What others say

Please convey our special thanks to Barry. We had around 400 people online and the feedback has been great thus far. Just two of the comments that came through: “What a way to start a weekend! Thanks for sharing so honestly Barry, and for showing us what others may be dealing with quietly, and how to talk more openly about our own challenges, while taking ourselves a little less seriously.” “Thank you so much for this. My dad had a sarcastic sense of humor, and it has been a year since he has passed and I miss that humor, and so watching you today is just turning grief into fond memories and reminding me we are so blessed to have known and loved and been loved by those we have lost

Today, we had the absolute pleasure of welcoming South African comedy legend Barry Hilton to our team for a very special talk on mental health, "Life in 3D." 🎤🧠 Barry shared personal stories about navigating challenges with humour, honesty, and resilience. He reminded us that: - Nobody's perfect, and that’s completely okay. - Owning your challenges and seeing the brighter side can transform tough days. - Humour is a powerful tool for healing, connection, and self-care. - Perspective matters, taking a step back can help reframe the hardest moments. Barry also generously gifted our team free access to his "Barry Hilton's Talk Funny" course, encouraging us to find our own unique voices in storytelling and humour. 📚✨ A massive thank you, Barry, for your authenticity, energy, and heart. You reminded us that even in the face of adversity, there's always a reason to smile. 🌈

Barry, thank you so much for your wonderful talk at Grantley College! Since our core business is educating young people with life skills, and future proofing them, your talk just proved that there is hope, love and blessings for anyone willing to reach out. Thank you for making yourself vulnerable to us. Your frank and honest perceptions, interspersed with hilarious anecdotes will assist us in helping countless young ppl in the future! We wish we could employ as the Grantley College ambassador! God bless you in your new venture and may you go from strength to strength! For the wellness managers at large corporations: GET BARRY TO COME TALK TO YOUR STAFF!

Barry Hilton delivered an explosive piece about life and how to adapt through humour. First find the humour in yourself, then the audience will open up and enjoy the escape from real life for a moment.

Keeping it real, that's what its all about. The truth & reality of everyday life challenges that we face. Today’s talk by Barry was exactly that. Depression & anxiety chooses anyone at random. A bit like a virus. It was humbling to hear his truth & journey and know its ok to laugh about our battles. It makes us human. And maybe by talking about it and feeling less ashamed we will find friends are fighting the same battle

I really enjoyed the talk, it remains entertaining but at the same time, helping others with a real big issue that remain “taboo” to be spoken about in public. The powerful message for me was that we as leaders and business people are allowed to be vulnerable and NEED to be authentic if we want our staff and community to follow us. We do not have to be this powerful rock that is unmovable and unshaken in all situations. People need to know we are human and even a superstar like Barry is human. Laughing at ourselves is the solution (we take ourselves way too seriously). We may not be comedians, but we can laugh at our own self-importance and egotistical antics if we took the time to reflect.

It was a great approach to facing challenges, difficulty and even loss. There was so much one could relate to in his approach. It takes so so much for a person to be vulnerable enough to allow the world to see their suffering, and then to turn that suffering around to help others makes you a legend. What a guy.

Thank you for a fantastic evening. The people enjoyed your keynote talk so much. You managed to touch their hearts by sharing your personal experience and the therapeutic healing recipe of humour: Life is better when you laugh

Barry Hilton? He is so funny, such a great comedian. Yes he is, but he is changing tack and introducing us to extra dimensions. He has taken a very brave and incredibly honest step and opened up to share some of the huge challenges he has faced since early childhood. He tells us about his battle with dyslexia, ADHD and depression, all with trade mark humour which helps us through such troublesome waters. By sharing his experiences he hopes to show there is nothing to be ashamed of, that opening up and talking about your own challenges can be a significant step to reducing their hold over you. Barry has discovered his own path to salvation and, through this talk, he hopes to help us find ours.

