Los Angeles police said a woman called on Saturday and reported her boyfriend had “just shot himself in the face”. Officers found Jeni, 49, alive but fatally wounded in a West Hollywood home. He died later in hospital.
Police spokeswoman Norma Eisenman said suicide had not been officially confirmed. An autopsy is due on Monday. Jeni appeared in The Mask as Jim Carrey’s best friend and had roles in several other films including The Aristocrats, Burn, Hollywood, Burn and National Lampoon’s Dad’s Week Off. He was a close friend of comedian Chris Rock, appearing in his sitcom Everybody Hates Chris and writing material for Rock’s stint hosting the Oscars in 2005. But he was best known as a stand-up comedian, regularly playing to sold-out crowds at Hollywood’s Laugh Factory.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, he first came to attention in 1990 with a 30-minute showcase, Richard Jeni: The Boy From New York, on the US Showtime channel.He became a regular guest on The Tonight Show during Johnny Carson’s reign as host and continued to appear after Jay Leno took over.Several of his comedy routines were captured for television, with 1992’s Platypus Man winning a Cable ACE award for best stand-up comedy special and inspiring a short-lived TV series of the same name.Frazer Smith, a fellow comedian who often opened for Jeni, said younger acts looked up to him. “He was probably one of the best stand-up comedians in the last 50 years,” said Smith. “He had tons and tons of material.”
Jeni was a fan and a regular on the Howard Stern Show also. Stern said he was a funny comedian and great guy. He will be missed.
Post a Response
Comment by Kat on 12 March 2007:
OMG…this is sooo sooo sad! There are a few comics that can make me laugh so much and one of them was Richard Jeni. Years ago I recorded his HBO special “Good Little Catholic Boy” and have enjoyed it with friends many many times since! It’s gut busting, very very funny!! His timing was spot on!
We again morn of another great talent lost…sometimes this life is so very very cruel.
Comment by Sherri on 12 March 2007:
My mouth dropped when I heard the news. I immediately called my husband and even he was stunned. He was an amazing comedian. I have his HBO special “A Big Steamin’ Pile of Me” on CD so I can listen to it in my car. It would always make me laugh on days when I was down. It is so hard to understand how people who are so funny can turn to such extreme measures. I hope he has found peace.
Comment by Joe on 13 March 2007:
Richard Jeni was one of the funniest men of all time. I watch his old HBO specials and laugh at it like it was new. This is truly a great loss. I wish I saw him live. We will miss very much.
Comment by Howard on 13 March 2007:
My wife and I saw him at the Improv in Ontario last year and we laughed like we never laughed before. He was original without being filthy. He was the epitimy of the stand up comedian. Ashame that he was facing some unknown demons that he just felt he could no longer live with. Rest in peace
Comment by Pat Lewey on 13 March 2007:
My favorite comedian is gone, and a big shock to me, however “happy-appearing” people don’t always allow the sadness inside to show. I lost my precious oldest son to suicide in 1997. Suicide is the saddest word. Pat
Comment by Dorothey George on 18 March 2007:
My husband and I spent New Years Eve with Richard Jeni (us on the couch and him on the TV) He had us laughing for two hours. My favorite was about the pubic hair in the shower trying to touch him with the water. It was harlarious, something we could all relate to especially if staying in hotels. I was shocked and saddened to hear of his death. He must have been taken some depressing drugs to make him do something like this. My husband and two kids will miss him greatly.
We hope hope he is happy where ever he is.
The George, Aurora, Ontario
Comment by NJCOP on 21 March 2007:
Glad this guy finally “ate a bullet’
FFFRRRRRUUUUNNKKKKUUUSSS