In January of 2023, Rickey Smiley’s life changed forever. His son, Brandon, died from an accidental overdose.
The death obviously hit the comedian/radio host hard. Losing a kid is something a parent never expects to happen, but it was especially difficult for Rickey because he and Brandon were so alike. In fact, Brandon was also doing comedy.
And it’s that connection that’s making Smiley get back on the horse. He is set to release a new comedy special, Fool-ish, on Hulu at the end of the month. It’ll be his first special in over 10 years.
He told PEOPLE the following:
It definitely motivated me to keep going because my son was a comic, and so now it’s like we’re sharing the stage together in spirit. I feel like he’s with me, he’s always with me, and it just really gave me a lot of encouragement to go out and be the best performer that I can be, and just give my very best on stage.
Beyond getting back on stage, keeping a routine has been super important in the months and years following his son’s death.
He talked about how his radio show has helped him stay busy:
That helps also, keeps you busy, keep your mind occupied, keep you from laying in bed, having thoughts and doing too much reflecting and too much crying or whatever. The sadness is not as often as it was when it first happened, but I’m feeling okay.
Stay strong, Rickey!
