Life updates and Spotlight On: Richard Jeni

Okay, so as it is, I’m sitting in Intro to Political Science. Fascinating class, yes. I feel as though given the ambition I could fairly easily teach the class. Nonetheless, today we’re introducing a new feature to this…thing here. Every Tuesday I’m going to do a spotlight segment on a comic that you may or may not be familiar with. And this week, we’re going to do a tribute to one of my alltime favorite comics, Mr. Richard Jeni.

Before we do that, however, we need to talk about the Open Reel Film Fest at Fitchburg State College. Why? Because I co-wrote the winning film, that’s why. This will soon be up on YouTube, and I’ll be posting it up here. The film is called “All Alone,” and it’s based on a hypothetical in which Harry and Marv from the popular Home Alone series encounter Kevin McAllister later in life. And I’ll leave it at that. Anyway, film won audience choice for best film in the festival, and in addition to writing it, I make an appearance as the Wet Bandit himself, Marv. So once my friend Justin puts the video up, it’ll be available here for your viewing pleasure.

Richard Jeni is one of my alltime favorite comedians, and as it were, one of the first comedians I followed as a kid. He became famous doing the late night circuit, and coincidentally, was the first comedian I ever saw on The Tonight Show.  A fact I recently found out about was that Jeni appeared on the Tonight Show more than any other comedian in the show’s history.

Every once in a while, my dad would let me stay up late and watch Letterman with him, and it was my first exposure to his comedy. I very much enjoyed it, and was drawn to his other work. He did an HBO special in 1992 entitled Platypus Man, and would go on to make several more HBO appearances, most recently appearing in his special entitled “Richard Jeni: A Big, Steaming Pile of Me.” Many people are also familiar with his acting work, most priminently in the Jim Carrey film The Mask. Sadly, Jeni passed away in 2007 at the age of 49, from an apparent suicide. A great comedian, one of my favorites. He will be missed.

Comedy Central’s 2004 list of their greatest stand up comedians ever ranked Jeni at number fifty-seven. Tad on the underrated side, I’d say.