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Who Am I, Again?
A child of the Jamaican diaspora, Lenny Henry was one of seven children in a boisterous, complicated family. With honesty, tenderness and a glorious sense of humour, he conducts a jam session of memories - growing up in the Black Country, puberty, school, friendship, family secrets and unashamed racism. With his mother's mantra of 'H'integration' echoing in his ears, Henry set out on a glittering career - but at every stage Am I good enough? Is this what they want? Who am I, again? This book answers those questions.
352 pages, Paperback
First published October 3, 2019
80 people are currently reading
602 people want to read
About the author
Lenny Henry
60 books48 followersLenworth George "Lenny" Henry, CBE is an English actor, writer, comedian and occasional television presenter. Henry is known as the choleric chef Gareth Blackstock from the 1990s television comedy series Chef!, or from his 1999 straight-acting lead role in the BBC drama Hope And Glory. He was co-creator with Neil Gaiman and producer of the 1996 BBC drama serial Neverwhere.
His earliest television appearance was on the New Faces talent show, which he won in 1975 with an impersonation of Stevie Wonder. The following year he appeared with Norman Beaton in LWT's sitcom The Fosters, Britain's first comedy series with predominantly black performers. His formative years were spent in working men's clubs, where his act was as a young black man impersonating white characters such as the Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em character Frank Spencer (whom he impersonated on New Faces). He also made guest appearances on television programmes including Celebrity Squares, Seaside Special and The Ronnie Corbett Show.
He co-hosted the children's programme Tiswas from 1978 until 1981, and subsequently performed and wrote for the show Three of a Kind, with comedians Tracey Ullman and David Copperfield. Also in 1980, he teamed up with The Comic Strip where he met his wife, comedienne Dawn French. She encouraged him to move over to the fledgling alternative comedy scene, where he established a career as a stand-up comedy performer and character comedian. He introduced characters who both mocked and celebrated black British culture, such as Theophilus P. Wildebeeste (a homage to Teddy Pendergrass using the 'TP' initials), Brixton pirate radio disc jockey DJ Delbert Wilkins and Trevor MacDoughnut (a parody of Trevor McDonald). His stand-up material, which sold well on LP, owed much to the writing abilities of Kim Fuller.
The first series of The Lenny Henry Show appeared on the BBC in 1984. The show featured stand up, spoofs like his send up of Michael Jackson's Thriller video, and many of the characters he had developed during Summer Season, including Theophilus P. Wildebeeste and Delbert Wilkins. The Lenny Henry Show ran for a further 20 years in various incarnations.
In the early 1990s, Henry starred in the Hollywood film True Identity, in which his character pretended to be a white person (using make-up, prostheses, and a wig) in order to avoid the mob. The film was not commercially successful.
In 1991, he starred in a BBC drama alongside Robbie Coltrane called Alive and Kicking, in which he played a heroin addict, which was based on a true story.
In 2003, Henry was listed in The Observer as one of the fifty funniest acts in British comedy. In 2004, he was listed in The Sunday Times as the fifteenth funniest black performer of all time. Henry is associated with the British Comic Relief charity organisation, along with his former wife, comedienne Dawn French, and Griff Rhys Jones, and has hosted the show and also presented filmed reports from overseas on the work of the charity.
He was the voice of the "shrunken head" on the Knight Bus in the 2004 movie Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and read the audio book version of Neil Gaiman's Anansi Boys.
He was introduced to Shakespeare when he made the 2006 Radio 4 series Lenny and Will. Which saw him going "in search of the magic of Shakespeare in performance." In February 2009 Henry appeared in the Northern Broadsides production of Othello. He received widespread critical acclaim in the role.
Henry graduated in English Literature, (BA Hons), with the Open University in 2007. Henry studied for an MA at Royal Holloway, University of London in screenwriting for television and film, where he received a distinction and where he is now studying for a PhD on the role of black people in the media. Henry was made a CBE in the New Years Honours list in 1998 for his services to comedy drama and Comic Relief.