Just a short note to say thank you for your keynote this morning. It seems to have really resonated with our brokers. We deal with this (life) every day with our clients and staff. So much power was left in the room and we appreciate you very much. On behalf of 1.618 Advisory and the team... A HUGE THANK YOU

Was a very enjoyable session. What came across for me is how important humour is and the exchange of energy – it’s that feel good invincibility when you are around positive people. Depression is quite a topic and is way more prevalent than we realise. It’s just not easy to understand – it’s almost like being deaf… let me explain. If you have a blind person and a deaf person – we make allowances for the blind person because we can “see” they are blind, however, if you talk to someone who is deaf and they ignore you or don’t respond our first thought is how rude they are, not oh I wonder if this person is deaf? So we don’t make allowances for them, we are quick to judge. Depression Vs an alcoholic – great analogy he used in that you usually know when someone is an alcoholic and can take the necessary steps for that person, however, you don’t see depression so it’s really difficult to work with – ie knowing what to say or inadvertently putting your foot in it… He has such a talent – I always smile when I think of Barry Hilton or hear his name.

I’d just like to thank Barry “My Cousin” Hilton once again for taking the time to come and chat to us today and sharing his encouraging story. I thoroughly enjoyed it and have always been a fan. It was Humorously Heartwarming.

Thank you so much for the pop in today. I enjoyed it so much, and a good giggle every now and again is what the doc ordered. Barry keep doing what you are doing, as you do it well, and you are a true inspiration. I know exactly how you feel, and it felt like we were singing from the same hymn sheet. There are also work bullies by the way 🤭, yet seeing the funny side of things is way better than moping in self pity. Look after and stay true to yourself.

Please will you thank Barry for addressing our staff. His discussion on how to turn sadness into happiness and understanding depression hit home. I have a colleague who is a very close friend and she has been trying to deal with the grief of losing her daughter to cancer. When Barry started talking about his brother, I clicked on her image to see if she was ok and it was lovely to see her laughing because she could obviously relate and she knew she was listening to someone who understood how she felt. We also have a colleague or two who are being treated for depression and I could also see that they could relate to Barry’s talk and appreciate his humour on the subject.

Thank you so much for the inspirational talk today. It really touched my heart and tickled my funny bone. I myself am one of those people who love to make jokes, especially about my ADD whilst trying to tame the beast on the dark side. I think most people will tell you I’m always chatty, friendly and funny. There are times where I think I should have gone into acting as I have given some Oscar Award winning performances in my life. The masks we wear to fit in with those around us Anyway, without getting too emotional, it was really encouraging to listen to you share so much about your life. I am truly grateful for the experience.

A BIG thank you, from Panda! We wanted to take a moment to thank you for your session last night in the Panda Forest. Your dedication and commitment to helping others is truly inspiring, and we are grateful to have you as part of our community! Your session was a great success and we received glowing feedback from the participants. We loved how you shared your story in the most relatable way .

Thank you again for the invite, I really enjoyed the presentation as it really gave me better understanding of how depression could crip in one’s life and to be aware of our loved ones. Indeed Barry was interesting, engaging, audience participated and asked relevant questions and he accurately responded by sharing his own life story. I liked the approach

Thank you for this opportunity... it was really wonderful and much needed.

The presentation was both informative and authentic, it most certainly sparked for meaningful conversations for those who attended and whom we know suffer from depression. The talk came from Barry’s perspective which certainly gave me new insights on how people from all walks of life experience depression differently. I commend Barry for sharing his experiences and offering hope to all who are struggling with depression. Barry’s story-telling manner painted a picture of his experiences and kept me engaged throughout the session.

That was one of the most inspirational talks I have been too in a long time, and it hit home in a few ways. I have always enjoyed Barry's comedian wit, and even with the important and sensitive topic he presented, he was able to liven up the discussion. And he certainly made me think of how I can approach some of my challenges differently. The talk was highly beneficial for me. I resonated with his journey. The content was spot on.

The presentation done by Barry was very much appreciated by everyone who attended the event. Barry brought with him his humour to speak about a tough personal journey he has been on. He helped people in the audience understand it’s ok to have depression & I think helped them to realise there is also a way through humour to deal with the difficulty they face. Well done Barry & thanks for coming to The Living Link in Johannesburg. Your presence was very much appreciated.

