Rickey Smiley Talks About Dealing With Grief In New Memoir, ‘Sideshow’

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The comedian, actor, and host of The Rickey Smiley Show just released his second memoir, Sideshow: Living with Loss and Moving Forward with Faith, which came out last week. In the book, he talks about losing his son, Brandon, 32, to an accidental drug overdose in 2023.

This came on the heels of his then 19-year-old daughter Aaryn being shot in Houston in 2020. She was an innocent bystander in the incident.

Smiley told AL.com reporter Roy S. Johnson, that the grief of losing a child never goes away and said even though he’s a devout Christian he sought help from a therapist in the aftermath.

“I don’t care how strong you think you are; grief is nothing to play with, especially when you lost a child. He was 32 years old, but as a child, he would come get in my bed and sleep with me when it was thundering and lightning scared. Burying your son like that, it’s sad, traumatizing, everything.

He added, “You could preach all day. You can read every single Bible scripture from Genesis to Revelation. I don’t see nobody pull out a Bible when they hurt their knee. Well, your brain is a muscle and God created counselors and therapists to help us with our brain. You have to go and get help so you can learn how to properly process your feelings and won’t go crazy.

Because if you go crazy, it’s going to start having an effect on other parts of your body, high blood pressure, hypertension, etcetera. Some people don’t survive their kid’s death. Funeral directors tell me, man, people go up to the casket, see the body, sit on the front row, and pass away right then, right there. Or at the cemetery. Get rid of the stigma, Black folks, especially Black men. Get the help.”

Recently, Smiley also upgraded his representation, joining with United Talent Agency, per Deadline.

The Rickey Smiley Show, part of the Radio One family, is heard in more than 75 markets nationwide, reaching over 7 million listeners. According to the report, it is the country’s #1 ranked urban radio program in syndication.

Smiley has been on his grind for three decades in radio and on the stand-up stage. He’s appeared in the movies Friday and Baggage Claim and has starred in two reality shows, The Rickey Smiley Show and Rickey Smiley For Real.

The 55-year-old Birmingham native also hosts Rickey Smiley Karaoke Night, a live show once a month.

Watch an interview about his memoir below:

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