Darryl Lenox Explained

Darryl O’Flynn Lenox
Birth Date:28 January 1966
Birth Place:Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Death Place:Vancouver, Canada
Medium:Stand-up comedy
Active:1989–2023
Website:www.darryllenox.com

Darryl O’Flynn Lenox (January 28, 1966 – April 16, 2023) was an American comedian who lived in Vancouver, 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.[1] [2] Despite childhood nearsightedness, Lenox was a talented athlete who wanted to be a professional basketball player.[2]

As a teenager, Lenox moved to Seattle, where his biological father lived.[2] He first performed stand-up at an open mic at Seattle's Comedy Underground.[3] [2]

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.[4]

Career

Vancouver newspaper The Georgia Straight described Lenox's comedy as "part philosophical, part therapeutic, part inspirational."[5] [6] 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.[2] 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.[2] 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.[7]

Lenox headlined regularly at comedy clubs and festivals across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia.[2] Lenox was the winner of the Seattle International Comedy Competition in 1999.[8] He won second place at both the 2000 San Francisco Comedy Competition[9] and the 2006 Boston Comedy Festival.[10] [11] He also performed at SXSW,[12] Winnipeg Comedy Festival, Great American Comedy Festival,[13] Montreal's Just for Laughs Festival, HBO U.S. Comedy Arts Festival,[14] Chicago Comedy Festival,[15] Foolproof Northwest Comedy Arts Festival,[16] Puget Sound Naval Shipyard Comedy Challenge,[17] and Vancouver Comedy Festival.[18]

His television appearances included Conan O'Brien's Conan,[19] The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, BET's ComicView,[20] A&E’s Evening at the Improv, Comedy Central Presents, Live at Gotham, and Jamie Foxx’s Laffapalooza.[2] [14] He was a celebrity judge twice on Canadian series Get Cooking With the Stars.[21]

In 2013, he was interviewed on Marc Maron's podcast WTF with Marc Maron.[22] [4] [5] [2]

In 2022, Lenox appeared on an episode of This American Life to discuss how going blind shifted his trust in strangers.[23] The appearance led to a book deal, which he was working on before his death.[2] [5]

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.[24] [25] [26] [3]

In 2019, Lenox founded the entertainment company Ellison Rains.[2]

Recordings

Lenox released two albums on Stand Up! Records, 2012's Blind Ambition and 2021's Super Bloom.[27]

Lenox filmed Blind Ambition at Vancouver’s Vogue Theatre in October 2010. It was picked up by the Starz TV network.[4] [2] [28] [14] 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".[29] 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."[30] Blind Ambition was also named one of the year's best by The Serious Comedy Site;[31] 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".[32]

Lenox named his 2021 album Super Bloom after the desert phenomenon of sudden, massive blossoming of flowers after heavy rains.[33] [2] It reached No.1 on the iTunes comedy chart.[34] 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. "[35]

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.[2] [6] [33]

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.[36] [37] [2] [33] He worked with Third World Eye Care Society, a charity devoted to helping the visually impaired in impoverished nations.[38] [39]

Death

Lenox died of an aortic dissection on April 16, 2023, at Vancouver General Hospital.[40] [2]

