Just got the news a few hours ago. As soon as my car’s radio came right up to Patton Oswalt talking about Barry I knew this wasn’t going to be a happy story. I wish I were wrong. Barry passed away peacefully Wednesday after losing to cancer.
Most people outside the Boston area barely knew him but I figured out his place in the Comedy Universe through other comedians. Barry was instrumental in building the Boston Scene during the Eighties and early Nineties. He was a contemporary of Steven Wright and Paula Poundstone and a mentor/champion for Bobcat Goldthwait, Denis Leary, Tom Kenny, Dana Gould, Marc Maron, Janeane Garofalo and David Cross, just to name a few.
Barry also went on to be an advocate for the victims of childhood sexual abuse because it happened to him too. The perpetrator was a Catholic priest and if you’ve followed the situation of Boston’s arch-diocese, it was rather rampant until The Boston Globe broke the stories years ago. Dana Gould and I were very lucky. Believe it or not, I was an altar boy in grade school and only discovered that my parish’s “cool” priest Father Havey was a child molester through a Web site tracking the press who’ve escaped justice. When Havey disappeared suddenly, I thought it was for his rumored drinking problem. I hope St. Agnes and the Diocese of Springfield got the crap sued out of them.
Last year I did have the honor of meeting Barry briefly at Austin’s Moontower Comedy Festival. He was part of showcase with many favorites: the Sklar Brothers, Dana Gould, Andy Kindler, Arden Myrin and a surprise appearance of Ralphie May to wrap it up. I got walk up to Barry, say hello but I stupidly didn’t ask for a picture. I think he was caught off guard by anyone in the audience actually knowing who he was.
To give you an idea of what kind of political comedian he was and how much we need him now to ridicule L’Enfant Terrible, I’ll close with three of his best jokes. They’re paraphrased since I don’t remember them to the letter.
- People ask me, if I hate living in a America so much, why don’t I leave. Because I don’t want to die as another victim of America’s foreign policy.
- The reason why America will never have a third party is that the corporations calling the shots don’t want to write another set of checks.
- If the NCAA and government were serious about punishing Penn State over Jerry Sandusky, they would’ve demolished the stadium and left the statue of Joe Paterno standing.
Thanks for all you’ve done Barry. The many comedians, survivors and “civilians” you’re inspired will make sure your efforts at social justice won’t be in vain.