D. L. Hughley
A sharp-witted stand-up pioneer from the Kings of Comedy who turned his observant humor into a multi-platform career in sitcoms, radio, and political satire.
Born 1963 (age 63)·American actor and comedian·Birthday: March 6·Baby Boomers
Biography
D.L. Hughley emerged from the vibrant Los Angeles comedy scene of the early '90s, bringing a smooth, conversational style that felt like hearing truths from a clever friend. His big break came as the first host of BET's 'ComicView,' which showcased a new generation of Black comedians. He became a household name as one of the 'Original Kings of Comedy,' whose blockbuster tour and film proved the massive appeal of urban stand-up. Hughley seamlessly translated that success to television, creating and starring in 'The Hughleys,' a sitcom that explored a Black family's move to the suburbs with both humor and heart. Never one to be pigeonholed, he later hosted a nationally syndicated radio show and brought his pointed comedic perspective to CNN as a political commentator, never losing the core of his stand-up voice even when dissecting the news.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
D. was born in 1963, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When D. Was Born
The biggest hits of 1963
#1 Movie
Cleopatra
Best Picture
Tom Jones
#1 TV Show
Beverly Hillbillies
D.'s Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1963Born
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1968Started school
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1976Became a teenager
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1979Could drive
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1981Could vote
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1984Turned 21
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1993Turned 30
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 40
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 50
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 60
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 63 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Was one of the four headline comedians in the groundbreaking 'The Original Kings of Comedy' tour and film directed by Spike Lee.
- Created and starred in the ABC/UPN sitcom 'The Hughleys,' which ran for four seasons (1998-2002).
- Served as the original host of BET's 'ComicView,' a pivotal platform for Black stand-up comedy in the 1990s.
- Hosted the weekend political talk show 'D. L. Hughley Breaks the News' on CNN.
Did You Know?
He finished in ninth place on the 13th season of 'Dancing with the Stars' in 2011.
Hughley worked as a telemarketer for the Los Angeles Times before his comedy career took off.
He is an avid fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers and has thrown out ceremonial first pitches.
His son, Kyle Hughley, is a music producer known as 'DJ Spank'.
“I'm not offended by all the dumb blonde jokes because I know I'm not dumb... and I also know that I'm not blonde.”