His earliest television appearance was on the New Faces talent show, which he won in 1975 with an impersonation of Stevie Wonder. The following year he appeared with Norman Beaton in LWT's sitcom The Fosters, Britain's first comedy series with predominantly black performers. His formative years were spent in working men's clubs, where his act was as a young black man impersonating white characters such as the Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em character Frank Spencer (whom he impersonated on New Faces). He also made guest appearances on television programmes including Celebrity Squares, Seaside Special and The Ronnie Corbett Show.
He co-hosted the children's programme Tiswas from 1978 until 1981, and subsequently performed and wrote for the show Three of a Kind, with comedians Tracey Ullman and David Copperfield. Also in 1980, he teamed up with The Comic Strip where he met his wife, comedienne Dawn French. She encouraged him to move over to the fledgling alternative comedy scene, where he established a career as a stand-up comedy performer and character comedian. He introduced characters who both mocked and celebrated black British culture, such as Theophilus P. Wildebeeste (a homage to Teddy Pendergrass using the 'TP' initials), Brixton pirate radio disc jockey DJ Delbert Wilkins and Trevor MacDoughnut (a parody of Trevor McDonald). His stand-up material, which sold well on LP, owed much to the writing abilities of Kim Fuller.
The first series of The Lenny Henry Show appeared on the BBC in 1984. The show featured stand up, spoofs like his send up of Michael Jackson's Thriller video, and many of the characters he had developed during Summer Season, including Theophilus P. Wildebeeste and Delbert Wilkins. The Lenny Henry Show ran for a further 20 years in various incarnations.
In the early 1990s, Henry starred in the Hollywood film True Identity, in which his character pretended to be a white person (using make-up, prostheses, and a wig) in order to avoid the mob. The film was not commercially successful.
In 1991, he starred in a BBC drama alongside Robbie Coltrane called Alive and Kicking, in which he played a heroin addict, which was based on a true story.
In 2003, Henry was listed in The Observer as one of the fifty funniest acts in British comedy. In 2004, he was listed in The Sunday Times as the fifteenth funniest black performer of all time. Henry is associated with the British Comic Relief charity organisation, along with his former wife, comedienne Dawn French, and Griff Rhys Jones, and has hosted the show and also presented filmed reports from overseas on the work of the charity.
He was the voice of the "shrunken head" on the Knight Bus in the 2004 movie Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and read the audio book version of Neil Gaiman's Anansi Boys.
He was introduced to Shakespeare when he made the 2006 Radio 4 series Lenny and Will. Which saw him going "in search of the magic of Shakespeare in performance." In February 2009 Henry appeared in the Northern Broadsides production of Othello. He received widespread critical acclaim in the role.
Henry graduated in English Literature, (BA Hons), with the Open University in 2007. Henry studied for an MA at Royal Holloway, University of London in screenwriting for television and film, where he received a distinction and where he is now studying for a PhD on the role of black people in the media. Henry was made a CBE in the New Years Honours list in 1998 for his services to comedy drama and Comic Relief.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 146 reviews
August 23, 2023
I really enjoyed listening to Lenny Henry read this as an audiobook.
Although this only covers up until the 80s I didn’t mind as it was packed full of memories and stories and was plenty long enough. If he writes more about the 90s and present day then I will be sure to read or listen.
Although this only covers up until the 80s I didn’t mind as it was packed full of memories and stories and was plenty long enough. If he writes more about the 90s and present day then I will be sure to read or listen.
May 8, 2023
I added this to my reading list when I first heard about it last year. It took me a while to actually be able to get it, but now I've read it and enjoyed it perhaps more than expected. It did raise an question for me though - just what is it that I know Lenny Henry from? Clearly he's had a successful career spanning decades, but I've seen almost none of the shows that he's been in, as most predate my TV watching days. He was married to Dawn French for 26 years, but I can't say I follow the marriages of British comedians all that closely, even the ones I particularly like. He's one of the shrunken heads on the Knight Bus in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (a performance I adore) -- after scrolling through all his film credits, I think it must have been Comic Relief --- he's co-founder along with Richard Curtis. It's been running since the 80's and while I don't think it airs every year in New Zealand, I have definitely seen it before.
