by Just last week, Vic Henley was joking with Larry the Cable Guy on Twitter and poking fun at himself for being allowed back in the SiriusXM building after getting fired not once, but twice.
Today, Henley is no longer with us.
The comedian died unexpectedly after suffering a pulmonary embolism over the weekend, from which he never recovered. Originally from Oxford, Ala., Henley was a regular on the radio with Gregg “Opie” Hughes, on the road with the likes of Ron White, and an Auburn fan all the time. His older brother, Terry Henley, was the running back on the 1972 Auburn team. Vic moved to NYC in 1985 after graduating Auburn, once he found his calling after entering a comedy contest in Phoenix.
As he said in a 2011 interview with Savannah Now, “I won $50 and drank it up at the bar. I’ve never had a job since, thank goodness.”
Along the way, co-wrote the best-selling “Games Rednecks Play” book with Jeff Foxworthy, recorded a half-hour Comedy Central Presents special, did Leno and Letterman, and hit up many other cable outlets with his stand-up gigs. He co-hosted an event with former President George H.W. Bush, and on the other side of the coin, pitched jokes for Sacha Baron Cohen’s Bruno.
Opie Radio posted a Vic Henley special on YouTube today.
“He was loved and universally respected by other comics,” said Jim Norton.
Any comedian who worked any New York City club over the past three decades could back that up. Henley hosted the New Year’s Eve shows this past year at The Comic Strip, but could also often be found at Gotham, the Comedy Cellar and everywhere else.
Dave Attell: “It’s hard to come up with words when there is so much loss going on right now…But Vic Henley was a comic and a friend and his family should know that he will be sorely missed by many in the NY comedy scene.”
Jessica Kirson: “What a sweet guy. He was hysterical, kind, and endearing. This is not an easy time for a lot of us. I’m giving every comic that had a relationship to Vic, a big hug. Love you all. Well let’s be honest, most of you.”
Sam Morril: “He was always funny, kind and a great storyteller. Vic was the type of guy you were always happy to see. He was nice to me when I was a young comic. Some nights starting out were rough, and his encouragement and warmth meant a lot to me. I will miss him.”
Laurie Kilmartin: “I worked MANY road gigs with Vic. Rich Miller rooms, Funny Bones, more. Aside from the stuff that everyone knows- he was funny, he was nice, he worked hard, he was always writing. There’s more. Vic always treated me like a fellow comic. NEVER like a female comic. That was rare in the 90s. That was just him. He is gone too soon. I am happy that he got to be a working comic for his entire adult life, which is all any comic can ask for.”
We’ll all miss you, Vic.
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