WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. - Richard Jeni, a standup comedian who played to sold-out crowds, was a regular on the "Tonight Show" and appeared in movies, died of a gunshot wound in an apparent suicide, police said Sunday.

Police found the 45-year-old comedian alive but gravely injured in a West Hollywood home when they responded to a call Saturday morning from Jeni's girlfriend, Los Angeles Police Officer Norma Eisenman said.

Eisenman said the caller told police: "My boyfriend shot himself in the face."

Jeni died at a nearby hospital.

Eisenman said suicide had not been officially confirmed and the investigation was continuing.

Jeni regularly toured the country with a standup act and had starred in several HBO comedy specials, most recently "A Big Steaming Pile of Me" during the 2005-06 season.

Another HBO special, "Platypus Man," won a Cable ACE award for best standup comedy special, and formed the basis for his UPN sitcom of the same name, which ran for one season.

Jeni's movie credits included "The Mask," in which he played Jim Carrey's best friend, "The Aristocrats," "National Lampoon's Dad's Week Off," and "An Alan Smithee Film: Burn, Hollywood, Burn."

He had guest appearances in the TV shows "Everybody Hates Chris," "Married: With Children," and updated versions of the game shows "Hollywood Squares" and "Match Game."

The Brooklyn-born comic first received national attention in 1990 with the Showtime special "Richard Jeni: Boy From New York City." Two years later, his "Crazy From the Heat" special attracted the highest ratings in Showtime's history.

Jeni became a frequent guest on "The Tonight Show" during Johnny Carson's reign and continued to appear after Jay Leno took over as host.

He also wrote comic material for the 2005 Academy Awards, which was hosted by his friend Chris Rock.

:(

Wow! What a shame. He was a great comic.

Yeah, I just read about that. What a shame.:(

How very sad... I hate to hear of these things... :(

Oh wow, that is very shocking!! I didn't know who he was by the name alone, but when I saw his photo, I immediately recognized him. He was a really funny guy!! My condolences definitely go out to his family. R.I.P. Mr. Jeni!!! :(

How tragic. I've had some dark days in my life, yet I can't imagine the despair and hopelessness that a person must be feeling when they take their own life. To think that's the only option, to want the pain to end so badly -- it must be awful.

It is tragic that one feels they need to end it all. He was so young.

I wonder what they have found in his life that they are investigating it as a suicide?

What a waste.

I just heard the news! :eek:

He was playing at some club here in L.A. just last week. Just a sad, sad thing to hear. :(

RIP Richard.:crying: peacesign:

:rip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUkeyw7xdb4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-O4mJKEEqQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhw8DFSGzvg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDiVpae3ixk

I can't imagine the despair and hopelessness that a person must be feeling when they take their own life.

I can, but I can't believe he had no family or friends to talk to? People knew his name; he could have found something first. How awful to have your girlfriend find you.

Whatever the case, I hope he's at ease now.

There's a rumor going around that Richard was suffering from a terminal illness. Apparently, he chose to donate all his money to charity and kill himself.

He does look pretty sickly in that picture with Chris Rock.

There's a rumor going around that Richard was suffering from a terminal illness. Apparently, he chose to donate all his money to charity and kill himself.

He does look pretty sickly in that picture with Chris Rock.
Hmm...you may be on to something there. He looks pale and sullen.

He also cancelled engagements that he had in two weeks.

From http://www.richardjeni.com

A statement from the family of Richard Jeni

Often times, when we are faced with a sudden and tragic loss, there is a natural curiosity – a need to know what exactly happened.

The family of Richard Jeni would like to put to rest any assumptions as to the cause of Richard’s death. Despite the fact that the coroner’s office has publicly stated that a suicide ruling will take two weeks, pending the results of an autopsy, Richard Jeni did take his own life.

Rumors have been circulating as to the cause of his death and have included speculation of Richard being depressed over the state of his career or a physical ailment. His career was not even addressed by his specialists when they were trying to diagnose Richard’s illness. In fact, he had just enjoyed one of his most financially rewarding years to date. He was consistently creating new material for his busy touring schedule, and during the last week of his life, he had meetings scheduled with Chris Albrecht, Chairman and CEO of HBO, to discuss future projects following his last HBO special. In actuality, the past few years had been more prolific than ever. As his agents can attest, prior to his illness, Richard only missed one engagement in over twenty years, and that was due to weather.