This book ends before all that anyway, and in a way I'm glad. By taking the time to really focus on his early years, this feels like a more worthwhile, thoughtful memoir. It doesn't follow what seems to be the usual pattern of: first I wasn't famous, then I was, now here I am a few decades later halfheartedly writing about it. Lenny Henry manages to find that balance between being very open, while still considering the other people around him, his family, mentors, friends etc. He's fair and compassionate. His mother for example was a strict disciplinarian He doesn't excuse this, but he portrays his mother with a lot of love.
His comedy skills are probably already there, but they begin to develop even further under necessity, as a way to combat bullying - the bullying is often incredibly racist, and humour becomes a way to take back some kind of control.
His journey to a career in comedy feels both swift and slow at the same time. He makes it onto TV pretty early (16) and from there remains steadily employed. One of his main jobs is with the Black and White Minstrels, a jarring and uncomfortable experience to read about.
"From this point on the Minstrels scenario was, for the most part, a duvet of sadness... I was fortunate not to have to wear shoe polish on my face... But I was in a strangely split mental condition for most of the time. On the one hand, I was working with the loveliest of people: the dancers, the singers and the crew were very kind and nurturing. On the other, I was a seventeen-year-old black guy performing in a minstrel show for what seemed like forever. Having begun my journey so triumphantly, I was suddenly in the doldrums, adrift, lost."
A particular highlight for me was photos that included, each with a detailed description of just what was happening, what he was thinking then, sometimes what he thinks now looking back at those moments. I found this fascinating and always looked forward to looking at the picture, then reading the text, then returning to the picture to look at it with a new perspective.
I also really enjoyed the segments done in a comic book style -- it's a fun, creative touch and they always made me smile.
At the end of the book, he has a section called NOTES TO A YOUNG COMIC, full of advice for any aspiring comedians. I found it so interesting, even though I have no practical interest in comedy myself (short of any career that places a life, whether it be your own or someone else's, in your hands, I can imagine few things more terrifying than willingly putting yourself in the position of walking onstage and trying to make people laugh - I'm not exaggerating when I say I think I would faint. Which would be embarrassing and not very funny.) -- it's about 25 pages long and I found it to be very informative.
This book ends before all that anyway, and in a way I'm glad. By taking the time to really focus on his early years, this feels like a more worthwhile, thoughtful memoir. It doesn't follow what seems to be the usual pattern of: first I wasn't famous, then I was, now here I am a few decades later halfheartedly writing about it. Lenny Henry manages to find that balance between being very open, while still considering the other people around him, his family, mentors, friends etc. He's fair and compassionate. His mother for example was a strict disciplinarian He doesn't excuse this, but he portrays his mother with a lot of love.
His comedy skills are probably already there, but they begin to develop even further under necessity, as a way to combat bullying - the bullying is often incredibly racist, and humour becomes a way to take back some kind of control.
His journey to a career in comedy feels both swift and slow at the same time. He makes it onto TV pretty early (16) and from there remains steadily employed. One of his main jobs is with the Black and White Minstrels, a jarring and uncomfortable experience to read about.
"From this point on the Minstrels scenario was, for the most part, a duvet of sadness... I was fortunate not to have to wear shoe polish on my face... But I was in a strangely split mental condition for most of the time. On the one hand, I was working with the loveliest of people: the dancers, the singers and the crew were very kind and nurturing. On the other, I was a seventeen-year-old black guy performing in a minstrel show for what seemed like forever. Having begun my journey so triumphantly, I was suddenly in the doldrums, adrift, lost."
A particular highlight for me was photos that included, each with a detailed description of just what was happening, what he was thinking then, sometimes what he thinks now looking back at those moments. I found this fascinating and always looked forward to looking at the picture, then reading the text, then returning to the picture to look at it with a new perspective.
I also really enjoyed the segments done in a comic book style -- it's a fun, creative touch and they always made me smile.