Discography

Selected filmography

Selected podcasts

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Recker . Scott . 2019-12-04 . Comedian Darryl Lenox: 'Uglier Than Urkel' . 2023-04-17 . .
  2. News: Donnelly . Lauren . 2023-04-26 . Darryl Lenox aimed to revolutionize Canadian comedy . . Toronto, Ontario . 2023-08-25 .
  3. News: Nave . Howie . February 25, 2016 . Darryl Lenox and Tracey MacDonald perform comedy this week in Tahoe . Lake Tahoe Action . . 2023-08-25 .
  4. News: MacPherson . Guy . 2013-02-01 . Darryl Lenox is a cool comic philosopher in Vancouver . . 2023-08-25 .
  5. News: Griffin . Chris . 2023-04-21 . Remembering Darryl Lenox: "This is going to hurt, and I'm sorry" . . 2023-08-25 .
  6. News: Shipe . O'Hara . October 5, 2022 . Darryl Lenox makes the best damn lemonade in the business! . . Anchorage, Alaska . 2023-08-25 .
  7. News: Burliuk . Greg . July 17, 2010 . American funny man takes the stage . Kingston Whig-Standard . Kingston, Ontario . 2023-10-23 .
  8. Web site: Previous Winners . 2023-04-20 . Seattle International Comedy Competition .
  9. Web site: Ellis Rodriguez wins the 2017 San Francisco Comedy Competition . McCarthy . Sean L. . The Comic's Comic . 2023-08-25.
  10. Web site: I'm judging you, Boston (2006 finale) . McCarthy . Sean L. . September 17, 2006 . The Comic's Comic . 2023-08-25.
  11. Web site: Nate Bargatze, Saleem tie for win in busy finale night for comedy for the 2010 Boston Comedy Festival . McCarthy . Sean L. . November 14, 2010 . The Comic's Comic . 2023-08-25.
  12. Web site: Comedy at SXSW 2011 . McCarthy . Sean L. . February 17, 2011 . The Comic's Comic . 2023-08-25.
  13. Web site: Great American Comedy Festival hits Nebraska . McCarthy . Sean L. . June 18, 2008. The Comic's Comic . 2023-08-25.
  14. Web site: Darryl Lenox on his "Blind Ambition" and reaching for the Starz . McCarthy . Sean L. . 2012-11-12 . The Comic's Comic . 2023-08-25.
  15. News: May 25, 2000 . Chicago Comedy Festival . Chicago Reader . 2023-10-19.
  16. News: April 21, 2000 . Foolproof schedule . . I5.
  17. News: Stone . Scott . March 18, 1997 . Inside Jokes . A4 . The Sun . Bremerton, Washington . 2023-10-23 .
  18. News: Newton . Steve . November 13, 2020 . Vancouver comics Darryl Lenox and Ivan Decker to perform live standup at the Laugh Track Comedy Club . Georgia Straight . 2023-07-08.
  19. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Darryl Lenox Stand-Up 02/07/13 CONAN on TBS . YouTube.
  20. News: June 22, 2003 . Darryl Lenox . Tampa Bay Times . St. Petersburg, Florida . 2023-10-23 . 19.
  21. News: Colpitts . Heather . January 3, 2019 . 'Stars' Cook It Up Here . Aldergrove Star . Aldergrove, British Columbia . A9 . 2023-10-23 .
  22. Episode 365 - Darryl Lenox . WTF with Marc Maron . Marc Maron . 2013-02-28 . 2023-08-25 .
  23. Web site: Transcript: Now You See Me . July 8, 2022 . This American Life . 2023-08-25.
  24. News: Burliuk . Greg . February 8, 2001 . Comic Lenox finds stand-up circuit more challenging . Kingston Whig-Standard . Kingston, Ontario . 28 . 2023-10-23 .
  25. News: Phalen . Tom . October 3, 1996 . Oktoberfest Falls On The Paragon . . 2023-10-23 .
  26. News: November 24, 2000 . Darryl Lenox . Tulsa World . Tulsa, Oklahoma . 2023-10-23 . 6.
  27. Web site: Darryl Lenox turns pain into laughs on new stand-up special and album 'Blind Ambition' (Video) . dead . 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/ . 2012-11-17 . 2013-03-27.
  28. News: Smith . Charlie . April 22, 2023 . Vancouver comedian Darryl Lenox described as a deeply caring and compassionate man who saw the best in others . Pancouver . . 2023-08-25 .
  29. News: Milea . Chris . December 27, 2012 . Top 5 Best Comedy Albums of 2012 . Stage Time Magazine . 2023-08-25 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130502044456/http://www.stagetimemagazine.com/2012/12/27/best-comedy-albums-2012/ . 2013-05-02.
  30. Jake. Austen. Roctober. Chicago. The Stand Up! Records Listener's Guide. 51. August 2013.
  31. Web site: 2012 Top 10 Stand-up Comedy MP3 albums and CD . April 9, 2018 . The Serious Comedy Site . 2023-08-27.
  32. Web site: Darryl Lenox – Blind Ambition . April 9, 2018 . The Serious Comedy Site . 2023-08-27.
  33. Web site: Darryl Lenox: Blind Ambition . Thomson . John . November 25, 2022 . Inspired Magazine . 2023-08-25.
  34. Web site: Stand Up! Records . . 2022-07-21 . Facebook. 2023-10-19.
  35. News: Conner . Shawn . December 21, 2021 . Darryl Lenox, Super Bloom . .
  36. Web site: MacPherson . Guy . 2010-09-28 . Vancouver made Darryl Lenox into the comedian he is today . 2023-04-17 . . en.
  37. News: Reeder . Gabby . December 22, 2021 . Darryl Lenox Premieres Super Bloom on Treasure Island . The Gabber . Gulfport, Florida . 2023-08-25 .
  38. News: October 14, 2011 . What's On: Darryl Lenox . Montreal Gazette . Montreal, Quebec . 2023-10-23 .
  39. Web site: Winnipeg Comedy Fest Interview: Stand-up comic Darryl Lenox . Little . Paul . 2011-04-05 . Showbiz Monkeys . 2023-10-05.
  40. Web site: The Comedy Green Room May 2023 Newsletter . Reuben . David . 2023-04-29 . Comedy Green Room . 2023-08-25.
  41. Too Opinionated Interview: Darryl Lennox . Too Opinionated . February 7, 2022 . 2023-08-25 .
  42. Darryl Lenox . The Reel World: Talkin' with Members of the Entertainment Industry . April 3, 2022 . 2023-08-25 .
  43. AT Banter Podcast Episode 250 - Darryl Lenox . AT Banter . August 11, 2021 . 2023-08-25 .
  44. Comedian Darryl Lenox Ripped on a Young Seth Rogen . Everything Film . October 22, 2021 . 2023-08-25 .
  45. Super Bloom and Darryl Lenox . Middle of Somewhere . Chad Daniels and Cy Amundson . December 20, 2021 . 2023-08-25 .

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