The truth is: earlier this year Richard Jeni was diagnosed with severe clinical depression coupled with bouts of psychotic paranoia. One only needs to have a family member or friend with a mental illness to understand that there is nothing rational, predictable, or fair about these diseases. Mental illness is as serious as any physical affliction and can be just as devastating.

He was not down or blue, he was ill. If you knew Richard, you could understand, this was as much a shock to those close to him, as it is to his fans and colleagues. Perhaps Richard’s passing will encourage people to have sympathy, compassion and understanding for those who are afflicted with mental illness. As we are all trying to make sense of this, take time to remember the joy and laughter Richard brought to the countless people he touched during his much too short life.

Wow. thanx for that post AKA. The seriousness of mental disease/depression is one that can only be understood by professionals, those afflicted with it and those who have dealt with it by having a friend or loved one go through it.

I sincerely hope his life and tragic death is not in vain. I hope that something good comes out of it, somehow. People with these conditions really need understanding, compassion and help.

Paul Rodriguez said yesterday on the news that Jeni had the kind of career that any comedian would want.

The seriousness of mental disease/depression is one that can only be understood by professionals, those afflicted with it and those who have dealt with it by having a friend or loved one go through it.

Amen to that. :(

From http://www.richardjeni.com

A statement from the family of Richard Jeni

Often times, when we are faced with a sudden and tragic loss, there is a natural curiosity – a need to know what exactly happened.
That was very kind and generous of Richard Jeni's family to issue such personal information regarding his condition. The poor man, he was in the depths of hell emotionally. It's such a terrible shame that he lost the fight.

From http://www.richardjeni.com

A statement from the family of Richard Jeni

Often times, when we are faced with a sudden and tragic loss, there is a natural curiosity – a need to know what exactly happened.

The family of Richard Jeni would like to put to rest any assumptions as to the cause of Richard’s death. Despite the fact that the coroner’s office has publicly stated that a suicide ruling will take two weeks, pending the results of an autopsy, Richard Jeni did take his own life.

Rumors have been circulating as to the cause of his death and have included speculation of Richard being depressed over the state of his career or a physical ailment. His career was not even addressed by his specialists when they were trying to diagnose Richard’s illness. In fact, he had just enjoyed one of his most financially rewarding years to date. He was consistently creating new material for his busy touring schedule, and during the last week of his life, he had meetings scheduled with Chris Albrecht, Chairman and CEO of HBO, to discuss future projects following his last HBO special. In actuality, the past few years had been more prolific than ever. As his agents can attest, prior to his illness, Richard only missed one engagement in over twenty years, and that was due to weather.

The truth is: earlier this year Richard Jeni was diagnosed with severe clinical depression coupled with bouts of psychotic paranoia. One only needs to have a family member or friend with a mental illness to understand that there is nothing rational, predictable, or fair about these diseases. Mental illness is as serious as any physical affliction and can be just as devastating.

He was not down or blue, he was ill. If you knew Richard, you could understand, this was as much a shock to those close to him, as it is to his fans and colleagues. Perhaps Richard’s passing will encourage people to have sympathy, compassion and understanding for those who are afflicted with mental illness. As we are all trying to make sense of this, take time to remember the joy and laughter Richard brought to the countless people he touched during his much too short life.
That's terrible. I guess he just felt nothing would help him now except putting an end to the pain. Anyone who's ever been suicidally depressed should empathize.

Like I said before, I hope he's at peace now.

Dominating the news here in Massachusetts....our newly elected Governor, Deval Patrick...his wife is suffering from depression.

http://news.bostonherald.com/localPolitics/view.bg?articleid=188151&format=text (http://news.bostonherald.com/localPolitics/view.bg?articleid=188151&format=text)

http://news.bostonherald.com/columnists/view.bg?articleid=188150&format=text (http://news.bostonherald.com/columnists/view.bg?articleid=188150&format=text)

Depression is such a serious matter. Proof of it being that people (famous and not famous) have committed suicide. Donald Trump making a comment that "If I looked like Rosie O'Donnell, I would be depressed too" on television today, is also proof that people are stupid and ignorant abt the realities of depression. Depression is no joke.

proof that people are stupid and ignorant abt the realities of depression. Depression is no joke.

true that.

http://www.richardjeni.com/

A FEW WORDS FROM RICHARD’S FRIEND, LEN OR AS JENI USED TO CALL ME – “THE MAMMAL”

We are deeply saddened by the loss of our son, brother, and wonderfully talented friend, Richard. He was such a remarkable person with such keen insight and perception, that it is hard to believe, that like many great artists, he struggled.