At the end of the book, he has a section called NOTES TO A YOUNG COMIC, full of advice for any aspiring comedians. I found it so interesting, even though I have no practical interest in comedy myself (short of any career that places a life, whether it be your own or someone else's, in your hands, I can imagine few things more terrifying than willingly putting yourself in the position of walking onstage and trying to make people laugh - I'm not exaggerating when I say I think I would faint. Which would be embarrassing and not very funny.) -- it's about 25 pages long and I found it to be very informative.
October 24, 2019
My mum had a soft spot for British comedians when I was growing up and indirectly introduced me to the likes of Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders, Ken Dodd and Lenny Henry. As a quiet child from a fairly reserved family, I must admit, Lenny's loud exuberance scared me sometimes, but I grew up thinking he was the kindest man in the world. Growing up in the 80s and 90s, Lenny was mainly known to me for his work with Comic Relief and I saw him as a charity campaigner who just happened to be funny. My nan was also a big fan of his TV series, Chef, so I didn't really know much about his comedy work. The book was a pleasure to listen to (Audible!) and added to my respect for Lenny and his achievements. His positive outlook and refusal to even entertain a bitter thought for events that have occurred in his life, add to my admiration.
January 20, 2020
interesting autobiography of the Dudley comedian Lenny Henry this book being the 1st part of his career new faces to tiswas and find quite informative
October 30, 2021
I've always liked Lenny Henry, so was really looking forward to this. It was great to hear more about him and his start In Comedy and the early days of fame. I loved the parts he spoke about his mum and family members. I look forward to reading more from him about other parts of his life.
November 16, 2019
Henry recounts his life from birth to roughly 1980 so this memoir covers his childhood and discovery of comedy to when his star had ascended. I found this interesting, the tales of his Jamaican parents and especially his mother, and how he managed with newfound fame at the tender age of 16. I will definitely read the next stage of his life story when he writes it.
October 29, 2019
Nice guy, jerky (as in all over the place, not idiotic!) writing. He still sounds as if he can't quite place himself all these years later. When there were Black Country references I sat up as I cannot imagine a Jamaican family in Dudley back in the day (knowing how not open they are nowadays). LH probably totally underplays the racism he suffered growing up.
Want to read
October 14, 2019Ran into his reading of excerpts on Radio 4 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m00...) and went to look for the book. Hero from my teenage years. Trying to enjoy it in small doses so it lasts longer.
December 28, 2020
Substantial memoir of a British Comedian, and provides a lot of tips on how to hone the craft if you are interested in comedy career-wise. But the "Black and White Minstrels Show?" My goodness! Why that was allowed on TV for so long is something that needs to be seen to be believed.
February 20, 2020
Not a complete autobiography. The 1st third of the book is more about how Lenny's mum came to England. I'm not sure that anyone explained to Lenny this was supposed to be an autobiography. I'm guessing his publisher gave him a 2 book deal, he asked how long the 1st book had to be and added all the family backstory too fulfil his contract.
It's not exactly what you'd call a page turner, Lenny might be a decent comedian but as you'll discover, he's a terrible writer. (By the way, he barely writes any of his own material, he can thank Kim Fuller for most of his fame).
The book gets about as far as Lenny starting to do regular telly then stops there.
It's not exactly what you'd call a page turner, Lenny might be a decent comedian but as you'll discover, he's a terrible writer. (By the way, he barely writes any of his own material, he can thank Kim Fuller for most of his fame).
The book gets about as far as Lenny starting to do regular telly then stops there.
June 22, 2020
I loved Lenny Henry growing up, watching him being discovered on New Faces and his path to fame, and still do. This book was a hilarious trip through time with Lenny and his family from the seventies up to Tiswas and his beginning to work on Three of a Kind. I laughed out loud so many times listening to this in the car ( I read all my audible books during my commute and while doing the housework ), and now it's finished I'm gonna miss it.
The fact that Lenny narrated it was a big plus, he's got a gift. Wish I'd read this sooner, can't wait for the next instalment. Katanga my friend!
The fact that Lenny narrated it was a big plus, he's got a gift. Wish I'd read this sooner, can't wait for the next instalment. Katanga my friend!
