Some have said that tragedy is an important element to comedy but, for some of stand-up’s most acclaimed stars, tragedy saw the end of their career. Far too many of our favorite comedians passed away when they still had so much to offer on the stage and, yet, their jokes continue to make us laugh to this day. These are some of the funniest people we miss the most.
Bill Hicks At his final stand-up show, Bill Hicks reflected on his career as a comedian whose goal to “illuminate the collective unconscious and help humanity” with his material left him “virtually anonymous” for years. However, since losing his battle with pancreatic cancer at just 32 years old in 1994, his philosophical wit and clever political commentary have made him one of the most influential comics of his time, if not all time. Patrice O'Neal His hilarious commentary on the likes of gender politics and race culture made one-time The Office star Patrice O'Neal one of the most respected names in stand-up.
In 2011, the same year he released his first and only stand-up special, Elephant in the Room (one of the best stand-up comedy specials on Paramount+ ), he suffered a fatal stroke, caused by Type 2 diabetes he had suffered from since his 20s, when he was 41. Mitch Hedberg Known for his retro fashion sense, boisterous tone of voice, and a memorable appearance on That '70s Show , most of Mitch Hedberg's best jokes were masterful one-liners, such as, "Rice is great if you’re really hungry and want to e.