Having seen many fantastic Barry Hilton comedy shows over the years, yesterday I attended a Barry Hilton breakfast show. Not the regular hilarious story after story, but an open discussion from Barry detailing the struggles he has had from his childhood ADD, Dyslexia and Depression, or more commonly known today Mental Health issues. He takes you on his journey going into deep details of his private life … but of course in true Barry style always with his sharp-witted humor which he has applied to conquer his mental health status. We all shed tears of laughter and sadness… So if you want to see Barry at his real best .. see him do this talk ..get him to address your team.. it will make you think and understand that all is not always as it seems.

Please convey our special thanks to Barry. We had around 400 people online and the feedback has been great thus far. Just two of the comments that came through: “What a way to start a weekend! Thanks for sharing so honestly Barry, and for showing us what others may be dealing with quietly, and how to talk more openly about our own challenges, while taking ourselves a little less seriously.” “Thank you so much for this. My dad had a sarcastic sense of humor, and it has been a year since he has passed and I miss that humor, and so watching you today is just turning grief into fond memories and reminding me we are so blessed to have known and loved and been loved by those we have lost”

I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude for your exceptional presentation. Your ability to convey the power of humor in such a captivating manner left a lasting impression on me. The way you seamlessly integrated humor into your discourse not only made the session enjoyable but also underscored the importance of laughter in our lives. Moreover, your willingness to share your life experiences on sensitive topics was truly commendable. Your authenticity and vulnerability created a genuine connection with the audience, making the presentation all the more impactful. It takes courage to open up about personal experiences, and I appreciate the sincerity with which you approached these sensitive subjects. Additionally, the practical tips and tools you provided are invaluable. These insights have given me a fresh perspective and actionable steps to implement positive changes. In a world where authenticity is often scarce, your genuine and vulnerable approach stood out, making the entire presentation a memorable experience. Thank you for being real and relatable, I look forward to applying the knowledge gained from your presentation in both my personal and professional life.

From our side, we would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to Barry and the Barry Hilton team. When we first saw the show, we knew it would have special meaning for Mutualites. Navigating life (and work) with a disability is something that is not often spoken about, and we were acutely aware that Barry had an important message to share. We are grateful for the candour and we are certain that Barry’s humility has given all of us something to think about. We look forward to partnering more in the future and wish the team every success for 2024. From all Mutualites, thank you Barry Hilton!

I attended a fund raiser breakfast for the Old Legs Tour recently where you were the speaker. Having experienced your humor at a Food Lover’s Market conference some years ago I was looking forward to a good laugh. I was not disappointed as the humor was great, what I was not expecting was a very serious message that had an impact on a number of people at my table. It is really amazing how you are using your humor to get a very serious message across. Well done, I personally found it humorous and sobering at the same time.

Barry Hilton has made a free "Talk Funny" course available. It doesn't take long to complete it (less than 30 minutes), and it's a pretty cool introductory course on how to infuse humour into your public speaking, whether it be for speaches, presentations or any face-to-face interactions. It's also great seeing people practice what they've learnt on the Facebook page that's been created specifically for that purpose.

I found your funny talk very applicable. It was an amazing talk on how we can use comedy to heal ourselves. As the saying goes 'laughter is the best medicine' and you have truly shown that!! - From a Psychologist, please continue using laughter and funny talk as a healthy coping mechanism.

The talk was highly engaging, insightful and informative. The speaker used clear examples that were very relatable to everyday life in such a humorous way. The tone was enthusiastic and kept my attention throughout. The visuals were very simple, straight forward and effective in explaining the message being relayed. I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

Barry was honest and talking from the heart. He was breathing real life using sense of humour. Love his sense of humour because it helps in dealing with real issues in a different way while not ignoring health issues where medical assistance is needed.

I found Barry's words so relevant. It made so many of us realise we are not alone! Thanks so much!

Words cannot express how thankful I am that you came and spoke to us as a team. Sitting there in the hall listening to you made me realise we are not alone in this battle. I could relate so much having some of the same issues as I grew up. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the right medicine today-that of laughter. You have such a wonderful gift. You are a legend.

Your story is a beautiful testament to the power of resilience showing that even in our darkest moments, humour and self-awareness can lead to profound change. You remind us all that strength is found not in hiding our struggles, but in embracing them with honesty and heart. The way you speak about mental health is opening powerful spaces for reflection and growth-reaching more hearts than you know. ♥️