Monday, March 12, 2007

RIP Richard Jeni (1961-2007)

Some really sad news here folks...

Comedian Richard Jeni died yesterday, at Cedars Sinai Medical Center. The cause of death. an apparent self-inflicted, gunshot wound to the head. Jeni was just 45 years old.

Of the small number of movies Jeni appeared in, his role as Jim Carrey's pal in the mega-hit, The Mask is the one that's best remembered. His first film gig was in Clint Eastwood's Bird in 1988 --a biopic about legendary jazz musician Charlie Parker. He also had fun in An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn (1998), which took swipes at the inner workings of Hollywood.

Jeni was given his on sitcom in the mid-90's called "Platypus Man" for the then newly launched, now defunct UPN Network. He also showed up in a 1989 episode of the bawdy sit-com "Married with Children" Jeni's final on screen role was in a 2006 episode of the CW Television Network series"Everybody Hates Chris" for his pal, and fellow comic Chris Rock.

Jeni was a very funny guy and I always enjoyed his stand-up stuff. Really Sad...

Read the Entertainment Weekly story here...


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