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Anthony Griffith

A physical club veteran who turns clean family material into one-man scenes.

1 special · 2003

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Watch Anthony Griffith on a club stage and you see a man who works with his whole frame. He does not just recount conversations; he steps into the bodies of his relatives. A bit about his brother involves a full vocal shift and an immediate change in his center of gravity. He is a physical performer who holds a room by staying constantly animated, throwing his hands up or widening his stance to sell a moment of exasperation.

Specials

On stage

He is a veteran of the 1990s club boom who cleared the standard milestones of his era, including a Star Search run and multiple spots with Johnny Carson. Yet for many listeners, his most widely shared performance contains zero jokes. A story he told on The Moth about earning his living as a comedian while his two-year-old daughter was dying of cancer became a touchstone of the live storytelling format. That history sits quietly behind his standup, giving his clean comedy a different kind of weight. Knowing that context makes his bright, energetic club act feel less like default optimism and more like a deliberate choice.

Griffith builds his material out of domestic life, marriage, and childhood grievances. He operates firmly within the bounds of clean comedy, finding mileage in frustration rather than edge. He will complain about hand-me-down clothing with the commitment of a stage actor, turning a mundane memory into a fully blocked physical performance.

He began his entertainment career as an escape artist, working with handcuffs and straitjackets before transitioning to standup. That early discipline still shows in his stagecraft. He continues to perform while managing multiple sclerosis, adapting his physical stage presence without losing his grip on the room.

Turning points

  1. –

    Emmy Award for Our Father

    Griffith won an Emmy Award for his outstanding acting performance in the television drama Our Father.

  2. –

    The Moth Storytelling Appearance

    Griffith shared a harrowing, honest story about performing on Johnny Carson's Tonight Show while his two-year-old daughter was dying of cancer, creating one of the most memorable Moth broadcasts.

  3. –

    Advocacy and Performance with MS

    Despite being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Griffith has maintained a decades-long career in standup and screen acting while actively supporting the MS community.

At a glance

Born
, Chicago, Illinois
Style
observational, storytelling, clean
Breakout
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
Topics
Elsewhere
Website, Wikipedia

Also on screen

Panther Supporting role
Savannah Bill Webber
The Curve Supporting role
Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle Supporting role
2007–2008
Carpoolers Guard / Policeman

A clip to start with

Dancing Like A White Guy Is Cause For Concern. Anthony Griffith

3 min · 61K views · on Dry Bar Comedy