February 8, 2023
Quite interesting, with some tips for aspiring comics, and appreciation of those who have helped him, as well as some shocking accounts of the racism he has faced. The writing style did not read very smoothly and there were repeated sections about the Minstrel Show which obviously weighs heavily on his shoulders.
October 22, 2019
I’ve always been a fan of Lenny Henry and this book doesn’t disappoint. I listened on audible and it was lovely to hear him narrate his own story too
October 24, 2019
Brilliant read.
June 27, 2021
I have been watching Sir Lenny perform his comedy sketches on TV since the early 90s or as far as I can remember. I also remember an episode he did an episode with TV Cook Nigel Slater – A taste of my life which looked back on his life through the food which his mama cooked as a child to starting Comic Relief in 1985 along with Richard Curtis, Jane Tewson, Peter Bennett-Jones.
Browsing the local library shelves for new content, I see this book on the top shelf of the biography’s shelf, it felt like it was staring at me, take me home and read me. The book is kind of like “This is your life Lenny Henry” where you start in the 80s Dudley with a young Lenny Henry, his siblings and a little about his parents and how they came to Dudley from Jamaica, which leads to performing from the age of 16 to being one of the most enjoyable/laughable comics on TV if you’ve had a stressed day by the time you’ve finished watching a Lenny Henry show you’ll forget all about it, Live at the Apollo today and lastly receiving his CBE in 1999 to being knighted for his contributions to Drama and Charity.
Born: Lenworth George Henry; 29 August 1958 like if you watched most of Lenny Henry’s shows in the 80s, 90s check out the book and enjoy it.
Browsing the local library shelves for new content, I see this book on the top shelf of the biography’s shelf, it felt like it was staring at me, take me home and read me. The book is kind of like “This is your life Lenny Henry” where you start in the 80s Dudley with a young Lenny Henry, his siblings and a little about his parents and how they came to Dudley from Jamaica, which leads to performing from the age of 16 to being one of the most enjoyable/laughable comics on TV if you’ve had a stressed day by the time you’ve finished watching a Lenny Henry show you’ll forget all about it, Live at the Apollo today and lastly receiving his CBE in 1999 to being knighted for his contributions to Drama and Charity.
Born: Lenworth George Henry; 29 August 1958 like if you watched most of Lenny Henry’s shows in the 80s, 90s check out the book and enjoy it.
December 29, 2019
I kept smiling while I read this book by Lenny Henry about his youth and entrance into the world of comedy. Growing up in a large family, he was able to escape by starting his career at the age of 16. I could picture the author the whole time I read this book, and imagine the audible version would be awesome.
May 5, 2023
Before picking this book up, I didn't really know a whole lot about Lenny Henry. Obviously, he's a prominent figure in British culture, but I mostly just knew him as the guy from comic relief, a shrunken head from Harry Potter, and from the Premier Inn adverts. Despite this, Lenny Henry has always been a familiar face, and it was interesting learning more about him. I also find his voice very comforting, so I really liked the audiobook.
This book covers Lenny's life from his childhood to the early eighties. He talks about what it was like to grow up as the first British-born son to Jamaican immigrants, how he grew to love comedy, and how his career started. I liked that Lenny only focused on a specific period of time, it felt like he was really digging in to each milestone in his life and his career, rather than trying to cram a bunch of experiences into one memoir. It was very reflective, and I just felt like I was having a conversation with him about his early years.
He touched on some serious topics, like racism and how he has responded to it over the years, as well as grief; he doesn't linger too long on these topics but still shows how they clearly affected his life, and in many instances discusses them with his usual humour. The main theme that runs through this book is identity (which might be obvious from the title). Lenny talks about how he found his identity as a comedian as his career progressed. He talks about the people who shaped him, both professionally and personally. He discusses how his race influenced his work, as well as his success and how he felt about that.
I learned a lot about Lenny Henry from this book; I didn't realise he was so young when he started out, I had never heard of The Black and White Minstrel show, and it was nice to learn more about such a familiar face that I really didn't know much about.
