James Gregory was one of the most renowned comedians who transitioned into stand-up comedy at 36 and was in the business until age 78. Sadly, it’s time to say goodbye to the legend, as James Gregory is no more as of May 9, 2024.
The comedian was born in his parents’ kitchen on May 6, 1946, in Lithonia, a rural area east of Atlanta, Georgia.
He recalls his family not being so well-off as a child, so he had to work from age 12 when his first job was in a country grocery store.
Yet, James was proud to be the first member of his family to graduate high school. He had brothers and sisters, but the total number of James’ siblings remains unrevealed.
Family and close ones of James Gregory pay tribute to the southern comedian via Twitter and Facebook
James Gregory (full name James Harold Gregory Jr.) joined the U.S. Marines at 18. However, after just a few weeks, he had to leave because of health issues.
Later, he ventured into sales for almost ten years when he discovered his knack for entertaining audiences with his family-centric and weather-focused humor.
So, in 1981, James took part in a comedy night club of a restaurant Excelsior Mill.
Eventually, everyone loved him, and that is when James ended up spending over 4 years in stand-up comedy as the ‘most clean comedian.’
Most of James’ comedy would target families, which he said in an interview was his way of making everyone engaged in his comedy and a place where even his parents and brothers could attend.
He was one of the rarest clean comedians, and noticing three generations of a family in the audience was not rare.
So many fans showered love and condolences for the comedian after his death news came on Twitter and Facebook.
It says that James Gregory was under the care of his nieces Martha Anne, Mary Jane, and Candie, and their families.
James Gregory is survived by his brother, sister, and cousins, whom he often referred to as his family instead of his wife or children.
From the provided details, it is also somewhat certain that James Gregory never married or had kids. However, he had lovers (his die-hearted fans) who loved his comedy and him as a person.
Over 100 Twitter posts dedicated to James Gregory have been seen, all with the same sentiment: “The world is a little less funny tonight.“
May James Gregory’s gentle soul rest in peace. We at Superslice send our regards to his family.
Additional Information
- Post Hill Press will release James Gregory’s only autobiography, “A Bushel of Beans and a Peck of Tomatoes: The Life and Times of The Funniest Man in America,” in November 2024.
- He was famous mainly in the Southeastern United States, but James never discriminated against any state, and he had shows in Northern America.
- James Gregory’s cause of demise was cardiac complications, as he often had bad health but never showed publicly.
