Comedian Kevin Meaney Has Died (1956 – 2016)

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Reports have come in that Kevin Meaney who became a stand up comedy sensation in the 1980s, has passed away. His agent, Tom Ingegno confirmed to Hollywood Life that the comedian was found in his home in Forestburgh, NY. No further details have been given yet.

Kevin Meaney got his start in the Boston comedy scene that was founded by Barry Crimmins where originality was encouraged and fostered which is a word that would aptly describe Kevin Meaney, “originality”. In those early days, he performed along the likes Bobcat Goldthwait, Tommy Kenny, Lenny Clarke, Steve Sweeney, and Mike Donovan. Meaney also became a staple of the rising San Francisco comedy community as well.

It was in 1986 when the country first caught notice of the bow-tie wearing, mom impersonating, highly energetic and loud Kevin Meaney with his HBO special. A year later, if you didn’t know Kevin Meaney already, you were sure to after a star making appearance on the Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson. That was still in the day when a stellar Carson performance could launch a comedy career. Johnny Carson may have provided the venue, but Kevin brought the genius material that had everyone at the office or in school the next day yelling, “We’re big pants people!!” and “You’re a crazy person!”. It was Kevin’s impression of his mother that had comedy fans thinking he was doing a spot-on impersonation of their mothers as well. You can watch Kevin Meaney’s Tonight Show debut below.

In the 90s and through today, Kevin made dozens of appearances on talk shows including David Letterman, Conan, Regis and Kathie Lee and Oprah and also on sitcoms like Ned & Stacey, 30 Rock and 2 Broke Girls. He starred in his own sitcom in the first television adaptation of Uncle Buck on CBS in 1990 and he appeared in the Tom Hanks hit film, Big. Plus, Kevin launched a highly successful voice over career doing characters on animated series like Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist, Duckman, Garfield and Friends and Rocko’s Modern Life. He also continued to tour nationally and had a run on Broadway in a production of Hairspray.

Kevin Meaney was a consummate professional on and off the stage and was a stand up that other comedians admired not just for being outrageously funny, but also for his fearlessness and kindness. He’s gone way too soon and in his own words, “That’s not right!!”

Here’s some tweets going out in memory of Kevin Meaney from the comedy community.

https://twitter.com/joederosacomedy/status/789655934180134912

https://twitter.com/RobSchneider/status/789664180836061184

Read more comedy news.

Ernie Tripper

Ernie Tripper