date and age|2023|4|16|1966|1|28}}

| death_place = Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

| medium = Stand-up comedy

| active = 1989–2023

| genre =

| subject(s) =

| website = [http://www.darryllenox.com www.darryllenox.com]

}}

Darryl O’Flynn Lenox (January 28, 1966 – April 16, 2023) was an American comedian who lived in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

His comedy was notable for its focus on the differences between Canadians and Americans, and on his struggle with blindness. His 34-year career included appearances on Conan, WTF with Marc Maron, and This American Life. Lenox released two albums on Stand Up! Records, 2012's Blind Ambition and 2021's Super Bloom. Stage Time Magazine named Blind Ambition one of the top 5 comedy albums of 2012.

Vancouver comedy writer Guy MacPherson called Lenox “one of the best comics this city—and country—has ever produced”. Georgia Straight writer Chris Griffin called him "a giant" of Canadian comedy.

Early life

Lenox was born and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada. His father was a Vietnam War veteran who left when Lenox was four; he and his four sisters were raised by his mother and stepfather.{{Cite web |last=Recker |first=Scott |date=2019-12-04 |title=Comedian Darryl Lenox: 'Uglier Than Urkel' |url=https://www.leoweekly.com/2019/12/uglier-than-urkel/ |access-date=2023-04-17 |website=LEO Weekly }}{{cite news |last=Donnelly |first= Lauren |date= 2023-04-26 |title=Darryl Lenox aimed to revolutionize Canadian comedy |url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-darryl-lenox-aimed-to-revolutionize-canadian-comedy/ |work=The Globe and Mail |location=Toronto, Ontario |access-date=2023-08-25 }} Despite childhood nearsightedness, Lenox was a talented athlete who wanted to be a professional basketball player.

As a teenager, Lenox moved to Seattle, where his biological father lived. He first performed stand-up at an open mic at Seattle's Comedy Underground.{{cite news |last=Nave |first=Howie |date=February 25, 2016 |title=Darryl Lenox and Tracey MacDonald perform comedy this week in Tahoe |url=https://www.tahoedailytribune.com/news/darryl-lenox-and-tracey-macdonald-perform-comedy-this-week-in-tahoe/ |work=Lake Tahoe Action |location=Lake Tahoe, Nevada |access-date=2023-08-25 }}

Lenox also lived in Los Angeles, New York City, and Florida, but thought of Vancouver as home. Most of his early stand-up career was in Canada.{{cite news |last=MacPherson |first=Guy |date=2013-02-01 |title= Darryl Lenox is a cool comic philosopher in Vancouver |url=https://www.straight.com/arts/348536/darryl-lenox-cool-comic-philosopher-vancouver |work=The Georgia Straight |location= |access-date=2023-08-25 }}

Career

Vancouver newspaper The Georgia Straight described Lenox's comedy as "part philosophical, part therapeutic, part inspirational."{{cite news |last= Griffin |first= Chris |date= 2023-04-21 |title=Remembering Darryl Lenox: "This is going to hurt, and I'm sorry" |url= https://www.straight.com/arts/darryl-lenox-this-is-going-to-hurt-and-im-sorry |work= The Georgia Straight |location= |access-date=2023-08-25 }}{{cite news |last= Shipe |first=O'Hara |date=October 5, 2022 |title= Darryl Lenox makes the best damn lemonade in the business! |url=https://www.anchoragepress.com/arts_and_entertainment/darryl-lenox-makes-the-best-damn-lemonade-in-the-business/article_d1f7f4be-44f9-11ed-9f1a-0fe45bd05dab.html |work=Anchorage Press |location=Anchorage, Alaska |access-date=2023-08-25 }} His inspirations included Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Chris Rock, and Dave Chapelle, as well as Seattle comic Rod Long and Canadian comic Brent Butt.

