D.L. Hughley: "Charlie’s Boy"

The long-awaited memoir by the comedy legend and author of multiple New York Times bestsellers, a beautiful and mesmerizing book that reveals as never before his childhood in South Central Los Angeles, his time in the infamous Bloods gang, and how humor became his salvation.

I learned a joke could be more than humor. It was body armor. Could be a spell. Could be a sword and a shield, all in one breath.

He was always Charlie’s Boy—even before he found his name, his voice, his fame.

In this raw, cinematic, and deeply personal memoir, acclaimed comedian and cultural critic D.L. Hughley documents his rise from the streets of South Central Los Angeles to the national spotlight—and the man who quietly stood behind him through it all.

While his mother’s wrath shaped his early years with fear and rejection, it was Charlie Hughley—a soft-spoken bag handler at the Los Angeles Airport—who raised D.L. and taught him how to survive through tough love and sacrifice. Though he was not D.L.’s biological father—a fact only revealed when D.L. was ten—Charlie gave his boy the only thing he truly needed: a sense of being seen.

It was a time when gangs ruled the streets of South Central, and D.L. rose through the ranks of the Bloods. But when his mother’s car was shot up and dead roses were left on his doorstep—signaling he was marked for death—D.L.’s mother knew that he couldn’t stay in Los Angeles. So, D.L. boarded a bus to Ohio and left behind everything he understood. It was exile. But it proved to be a fresh start.

This is not just a coming-of-age story. It’s the story of how one man found his voice by being raised in silence—and how he learned to get on stage and turn pain into punch lines. Through storytelling that’s both unsparing and funny, Charlie’s Boy is a tribute to the man who never asked for one, and a reckoning for the boy who had to wrestle for love, identity, and truth.

About the Author:

D.L. Hughley is one of “The Original Kings of Comedy.” He hosts the national radio program The D.L. Hughley Show, which is syndicated in more than sixty markets. His comedy specials have appeared on HBO, Netflix, Comedy Central, and Showtime. His satirical documentary special, DL Hughley: The Endangered List, received the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award. He created and starred in the ABC sitcom The Hughleys. He is the author of the New York Times bestsellers How Not to Get Shot and Black Man, White House. How Not to Get Shot was selected as a finalist for the Goodreads Choice Awards and the Audie Awards. D.L. lives with his family in Los Angeles, California.

About the Program:

• Doors will open to registered attendees at 6 pm.
• Seating for registered attendees in Central Hall is first come, first served.
• All registered in-person attendees will receive a free copy of the book while supplies last.
• There will not be a book signing following the program.
• Free parking vouchers are available to program attendees who park at the Franklin Street Garage (15 W. Franklin Street) after 4pm. Ask Pratt event staff for your parking voucher prior to or after the program.
• All bags, backpacks, briefcases, etc. entering and exiting the library will be subject to inspection by security personnel. No large bags.
• This is a seated event with spaces reserved for individuals with accessibility needs. ASL interpretation will also be available for attendees throughout the event. If you need additional accommodations to successfully participate, please let us know at [email protected] or 443-768-0762.