I think this book would be quite useful for aspiring comedians, there's a whole section at the end full of advice and tips and tricks, it was really interesting learning about the craft and how much work people like Lenny put into their comedy.
This book covers Lenny's life from his childhood to the early eighties. He talks about what it was like to grow up as the first British-born son to Jamaican immigrants, how he grew to love comedy, and how his career started. I liked that Lenny only focused on a specific period of time, it felt like he was really digging in to each milestone in his life and his career, rather than trying to cram a bunch of experiences into one memoir. It was very reflective, and I just felt like I was having a conversation with him about his early years.
He touched on some serious topics, like racism and how he has responded to it over the years, as well as grief; he doesn't linger too long on these topics but still shows how they clearly affected his life, and in many instances discusses them with his usual humour. The main theme that runs through this book is identity (which might be obvious from the title). Lenny talks about how he found his identity as a comedian as his career progressed. He talks about the people who shaped him, both professionally and personally. He discusses how his race influenced his work, as well as his success and how he felt about that.
I learned a lot about Lenny Henry from this book; I didn't realise he was so young when he started out, I had never heard of The Black and White Minstrel show, and it was nice to learn more about such a familiar face that I really didn't know much about.
I think this book would be quite useful for aspiring comedians, there's a whole section at the end full of advice and tips and tricks, it was really interesting learning about the craft and how much work people like Lenny put into their comedy.
January 20, 2020
As you would expect from a autobiography from a comedian, it's funny. I listened to the audiobook read by the author, and he does all the imitations and voices etc. The narrative concentrates on his early life, his family and his entry into the comedy scene in Britain.
However, I would say he sidesteps most difficult and sensitive areas. I would have liked to understand more about why an Afro Carribean man joined the Black and White Minstrels, but didn't really feel any the wiser. I felt no closer to understanding the deeper issues of race and discrimination in Britain in the 60s and 70s. Lenny reveals that his mother had had an affair resulting in his birth and talks briefly about meeting his birth father, but does not really describe what effect that this had on him or his life.
The comparision I would make is with Magda Szubanski's amazing autobiography Reckoning. Magda manages to be funny and brilliant and inspiring while dissecting the events of her past and coming to terms with it. She has done some deep personal work and you get the feeling she has made peace with her demons. I wonder whether Lenny has even realised there is a battle to be had. The titles really say it all: Who am I, again? suggests uncertainty and maybe even fear of finding out. Reckoning suggests avenging or settling the score. I don't know how hard you can be on a person who glides over the events of their life in their autobiography. I think of the searing honesty of someone like Jimmy Barnes who treated the writing of his autobiographies as therapy, and we all got to see the blood, sweat and tears of his amazing life. Perhaps not everyone is as brave. Perhaps not everyone needs to spill their guts publically either.
The book ends with some generous guidance for aspiring comedians, which may be useful if you are one.
However, I would say he sidesteps most difficult and sensitive areas. I would have liked to understand more about why an Afro Carribean man joined the Black and White Minstrels, but didn't really feel any the wiser. I felt no closer to understanding the deeper issues of race and discrimination in Britain in the 60s and 70s. Lenny reveals that his mother had had an affair resulting in his birth and talks briefly about meeting his birth father, but does not really describe what effect that this had on him or his life.
The comparision I would make is with Magda Szubanski's amazing autobiography Reckoning. Magda manages to be funny and brilliant and inspiring while dissecting the events of her past and coming to terms with it. She has done some deep personal work and you get the feeling she has made peace with her demons. I wonder whether Lenny has even realised there is a battle to be had. The titles really say it all: Who am I, again? suggests uncertainty and maybe even fear of finding out. Reckoning suggests avenging or settling the score. I don't know how hard you can be on a person who glides over the events of their life in their autobiography. I think of the searing honesty of someone like Jimmy Barnes who treated the writing of his autobiographies as therapy, and we all got to see the blood, sweat and tears of his amazing life. Perhaps not everyone is as brave. Perhaps not everyone needs to spill their guts publically either.
The book ends with some generous guidance for aspiring comedians, which may be useful if you are one.