He moved to Vancouver in 1994. The tone of his comedy shifted when he found that jokes about American racial issues were often lost on Canadian audiences. He became entrenched in the Vancouver comedy scene, including mentoring then-13-year-old Seth Rogen, who later said that Lenox was a crucial influence on his film Superbad; Lenox narrated the story in the audio version of Rogen's memoir Year Book. He was kicked out of Canada in 2005 for an alleged work permit violation, but returned in 2010 after the issue was determined to have been a mistake.{{cite news |last=Burliuk |first=Greg |date=July 17, 2010 |title=American funny man takes the stage |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/739761093 |work=Kingston Whig-Standard |location=Kingston, Ontario |access-date=2023-10-23 }}

Lenox headlined regularly at comedy clubs and festivals across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Lenox was the winner of the Seattle International Comedy Competition in 1999.{{Cite web |title=Previous Winners |url=http://seattlecomedycompetition.org/about/previous-winners/ |access-date=2023-04-20 |website=Seattle International Comedy Competition }} He won second place at both the 2000 San Francisco Comedy Competition{{cite web |url= https://thecomicscomic.com/2017/10/06/ellis-rodriguez-wins-the-2017-san-francisco-comedy-competition/ |title= Ellis Rodriguez wins the 2017 San Francisco Comedy Competition |last=McCarthy |first= Sean L. |date= |website=The Comic's Comic |publisher= |access-date=2023-08-25}} and the 2006 Boston Comedy Festival.{{cite web |url= https://thecomicscomic.com/2006/09/17/im-judging-yo-7/|title=I'm judging you, Boston (2006 finale) |last=McCarthy |first= Sean L. |date=September 17, 2006 |website=The Comic's Comic |publisher= |access-date=2023-08-25}}{{cite web |url= https://thecomicscomic.com/2010/11/14/nate-bargatze-saleem-tie-for-win-in-busy-finale-night-for-comedy-for-the-2010-boston-comedy-festival/|title=Nate Bargatze, Saleem tie for win in busy finale night for comedy for the 2010 Boston Comedy Festival |last=McCarthy |first= Sean L. |date=November 14, 2010 |website=The Comic's Comic |publisher= |access-date=2023-08-25}} He also performed at SXSW,{{cite web |url=https://thecomicscomic.com/2011/02/17/comedy-at-sxsw-2011/ |title= Comedy at SXSW 2011 |last=McCarthy |first= Sean L. |date=February 17, 2011 |website=The Comic's Comic |publisher= |access-date=2023-08-25}} Winnipeg Comedy Festival, Great American Comedy Festival,{{cite web |url=https://thecomicscomic.com/2008/06/18/great-american/ |title=Great American Comedy Festival hits Nebraska |last=McCarthy |first= Sean L. |date= June 18, 2008|website=The Comic's Comic |publisher= |access-date=2023-08-25}} Montreal's Just for Laughs Festival, HBO U.S. Comedy Arts Festival,{{cite web |url=https://thecomicscomic.com/2012/11/12/darryl-lenox-on-his-blind-ambition-and-reaching-for-the-starz/ |title=Darryl Lenox on his "Blind Ambition" and reaching for the Starz |last=McCarthy |first= Sean L. |date=2012-11-12 |website=The Comic's Comic |publisher= |access-date=2023-08-25}} Chicago Comedy Festival,{{cite news |last= |first= |date=May 25, 2000 |title=Chicago Comedy Festival |url=https://chicagoreader.com/arts-culture/chicago-comedy-festival-5/ |work=Chicago Reader |location= |access-date=2023-10-19}} Foolproof Northwest Comedy Arts Festival,{{cite news |last= |first= |date=April 21, 2000 |title=Foolproof schedule |url= |work=Seattle Times |location= |access-date= |page=I5}} Puget Sound Naval Shipyard Comedy Challenge,{{cite news |last=Stone |first=Scott |date=March 18, 1997 |title=Inside Jokes |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/873770412 |page=A4 |work=The Sun |location=Bremerton, Washington |access-date=2023-10-23 }} and Vancouver Comedy Festival.{{cite news |last=Newton |first=Steve |date=November 13, 2020 |title=Vancouver comics Darryl Lenox and Ivan Decker to perform live standup at the Laugh Track Comedy Club |url=https://www.straight.com/arts/vancouver-comics-darryl-lenox-and-ivan-decker-to-perform-live-standup-at-laugh-track-comedy |work=Georgia Straight |location= |access-date=2023-07-08}}

