Lenny Henry's Humour: A Shield Forged in Pain
So, you know how we sometimes talk about humour being a coping mechanism? Well, for Sir Lenny Henry, that wasn’t just a saying — it was survival. In a recent interview, the legendary comedian opened up about his childhood in Dudley during the 60s and 70s, and how laughter quite literally became his armour in the face of relentless racism.
Born in 1958 to Jamaican parents who were part of the Windrush Generation, Lenny grew up in a very different Britain. The racial climate was harsh, and children like him were constantly reminded they were outsiders. Slurs were shouted, walls were graffitied with “Keep Britain White”, and even his mother, Winifred, was yelled at in the street — someone once asked her “where her tail was.” That’s the kind of daily abuse his family was subjected to.
Lenny described this time as a “maelstrom” — a whirlwind of racial tension and division that swirled around his childhood. But as a kid, he didn’t fully grasp the scale of what was happening. He just knew that being funny made things a bit easier. Humour became his sword and shield. When a kid was beating him up once, he cracked a joke mid-fight — saying it looked like they were married, rolling around like that — and suddenly people started laughing. It didn’t stop the punch from landing, but it changed the way others saw him. He became someone worth protecting.
By the time he was 12, he had three white friends — Greg, Mac, and Tom — who quite literally helped save his life. They encouraged him to be funny, to lean into what made him unique. And that sense of identity and resilience followed him into his career.
Also Read:- Sophie Cunningham Gets Wrestling Offer After Defending Caitlin Clark
- Carney Slashes Confederation Bridge Tolls and Ferry Fares Across Atlantic Canada
But it wasn’t like things magically got better. The racism followed him into adulthood. When he was married to Dawn French, they had “N.F.” smeared on their door in faeces. Threats were made. Letters sent. Their cars were vandalised with hateful, racist words. And yet, Lenny carried on.
His big break came when he won New Faces at just 15. But even that came with contradictions. He later performed on The Black and White Minstrel Show — yes, the one with blackface — and found himself the only Black person in the theatre, grappling with the discomfort of it all.
Despite all of that, or maybe because of it, Lenny Henry became who he is today: a national treasure, actor, writer, and someone still using his voice — and his humour — to make sense of a world that didn’t always make space for him. And now, after a long break from stand-up, he’s even talking about coming back. Possibly with some of his classic characters... but also with new material, reflecting the world today.
He’s still laughing — but not because it’s all been funny. Because sometimes, laughing is the only way to keep going.
Read More:
0 Comments