There are thousands, if not millions of fans that enjoyed Richard’s talent. His ability to connect with individuals by striking a common chord through his material was renowned. He was a master stand up and perfectionist, who often spent hours, sometimes days, honing a joke or single line, trying to find that perfect delivery or inflection or gesture that would elevate a bit to sheer genius. And our friend was not merely a technician. Although he was a wordsmith and craftsman, he was also a lightning fast improviser. His ability to come up with a bit, off-the-cuff, was legendary. I only wish that all his fans could enjoy firsthand his talent for turning a simple conversation into a hilarious performance. Any dinner, phone call or meeting, could potentially become a mini concert, to be enjoyed solely by you.

For Richard, no room was too small, no audience was too few. It made no difference to him whether he was in front of five thousand people or just one; his only concern was to generate laughs. Although I will remember the hundreds of times I sat in the back of the room watching my friend work his magic, I will also not forget those gestures off-stage, to which his fans and business associates may not be privy. I only wish everyone knew Richard as I did, and could have witnessed the generosity and love he showed his family, friends and those around him. Not only was he a swell brother and son, but a good friend. I have been on the receiving end of Richard’s kindness for years.

My brothers and I co-owned and ran a comedy club in Chicago years ago. We were open a short time, when one of the boys at Richard’s agency called to tell me about this “unbelievable new comic” who was “gonna tear off the roof.” Having been a comic myself, I was no easy sell. They swore this kid was as good as any of the acts we had booked to date - a tall order as we had just enjoyed the likes of Larry Miller, Mike MacDonald, Carol Leifer and Ritch Shydner.

I will never forget the moment I first laid eyes on my friend. Upon arriving at O’Hare, he insisted the limo driver detour and swing by the club so he could check out the room before he went to his hotel. (My first experience with Richard’s special requests.) My brother Pete and I waited in the lobby for Richard to arrive. He swaggered in and announced that he was the headliner and was “here to check out the place.” My brother and I made our way towards him and slowly worked him into a corner. We were both over 6’2”, and pushing 250 lbs. As we stood towering over him, we said, “Maybe that’s how they do it in New York, but in Chicago, you wait until night to see the room.”

My first words to Richard resulted in his silent stare. “And don’t come struttin’ around here, in some cheap satin jacket from Showtime.” The awkward silence was broken when my brother and I broke, confessing that we were just kidding. Richard burst out laughing, and we were soon fast friends.

He was the first comic I ever saw who did several completely different, one-hour sets - many to standing ovations. Stories of his stage greatness are commonplace. His peers respected him as much as his fans. He was revered by today’s comedy greats - from Chris Rock and Jerry Seinfeld to Jay Leno and Bob Newhart.

Shortly after first setting foot on my stage, it wasn’t long before Richard was throwin’ his new buddy a bone. First, by letting my brothers and I promote his specials in Chicago, then by letting me help him with creating material. He invited me to be with him the first few times he was on The Tonight Show. He was most generous in sharing the experiences of his newfound success. I will never forget when Johnny Carson poked his head into the dressing room. Rich introduced me, Johnny gave me a wave and wished Rich luck and told him to have a good set. He disappeared as quickly as he came in, and Rich looked at me and said, “pretty cool, huh?”

Although I never pursued the same path that he did, or reached the heights of his career, he always made me feel as though I was an equal. Jeni was generous to a fault with laughs, and to us comics, that’s everything. When you worked with Rich, you weren’t always in it for the money. You could count on him to be a great audience. Chicky, Boone, Hertz, Feldman, Smirnoff, Willy, Rosen and I, were all lucky to have spent so much time with him.

As his fans pour out their hearts and express their love for what he gave them, know that he too, appreciated what his fans offered in return. He knew how lucky he was to make his living doing what he cherished most. His life’s motivation was as pure as it comes. Whether he was at a live performance, or at a filming, or in front of a group of software makers in Orlando, he quite simply wanted to make as many people laugh as he could.