His television appearances included Conan O'Brien's Conan,Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211209/NSYFx2e44pI Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20130210042421/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSYFx2e44pI&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSYFx2e44pI |title=Darryl Lenox Stand-Up 02/07/13 {{!}} CONAN on TBS |website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}} The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, BET's ComicView,{{cite news |last= |first= |date=June 22, 2003 |title=Darryl Lenox |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/329008440 |work=Tampa Bay Times |location=St. Petersburg, Florida |access-date=2023-10-23 |page=19}} A&E’s Evening at the Improv, Comedy Central Presents, Live at Gotham, and Jamie Foxx’s Laffapalooza. He was a celebrity judge twice on Canadian series Get Cooking With the Stars.{{cite news |last=Colpitts |first=Heather |date=January 3, 2019 |title='Stars' Cook It Up Here |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/899237487 |work=Aldergrove Star |location=Aldergrove, British Columbia |page=A9 |access-date=2023-10-23 }}

In 2013, he was interviewed on Marc Maron's podcast WTF with Marc Maron.{{cite podcast |url=http://www.wtfpod.com/podcast/episodes/episode_365_-_darryl_lenox |title=Episode 365 - Darryl Lenox |website=WTF with Marc Maron |publisher= |host=Marc Maron |date=2013-02-28 |time= |access-date=2023-08-25 }}

In 2022, Lenox appeared on an episode of This American Life to discuss how going blind shifted his trust in strangers.{{cite web |url= https://www.thisamericanlife.org/775/the-possum-experiment/act-one-20 |title=Transcript: Now You See Me |last= |first= |date=July 8, 2022 |website=This American Life |publisher= |access-date=2023-08-25}} The appearance led to a book deal, which he was working on before his death.

Lenox was a guest panelist six times on Canadian radio comedy show The Debaters.

He wrote and performed a one-man show, DNA, at several festivals; it won the Vancouver Fringe Festival’s Best New Play award. HBO expressed interest in turning DNA into a sitcom.{{cite news |last=Burliuk |first=Greg |date=February 8, 2001 |title=Comic Lenox finds stand-up circuit more challenging |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/732542136 |work=Kingston Whig-Standard |location=Kingston, Ontario |page=28 |access-date=2023-10-23 }}{{cite news |last=Phalen |first=Tom |date=October 3, 1996 |title=Oktoberfest Falls On The Paragon |url=https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19961003&slug=2352302 |work=Seattle Times |location= |access-date=2023-10-23 }}{{cite news |last= |first= |date=November 24, 2000 |title=Darryl Lenox |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/895162321 |work=Tulsa World |location=Tulsa, Oklahoma |access-date=2023-10-23 |page=6}}

In 2019, Lenox founded the entertainment company Ellison Rains.

= Recordings =

Lenox released two albums on Stand Up! Records, 2012's Blind Ambition and 2021's Super Bloom.{{Cite web |title=Darryl Lenox turns pain into laughs on new stand-up special and album 'Blind Ambition' (Video) |url=http://www.laughspin.com/2012/11/13/darryl-lenox-turns-pain-into-laughs-on-new-stand-up-special-and-album-blind-ambition-video/ |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121117010950/http://www.laughspin.com/2012/11/13/darryl-lenox-turns-pain-into-laughs-on-new-stand-up-special-and-album-blind-ambition-video/ |archive-date=2012-11-17 |access-date=2013-03-27}}

