Barry Hilton’s Life in 3D | Laughing in the face of Dyslexia, Depression, and ADHD

By The Good Newspaper

Barry Hilton has made millions of people laugh, but behind the jokes is a story of vulnerability, self reflection, passion and personal growth that’s more inspiring than any punchline.

In a recent conversation with us, Barry opened up about his journey, from his early days as a comedian to overcoming personal struggles, and how humor has been a constant companion through it all. In his own words, “There is funny in everything,” even when life throws its toughest curveballs.

Barry’s comedy is known for its sharp wit and light-heartedness, but as he revealed in the interview, humor has also helped him navigate some of his darkest moments. It’s this ability to see the humor in life’s difficulties that has made Hilton not just a comedian, but an inspiration for many. “Mental health is serious, but it doesn’t always have to be serious,” he said. “I can still make people laugh while talking about the tough stuff.”

Like many of us, Barry’s idea of success has changed over the years. In the early days, it was all about the glitz and glamour. But after a few hard lessons and, of course, the pandemic, Hilton now defines success a little differently. “To me now, success is hearing my kids say ‘I love you, Dad.’ That’s real success,” he said. “We live in a nice house, drive decent cars, and our boy goes to a good school. And that’s more than enough.”

He spoke about the need for men to be more open with their emotions. Growing up in a culture where men are told to "toughen up," Hilton believes it’s time to break that stigma and create a space where vulnerability is not a weakness, but a strength.

It’s this kind of honesty that has made Barry so relatable, and why his comedy and motivational speaking resonate with so many. He’s not just making jokes, he’s helping people see that it’s okay to not have it all figured out.

After years of making people laugh on stage, Barry is now turning his focus to motivational speaking, sharing his own life story to help others. “It started when I was in the clinic,” Barry explained. “I was trying to figure out how to move forward, and someone suggested I share my story. I thought, why not? I can make people laugh and also talk about the importance of mental health.”

It’s a simple but profound message: life is too short for negativity. “Nobody’s going to make it out of this thing alive, so why not enjoy the time we have?” he said.

As Barry continues to evolve both as a speaker, one thing is clear: his journey is far from over. His story of laughter, and love reminds us all that no matter how tough things get, we can always find something to smile about.