February 28, 2021
Reading this back to back with Trevor Noah's memoir was an experience and perhaps highlighted more issues than I would have seen in Lenny Henry's offering.
This book felt very reserved and matter-of-fact for an autobiography by a comedian. Comic moments were few and far between and the personal is very watered down. Seemingly important issues - such as meeting his biological father, growing up amongst two cultures, his relationships with his father and siblings, being Black and performing with the Black and White Minstrels, the adoption of his daughter - are referred to only briefly and without emotion, almost as if they happened to someone else.
This reads more like a manual or guidance for upcoming comedians as Lenny shares his experiences from his early career and ends with advice for performers. I am therefore, clearly not the key intended audience for this.
This book felt very reserved and matter-of-fact for an autobiography by a comedian. Comic moments were few and far between and the personal is very watered down. Seemingly important issues - such as meeting his biological father, growing up amongst two cultures, his relationships with his father and siblings, being Black and performing with the Black and White Minstrels, the adoption of his daughter - are referred to only briefly and without emotion, almost as if they happened to someone else.
This reads more like a manual or guidance for upcoming comedians as Lenny shares his experiences from his early career and ends with advice for performers. I am therefore, clearly not the key intended audience for this.
February 2, 2020
This was a Christmas present and not something I would have bought for myself. I enjoyed reading about Lenny's childhood and teenage years growing up in Dudley in the 1970s. However, once he'd won New Faces and gone on tour with the Black and White Minstrels, the book lacked momentum. Overall I was left with the impression (pardon the pun) that Lenny Henry takes himself a little bit too seriously.
August 1, 2023
I saw Lenny recently in conversation with Lemn Sissay , ( great evening) and he was quite edgy. Not so here. There were interesting histories but he was being ultra nice about everyone. I understand that back in the 70’s it was half expected for people to tolerate racism but writing this is the past few years should have inspired him to comment on how that attitude of acceptance has changed - as was more apparent in his talk.
3.4
3.4
April 27, 2021
I was inspired to read this after hearing a brilliant interview with Lenny Henry. However great storytellers are not always great writers... the book was a once-over lightly without the depth of thought I’d hoped for.
September 26, 2019
The quality of the abridged version being read by the author on radio 4 for suggests a tentative 5-star review.
October 18, 2019
I absolutely loved this book, I think it made it more interesting for me as Lenny Henry is a midlander born and bred like myself, a very interesting read about his life and who he met along the way.
November 5, 2019
LOVE THIS BOOK.
February 20, 2022
Changing Planet
Lenny Henry's story is a heartfelt, open look at his life and comedy in the United Kingdom. He grew up in an immigrant Jamaican family, and broke into show business as a very young age. Unfortunately, he spent a rather large stint in blackface comedy on the BBC. As, he said, it was popular and very successful for years. People change as they get to know each other as more than just a skin color. One day the laughter stops, and people start wondering what they are laughing about.
The past isn't always what its cracked up to be. Looking back often causes more nausea than nostalgia. The fact is, there are reasons why there is a huge disconnect between the current generation and the earlier generations. We live on a changing planet. Nationalism does not mean the same thing to today's man and woman that it meant to a man or woman of the seventies. More people today see themselves as humans, rather than as a race or color. It is just a fact of life that who we are as a people is changing as much as what we are as a race.
That shouldn't be so surprising when even the Bible referred to man as one race over a thousand years ago. But, one can't look back far into our history without seeing humor that laughs at race, rather than capitalizing on the dignity of mankind. The United States is a unique country, in that we have always been open in the press about our race problems. The new generation of adults are opening up around the world about racism even in Canada and the UK. This is change. Sometimes change is good.
I read this on Audible, narrated by Lenny himself with his unique personality. He discusses his work across venues, and the different TV productions he starred in over the years. He shares life growing up in an immigrant family. And, he does so with some pretty incredible voice and pitch that keeps you listening. It is well worth reading.
Lenny Henry's story is a heartfelt, open look at his life and comedy in the United Kingdom. He grew up in an immigrant Jamaican family, and broke into show business as a very young age. Unfortunately, he spent a rather large stint in blackface comedy on the BBC. As, he said, it was popular and very successful for years. People change as they get to know each other as more than just a skin color. One day the laughter stops, and people start wondering what they are laughing about.