Lenox filmed Blind Ambition at Vancouver’s Vogue Theatre in October 2010. It was picked up by the Starz TV network.{{cite news |last= Smith |first= Charlie |date= April 22, 2023 |title= Vancouver comedian Darryl Lenox described as a deeply caring and compassionate man who saw the best in others |url= https://pancouver.ca/vancouver-comedian-darryl-lenox-described-as-a-deeply-caring-and-compassionate-man-who-saw-the-best-in-others/ |work=Pancouver |location=Vancouver, British Columbia |access-date=2023-08-25 }} Stage Time Magazine named Blind Ambition one of the top 5 comedy albums of 2012, calling it "one of the most complete experiences in comedy this year".{{cite news |last= Milea |first= Chris |date=December 27, 2012 |title= Top 5 Best Comedy Albums of 2012 |url=http://www.stagetimemagazine.com/2012/12/27/best-comedy-albums-2012/ |work= Stage Time Magazine |location= |access-date=2023-08-25 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130502044456/http://www.stagetimemagazine.com/2012/12/27/best-comedy-albums-2012/ |archive-date=2013-05-02}} Jake Austen of Roctober called Lenox a "truly gifted comic" and praised his ability to "address mortality, race, personal failings and triumphs, what it means to be an American and what it means to be a human in very funny, touching terms."{{cite magazine|first=Jake|last=Austen|magazine=Roctober|location=Chicago|url=https://archive.org/details/roctober-51/|issue=51|title=The Stand Up! Records Listener's Guide|date=August 2013}} Blind Ambition was also named one of the year's best by The Serious Comedy Site;{{cite web |url= https://theseriouscomedysite.com/articles/2012-top-10-stand-up-comedy-mp3-albums-and-cd/ |title=2012 Top 10 Stand-up Comedy MP3 albums and CD |last= |first= |date=April 9, 2018 |website=The Serious Comedy Site |publisher= |access-date=2023-08-27}} writer Richard Lanoie wrote that "Lenox delivers wickedly funny self-deprecating stories about himself, a hilarious and laser-sharp take on the Canadians he lived with for quite a few years".{{cite web |url= https://theseriouscomedysite.com/comedy-cd-or-download/darryl-lenox-blind-ambition/ |title=Darryl Lenox – Blind Ambition |last= |first= |date=April 9, 2018 |website=The Serious Comedy Site |publisher= |access-date=2023-08-27}}

Lenox named his 2021 album Super Bloom after the desert phenomenon of sudden, massive blossoming of flowers after heavy rains.{{cite web |url=https://www.seniorlivingmag.com/articles/darryl-lenox-blind-ambition/ |title=Darryl Lenox: Blind Ambition |last= Thomson |first=John |date=November 25, 2022 |website=Inspired Magazine |publisher= |access-date=2023-08-25}} It reached No.1 on the iTunes comedy chart.{{cite web |url= https://www.facebook.com/dan.schlissel/posts/pfbid024x9HYLcCqk2YHWfPwanDM8Q4GBLkQ16KvtPBzGeLb5aDQQrFvLJXtFw55XgBHnqYl |title=Stand Up! Records |author= |date=2022-07-21 |website=Facebook|access-date=2023-10-19}} Shawn Conner of the Vancouver Sun praised the album's positivity, saying "If there's a theme, it's that there is usually a silver lining somewhere. "{{cite news |last=Conner |first=Shawn |date=December 21, 2021 |title=Darryl Lenox, Super Bloom |url= |work=Vancouver Sun |location= |access-date= }}

Personal life

Lenox was married twice. He divorced his first wife in 1994. His second wife was Clair Reilly-Roe, a musician; they divorced in 2019.

=Blindness=

Lenox was nearsighted from birth and became legally blind as a teen. His sight deteriorated, exacerbated by an injury in 1997.

Despite surgery that restored his sight for several years, he became totally blind in early 2021.{{Cite web |last=MacPherson |first=Guy |date=2010-09-28 |title=Vancouver made Darryl Lenox into the comedian he is today |url=https://www.straight.com/article-350363/vancouver/vancouver-made-darryl-lenox-comedian-he-today |access-date=2023-04-17 |website=The Georgia Straight |language=en}}{{cite news |last=Reeder |first=Gabby |date=December 22, 2021 |title=Darryl Lenox Premieres Super Bloom on Treasure Island |url= https://thegabber.com/super-bloom-darryl-lenox/ |work=The Gabber |location=Gulfport, Florida |access-date=2023-08-25 }} He worked with Third World Eye Care Society, a charity devoted to helping the visually impaired in impoverished nations.{{cite news |last= |first= |date=October 14, 2011 |title=What's On: Darryl Lenox |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/426701332 |work=Montreal Gazette |location=Montreal, Quebec |access-date=2023-10-23 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.showbizmonkeys.com/features.php?id=2219 |title=Winnipeg Comedy Fest Interview: Stand-up comic Darryl Lenox |last=Little |first=Paul |date=2011-04-05 |website=Showbiz Monkeys |publisher= |access-date=2023-10-05}}

