Extra has learned comedian Richard Jeni is dead from an apparent suicide. Sources tell Extra Jeni was in his West Hollywood, CA apartment. He had been scheduled to perform at the Chicago Improv tonight but cancelled several weeks ago. Jeni was raised in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, New York. He appeared in the HBO Comedy Hour in 1992, entitled Richard Jeni: Platypus Man, later winning a CableACE Award for one another HBO special. He had a role in the hit Jim Carrey film The Mask and made multiple appearances on the Tonight Show. In 2004, Comedy Central put him on its list of the 100 greatest standups of all time.
Extra TV (story) and HBO (photo)
So sad.
