Born Richard John Colangelo in 1957 – though some sources site other dates – comedian Richard Jeni was raised in Brooklyn, NY’s Bensonhurst neighborhood. After graduating from college, Jeni began performing at local open-mic competitions in the early 1980’s – making friends along the way, like Jerry Seinfeld, Joy Behar and Rosie O’Donnell. From early on, audiences appreciated Jeni’s knack for observational comedy and keen ear for dialogue. And among his fellow comics, he was revered – not just for his brave talent onstage, but for being supportive and brotherly -- a truly “nice guy” in a truly cutthroat industry.
After honing his act on the road for a few years, Jeni got his break in the mid-1980s when he made his television debut as a featured performer on the cable comedy showcase, “Just for Laughs” (Showtime, 1986). Three long years later, Jeni finally landed his own half-hour solo special, titled "Richard Jeni: The Boy from New York City" (Showtime, 1989). The special performed impressively in the ratings; so much so that Showtime invited Jeni back for a return engagement – the hour-long "Richard Jeni: Crazy from the Heat" (Showtime, 1991). In 1992, rival network HBO snapped Jeni up for their own highly rated comedy special, “Richard Jeni: Platypus Man” (HBO, 1992). Despite his genius on stage, Jeni watched as his fellow New Yorker comics like Seinfeld and Ray Romano became household names, while he waited for his big turn – a turn all of his fellow comics and diehard fans felt was inevitable.
Jeni’s profile continued to rise thanks to his frequent appearances on such popular talkfests as “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” (NBC, 1992- ) and “The View” (ABC, 1997- ). These appearances – particularly on “The Tonight Show” – led to work in features – most notably as Jim Carrey’s best friend in the runaway hit, “The Mask” (1994). Better suited for the small-screen, however, Jeni returned to television to star in his own short-lived sitcom, the semi-autobiographical series “Platypus Man” (UPN, 1995-96). Unfortunately, like most of the fledgling network’s earliest outings, “Platypus Man” failed to find an audience and was promptly cancelled. Undaunted, Jeni kept busy with his stand-up engagements as well as the occasional national commercial. Although his career appeared to have hit a plateau in the new millennium, he remained consistently employed. In 2005, Jeni starred in his final live stand-up show, “Richard Jeni: A Big Steaming Pile of Me” (HBO, 2005) and made a guest-appearance on the highly-rated “Everyone Hates Chris” (UPN/CW, 2005- ), alongside long-time close friend, Chris Rock.
Behind his amiable smile and likeable demeanor, however, Richard Jeni was evidently a haunted man. On March 11, 2007, fans of the well-liked funnyman – and virtually every comic working in the industry – were stunned to learn that Jeni was dead of an apparent suicide. Jeni’s body was discovered by his girlfriend in his West Hollywood apartment, the victim of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the face. Gravely wounded, but still alive when the police arrived, Jeni was rushed to a local hospital where he died shortly thereafter. In the aftermath of his surprising death, comic pals like O’Donnell and Behar paid tribute to him on “The View” and on the marquee of L.A.’s fabled comedy club, The Laugh Factory, were the simple words, “R.I.P. Richard Jeni – make God laugh.”