Death

Lenox died of an aortic dissection on April 16, 2023, at Vancouver General Hospital.{{cite web |url=https://www.thecomedygreenroom.com/post/the-comedy-green-room-may-2023-newsletter |title=The Comedy Green Room May 2023 Newsletter |last=Reuben |first= David |date=2023-04-29 |website=Comedy Green Room |publisher= |access-date=2023-08-25}}

Discography

  • Blind Ambition (Stand Up! Records, 2012)
  • Super Bloom (Stand Up! Records, 2021)

Selected filmography

  • Talent Talk (2022)
  • Just For Laughs: All Access (2014)
  • Get Cooking With the Stars (2012, 2017)
  • When Comedy Went To School (2013)
  • Conan (2013)
  • Darryl Lenox: Blind Ambition (2012; also executive producer, writer)
  • Alone Up There (2012)
  • Live at Gotham (2006)
  • Jamie Foxx's Laffapalooza (2005)
  • Just For Laughs (2003)
  • Comedy Night in Canada (2003)
  • BET's Comic View (2003)
  • An Evening at the Improv (1992, 1994)

Selected podcasts

  • WTF with Marc Maron (February 2013)
  • Too Opinionated (February 7, 2022){{cite podcast |url=https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/too-opinionated/too-opinionated-interview-IelWGw1kdtY/ |title=Too Opinionated Interview: Darryl Lennox |website=Too Opinionated |publisher= |host= |date=February 7, 2022 |time= |access-date=2023-08-25 }}
  • The Reel World: Talkin' with Members of the Entertainment Industry (April 3, 2022){{cite podcast |url=https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-reel-world/darryl-lenox-5PcSeF27_Bx/ |title=Darryl Lenox |website=The Reel World: Talkin' with Members of the Entertainment Industry |publisher= |host= |date=April 3, 2022 |time= |access-date=2023-08-25 }}
  • AT Banter (August 11, 2021){{cite podcast |url=https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/at-banter-podcast/at-banter-podcast-episode-34iysVpnQvu/ |title=AT Banter Podcast Episode 250 - Darryl Lenox |website=AT Banter |publisher= |host= |date=August 11, 2021 |time= |access-date=2023-08-25 }}
  • Everything Film (October 22, 2021){{cite podcast |url=https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/agencyclick/comedian-darryl-lenox-ripped-nqPe7XUft-D/ |title=Comedian Darryl Lenox Ripped on a Young Seth Rogen |website=Everything Film |publisher= |host= |date=October 22, 2021 |time= |access-date=2023-08-25 }}
  • Middle of Somewhere (December 20, 2021){{cite podcast |url=https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/middle-of/super-bloom-and-darryl-lenox-FDQEsP-UAn_/ |title=Super Bloom and Darryl Lenox |website=Middle of Somewhere |publisher= |host=Chad Daniels and Cy Amundson |date=December 20, 2021 |time= |access-date=2023-08-25 }}

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • {{Official website|http://www.darryllenox.com}}
  • {{Official website|http://www.darryllenox.ca|Official Canadian website}}
  • [https://standuprecords.com/collections/darryl-lenox Darryl Lenox at Stand Up! Records]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lenox, Darryl}}

Category:1966 births

Category:2023 deaths

Category:American stand-up comedians

Category:African-American male comedians

Category:African-American comedians

Category:Comedians from Nevada

Category:People from Las Vegas

Category:Comedians from Vancouver

Category:21st-century American comedians

Category:Stand Up! Records artists

Category:American blind people

Category:American male comedians