There will forever be a gap in my heart. I will miss bouncing ideas off my buddy after his sets. I will miss his dead-on impersonations of Peter Ustinov and Carson and our mutual love of The Godfather. I will miss driving him crazy, late at night in hotel rooms, and I thank him for introducing me to Provenza and many of my closest friends. I will miss analyzing comedy and sharing thoughts of favorite jokes from Attell, Chris Rock and the Family Guy. I will miss acting as my friend’s “Tom Hagen” - strategizing on how best to approach Jay Leno for advice or Chris Albrecht for another special.

I will never forget his commitment to helping me with my projects, whether it was a wacky pilot, a workshop program, or my efforts of shooting a feature film.

I will miss him telling me what a cool kid Miles is, and never forget the fact he drove from Michigan to Chicago to comfort my brother the moment he was diagnosed with cancer and the huge wad of cash he tossed him on the way out and the fact he flew in to support my family when we lost Pete.

I want his friends to know that whether he let you know or not, he appreciated all the hours on the phone, shooting the breeze and seeking advice. He had such high regard for Norby, Howard, Baio, Greene, Messina, Colleen, Dorfman, Jackie, Boone, and Franklin, and truly valued their time. Richard’s family and I thank all of you for what you gave my friend. Thank you Amy, for being his rock and for trying so hard to save him, and Loria for going so far beyond the call of duty.

And as we are all clouded by what has transpired, his sweethearts must know the joy they brought him, his family needs to remember how much he cared for them and loved them unconditionally, and his fans must know this was in no way a one-sided love affair.

I gotta be honest, I'm not familiar with Jeni's work. He looks familiar, and I'm sure I've seen him through the years on Leno or HBO. The more I read about him, the more I wish I paid attention to him, and the more tragic his death becomes, to me.

Wow!!! R.I.P! :(

I posted some links to YouTube videos of some of his bits earlier in this thread. They're definitely worth checking out if you get a chance.

I posted some links to YouTube videos of some of his bits earlier in this thread. They're definitely worth checking out if you get a chance.
I just watched them. He was hilarious. The political and Jaws 4 bits were hysterical. Such a shame. :(

http://apnews.excite.com/article/20070629/D8Q2F3E80.html

Coroner's Report: Jeni Was Mentally Ill

LOS ANGELES (AP) - Comedian Richard Jeni, who shot himself to death in March, had a history of mental illness and was hospitalized late last year for suicidal depression, according to a coroner's report obtained Thursday. Jeni, 49, died at a hospital after shooting himself in the head at his Hollywood home on March 10, authorities have said.

His girlfriend heard him talking to himself about a week earlier, saying "'just squeeze the trigger,'" according to a police report cited by the Los Angeles County coroner's office.

She was making breakfast downstairs when Jeni shot himself in the mouth with a .38-caliber Colt Detective Special handgun, according to the report.

Jeni, whose birth name was Richard John Colangelo, had not made any previous suicide attempts and left no note, the report said.

However, the report said Jeni was involuntarily hospitalized on Dec. 28 after he showed up in a hospital emergency room with suicidal depression and indicated he would jump off of a building.

Days after his death, Jeni's family disclosed the comic was mentally ill and said in a statement that he had been diagnosed earlier this year with "severe clinical depression coupled with bouts of psychotic paranoia."

According to the coroner's report, Jeni's girlfriend said he had problems with "insomnia, paranoia and high blood pressure due to stresses of his work schedule."

He also had a history of schizophrenia and had taken several antidepressants and a sleeping aid, the coroner's report said.

Rest in Peace Richard

Depression is such a serious matter. Proof of it being that people (famous and not famous) have committed suicide. Donald Trump making a comment that "If I looked like Rosie O'Donnell, I would be depressed too" on television today, is also proof that people are stupid and ignorant abt the realities of depression. Depression is no joke.

I agree depression is a disease!!


R.I.P Richard Jeni heaven has another angel.;)

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He wasn’t just a killer five minutes on Carson—he was the writer’s writer of stand-up. Richard Jeni fused razor-sharp logic with jet-fuel energy, delivering HBO hours that comics still study today. From Platypus Man to The Mask, he became a star without surrendering craft. Offstage, he fought a brutal illness that the industry barely knew how to name. This is the story of a comedian’s comedian: the brilliance, the discipline, the legacy—and the hard lesson about mental health we still need to hear.