Richard Jeni
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| Richard Jeni | |
| Birth name | Richard John Colangelo |
| Born | April 14, 1957[1] Brooklyn, New York |
| Died | March 10, 2007 (aged 49) Los Angeles, California |
Richard John Colangelo (April 14, 1957[1] – March 10, 2007), better known by the stage name of Richard Jeni,[2] was an American stand-up comedian and actor. Outside of his stand-up career, he is perhaps best known for playing Jim Carrey's best friend in the film The Mask.
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Biography
Raised in an Italian-American family in Bensonhurst,[3] Brooklyn, New York, he graduated with honors from Hunter College, earning a bachelor's degree in Comparative Politics.[4]
Jeni first received recognition through a series of Showtime stand-up specials and frequent appearances on The Tonight Show. Top executives at HBO noticed Jeni's talent, and he was soon picked up for his first appearance on The HBO Comedy Hour in 1992, titled "Richard Jeni: Platypus Man."
The show was well-received and Jeni would return for two more shows, going on to receive a CableACE Award for one of his HBO specials. Jeni would also star on the short-lived UPN sitcom Platypus Man and appear in the Jim Carrey film The Mask. And also appeared in The Aristocrats, National Lampoon's Dad's Week Off, and Burn, Hollywood, Burn. He also starred in commercial campaigns for Certs and Arby's, and won a Clio Award for his work as a writer/performer in an advertising campaign for the American Dairy Association.
Jeni appeared on The Tonight Show more than any other stand-up comedian, dating back to when the program was hosted by Johnny Carson.[5] Jeni's death was referenced on the show by Jay Leno on March 12, 2007, with accompanying footage of Jeni's last appearance on The Tonight Show.
In 2004, Jeni was ranked #57 on Comedy Central's list of the 100 greatest standups of all time; he served on the panel responsible for this ranking.
Death
On March 10, 2007, Jeni was found by his girlfriend with an apparent self-inflicted shotgun wound to the facial area[6] in West Hollywood, California.[7] Police found him alive, but gravely injured when they arrived.[8] He was quickly transported to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, where he died.[9] Suicide was suspected but was not officially confirmed by police.[9] His family later stated with certainty that the death was in fact a suicide, and that Jeni had recently been diagnosed with "severe clinical depression coupled with bouts of psychotic paranoia."[10]
In America, Jeni's passing was marked by many homages, including specials on XM Satellite Radio, and Bill Maher's HBO show Real Time with Bill Maher (Season 5, Episode 5) being dedicated to Jeni's memory.
HBO Specials
- Richard Jeni: Platypus Man (1992)
- Richard Jeni: A Good Catholic Boy (1997)
- Richard Jeni: A Big Steaming Pile of Me (2005)
Showtime Specials
Filmography
- Bird (1988) as Morello
- The Mask (1994) as Charlie Schumaker
- An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn (1998) as Jerry Glover
References
- ^ a b DOB according to Jeni's Website. Retrieved on 13 March 2007.
- ^ Cohen, Sandy. Autopsy results, cause of death pending for comic Richard Jeni. Associated Press. March 13, 2007.
- ^ Richard Jeni (2007). Retrieved on 2007-03-11.
- ^ Richard Jeni bio. Retrieved on 2007-03-11.
- ^ Richard Jeni. Retrieved on 2007-03-11.
- ^ BBC News. "US comic dies in apparent suicide", BBC News: Entertainment, Monday, 12 March 2007. Retrieved on 2007-03-12.
- ^ Ryan, Jack. "Richard Jeni Dead: Comedian Found Shot, Self Inflicted?", The Post Chronicle, March 11, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-03-11.
- ^ Adrian G. Uribarri,. "Comedian Richard Jeni dies of apparent suicide", Los Angeles Times, Monday, 12 March 2007. Retrieved on 2007-03-12.
- ^ a b Cholo, Ana Beatriz. "Comic Richard Jeni dead, police investigating possible suicide." San Francisco Chronicle. March 11, 2007. Retrieved on March 11, 2007.
- ^ "Family Says Jeni Committed Suicide." Associated Press via Washington Post. March 13, 2007. Retrieved on March 13, 2007.
External links
- RichardJeni.com - Official site
| Persondata | |
|---|---|
| NAME | Jeni, Richard |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Colangelo, Richard John |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | American comedian |
| DATE OF BIRTH | April 14, 1957 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Brooklyn, New York, United States |
| DATE OF DEATH | March 10, 2007 |
| PLACE OF DEATH | Los Angeles, California, United States |
Categories: Semi-protected | Current events | 1957 births | 2007 deaths | American film actors | American stand-up comedians | American television personalities | City University of New York people | Italian-American actors | Catholic comedians | People from Brooklyn | Suicides by firearm in the United States | People diagnosed with clinical depression
