Life is cruel. Sometimes it can be more cruel than you expected. And in this case, Comedy and Tragedy go hand in hand in a much more sumber way.
Whether it be poor health, natural causes, an unfortunate accident, drug usage, or depression...... some comedians are like watching a wonderful, beautiful sunset... at Noon(stole that line from ERB... but it fits.)
Here are some of my favorite funny peoples that didn't see their potential reached because Tragedy struck.
Top 10 Comedians That Were Gone Too Soon
Here we go.
Special Mention: Robin Williams: So... Robin Williams deserves a Special Mention. Why only that? Yes... it is a Tragedy. And yes, he shouldn't have left us. But to say he had a full career is an understatement. And this list is dedicated to those that I feel... didn't get that opportunity. So... don't get this wrong. I love and miss Robin. He was my hero after all. I acknowledge he had more he COULD'VE done, but he gave us so much.
Honorable Mention 1: The Amazing Jonathon: The Amazing Jonathon took the idea of Carrot Top/Gallagher's prop comedy and mixed it with a bit of Penn & Teller's magic. And we got... a crazy comedy magician with a loud assistant/partner. One comedy hour special with Comedy Central, and it is Legendary. We lost him this year due to his long battle with Heart Disease.
Honorable Mention 2: Richard Jeni: So... you've seen Richard Jeni. I know you have. Where? He was Stanley's putz friend/co-worker in The Mask. Yeah, that Mask. He had a WONDERFUL stand up special. And his delivery was on Point. He took his own life in 2007.
Honorable Mention 3: Andy Kaufman: Andy was weird... Andy was annoying... Andy was a genius. Such untapped potential, and thankfully Jim Carrey helped us relive some of that magic with the movie Man On The Moon. Lung Cancer took Andy Kaufman at age 35. I wonder how HUGE of a sitcom star he could've been.
Bonus! 11. Greg Giraldo: One of the SMARTEST stand up comics I got the chance to see/hear. Must have been the fact he passed THE BAR and had a Law Degree. Most famous for his participation in the Comedy Central roasts. And mainly went first or near the beginning. Which sucked for EVERYONE that had to follow him. Sadly, we lost Greg to accidental overdose... after years of battling and BEATING alcoholism.
10. John Pinette: John Pinette... the eaters comic. Sad to say it that way, but he was. Joking about being big... and trying to get into shape... food... and his disdain for waiting in line. Pulmonary Embolism took John from us. But... if you have a copy of Thomas Jane's The Punisher, Bumpo lives on.
9. Sam Kinison: The Man Who Gave Us Rage Comedy. Yelling his punchlines... yelling just to yell. But it made him stand out, even since then, no one has matched that rage comedy at that level. If you know, you know. We lost Sam at the PEAK of his career in 1992 to a 17 year old drunk driver. Poetic... because that would be a Sam Kinison way to go out.
8. Gilda Radner: One of the original 7 "Not Ready For Prime Time Players" thar started Saturday Night Live. Roseanne Roseannadanna, Baba Wawa, and parodies of Lucille Ball and Patti Smith earned her an Emmy in 1978. One of the greatest performers in SNL history. We lost her to Ovarian Cancer in 1989... but her impact is still felt on SNL today.
7. John Ritter: So, in my special mention, I noted that I didn't put Robin on the list due to him having given us so much. A similar thing can be said about John Ritter. Stand out star if the Sitcom Three's Company... Dad in the Problem Child franchise... Adult Ben in the origina IT miniseries. So... why does John make the list and Robin doesn't? 8 Simple Rules For Dating My Teenage Daughter. It was a SECOND prime for John. Losing John Ritter to that heart attack WHILE 8 Simple Rules was still killing it(sorry)... would've been like Robin dying before his stand up Resurgence.
6. John Candy: A member of the Toronto branch of The Second City Troupe and member of the SCTV cast, John Candy went on to have a SUCCESSFUL movie career. Uncle Buck, Cool Runnings, improv cameo in Home Alone, The Great Outdoors, Spaceballs, and the only TRUE Thanksgiving movie ever made... Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. Dying of a Heart Attack at Age 43... you wonder just how much bigger his career would've gotten.
5. Phil Hartman: One of the greatest voices in comedy. SNL legend. Simpsons legend. You may also know him as the voice of Henry Mitchell and Mr. Wilson in the 90s Dennis the Menace Cartoon. We lost him when he was shot by his wife at age 49.
4. Chris Farley: Chris Farley had this energy. On SNL. In his movies. He just had something. He was able to make being a fat white ninja work... he was able to lift up David Spade(and vice versa). And the Lunch Lady song skit is one of the greatest SNL skits off all time...... and so was the Chippendales skit with Patrick Swayze... and Living in a "Van Down By The River". He was on a different level. He was his generation's John Belushi. Sadly... that other level was Cocaine. Which he died of an overdose of(and morphine) at the age of 33. A Speedball.
3. John Belushi: Speaking of John Belushi, another of the original SNL cast, one of the Seven "Not Ready For Prime Time Players". Samurai Futaba, Henry Kissinger, Beethoven, James T. Kirk, Joe Cocker... and of course, one half of the Blues Brothers. Bluto in Animal House... and then... we lost him. He was fired from his drug usage... and then overdose of cocaine and heroin, Speedball. At the time of his death, he had SEVERAL film projects he was in the talks for. Sadly... he never got to.
2. Patrice O'Neal: Patrice O'Neal had been doing stand up since 1992, but didn't get his one hour on Comedy Central until 2010. Sometimes, it is difficult to get your big break. But Patrice had finally got it(along with an HBO half hour in 2005). Elephant in the Room was an amazing special. He had this gentle-giant appeal to him. And his comedy was smart. His only Comedy Central roast appearance... Charlie Sheen roast in 2011. Patrice went on last. And... they HAD to. No one could've followed that. And 2 months after it aired, he passed due to Stroke. One Comedy Hour special... yet... it is one of the best.
(Here is where the celebratory lead in for number 1 would go.)
1. Mitch Hedberg: Mitch Hedberg was special. And... we knew it. Always looked down during his sets, like he was timid/shy. But his observational humor showed just how smart he was. "An escalator cannot break. It can only become stairs." Which is... right. But his delivery made it sound like it was the greatest joke ever. George Carlin's comedy was based around words...... and if you ever sat down and listened to the "Bits" section, the one liners(or read them in his books)... it is almost like they combined to manifest Mitch Hedberg. And yeah... coming from me... that is HIGH praise. And... for the 3rd time in the top 4 entries... we have another death from a Speedball.
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Is there anyone I missed? I admit... this one mad me pretty sad typing these out. Almost cried typing Gilda Radner's out. And that was pretty early in the post.
What did you think? Could I have done these amazing comedians any more justice?
Comment and share.
Until next time...
Don't forget...
Or at least try to after this tearjerker.
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