Early life Griffin was born in Kansas City, Missouri to Doris Thomas and Eddie Griffin, Sr. He has two siblings, Luther and Wilbert. He attended Lincoln College Preparatory Academy High School in Kansas City, Missouri, where he was voted class clown three years in a row. After marrying at age sixteen, he divorced a year later. Griffin has one child, Eddie Jr., born in 1986. He first got a taste of comedy when he was a busboy at Stanford and Son's comedy club.