The past isn't always what its cracked up to be. Looking back often causes more nausea than nostalgia. The fact is, there are reasons why there is a huge disconnect between the current generation and the earlier generations. We live on a changing planet. Nationalism does not mean the same thing to today's man and woman that it meant to a man or woman of the seventies. More people today see themselves as humans, rather than as a race or color. It is just a fact of life that who we are as a people is changing as much as what we are as a race.
That shouldn't be so surprising when even the Bible referred to man as one race over a thousand years ago. But, one can't look back far into our history without seeing humor that laughs at race, rather than capitalizing on the dignity of mankind. The United States is a unique country, in that we have always been open in the press about our race problems. The new generation of adults are opening up around the world about racism even in Canada and the UK. This is change. Sometimes change is good.
I read this on Audible, narrated by Lenny himself with his unique personality. He discusses his work across venues, and the different TV productions he starred in over the years. He shares life growing up in an immigrant family. And, he does so with some pretty incredible voice and pitch that keeps you listening. It is well worth reading.
November 5, 2022
Lenny Henry is such a part of my childhood that it feels weird to think of him as an actual person who continues to put out work even now. I mostly imagine him on Tiswas throwing buckets of water at cages full of parents, or doing his stand-up routine, although I'm aware that he's working in a much more highbrow mode these days.
The view of showbiz life is interesting, since he was one of the last of the old school stand-ups, and wasn't really suited to the alternative comedy scene that grew up in the eighties. Too uncynical, I think. Not sneery enough. The light he sheds on race in the 70s and 80s is fascinating too, since he was probably the most beloved black entertainer at the time, and one of the biggest TV stars, but owing to the sort of racist heckles he would expect, he developed a way of heading them off by saying the things first, and would incorporate a lot of pre-emptive self-mockery. He even took it to the lengths of being in the Black and White Minstrel Show, which... Well, if you don't know what that is, Google it because you wouldn't believe me if I told you.
So in a sense, it's an ordinary showbiz biography, but he's reflecting from a distance, not writing in the first flush of fame, and as such, its more reflective. The social history gives it a bit of zip too, and I really enjoyed it!
The view of showbiz life is interesting, since he was one of the last of the old school stand-ups, and wasn't really suited to the alternative comedy scene that grew up in the eighties. Too uncynical, I think. Not sneery enough. The light he sheds on race in the 70s and 80s is fascinating too, since he was probably the most beloved black entertainer at the time, and one of the biggest TV stars, but owing to the sort of racist heckles he would expect, he developed a way of heading them off by saying the things first, and would incorporate a lot of pre-emptive self-mockery. He even took it to the lengths of being in the Black and White Minstrel Show, which... Well, if you don't know what that is, Google it because you wouldn't believe me if I told you.
So in a sense, it's an ordinary showbiz biography, but he's reflecting from a distance, not writing in the first flush of fame, and as such, its more reflective. The social history gives it a bit of zip too, and I really enjoyed it!
September 11, 2020
Awww lovely Lenny Henry told me about his life as I drove (I consumed this as an audiobook). Growing up I knew of Lenny from the three of a kind days onwards which is mostly after this memoir finishes. So this was a really interesting delve into what came before. I only knew of a few bits of it through listening to him speak on Louis Theroux’s podcast. I love how he took every opportunity to learn he could. The ending was a bit abrupt. It kind of just finished and then there was an afterword. And a set of tips for the aspiring comedian. He was good company.
January 1, 2022
I listened to this, read by him and I enjoyed listening to his childhood stories and how he started off in comedy. I enjoyed listening to his impressions, voices and his stories of people he met along the way. Great memories of Tiswas (although I was a Swap Shop viewer!!)
I was a little shocked to find it ended before he had even met Dawn French! I will have to listen to the next instalment!
I liked it
I was a little shocked to find it ended before he had even met Dawn French! I will have to listen to the next instalment!
I liked it
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