Atlanta comedian garners laughs from 'different' source of inspiration

Atlanta comedian Hank Denson explores the changes in society, family and communication nearly three years after the COVID-19 global pandemic in his new stand-up special, "PanDifferent," now streaming on Amazon Prime. (Courtesy of Hank Denson)

If there’s one secret that comedian Hank Denson has learned about comedy, it’s that the best material isn’t based on a punchline from a book of jokes or a cliched line from a generic sitcom character but rather on real-life experiences that most audiences are able to relate with —  something that Denson certainly hasn’t been short on within his career.

Denson, who has made appearances on BET and in the feature film “Barbershop 3: The Next Cut,” gained national recognition in 2016 for his viral video describing his frustrations chaperoning his children during a field trip to the Georgia Aquarium and urging for raises for public school teachers.

The success of the video, which topped over 10 million views on Facebook, led Denson to leave his medical career as a pediatric orthopedic and dedicate himself full time to comedy.