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| US comic dies in apparent suicide | US comic dies in apparent suicide |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| US stand-up comedian Richard Jeni, who was a frequent guest on the popular Tonight Show and appeared in several films, has died in an apparent suicide. | US stand-up comedian Richard Jeni, who was a frequent guest on the popular Tonight Show and appeared in several films, has died in an apparent suicide. |
| Los Angeles police said a woman called on Saturday and reported her boyfriend had "just shot himself in the face". | Los Angeles police said a woman called on Saturday and reported her boyfriend had "just shot himself in the face". |
| Officers found Jeni, 49, alive but seriously wounded in a West Hollywood home. He died later in hospital. | |
| Police spokeswoman Norma Eisenman said suicide had not been officially confirmed. An autopsy is due on Monday. | Police spokeswoman Norma Eisenman said suicide had not been officially confirmed. An autopsy is due on Monday. |
| Jeni appeared in The Mask as Jim Carrey's best friend and had roles in several other films including The Aristocrats, Burn, Hollywood and National Lampoon's Dad's Week Off. | Jeni appeared in The Mask as Jim Carrey's best friend and had roles in several other films including The Aristocrats, Burn, Hollywood and National Lampoon's Dad's Week Off. |
| He was a close friend of comedian Chris Rock, appearing in his sitcom Everybody Hates Chris and writing material for Rock's stint hosting the Oscars in 2005. | He was a close friend of comedian Chris Rock, appearing in his sitcom Everybody Hates Chris and writing material for Rock's stint hosting the Oscars in 2005. |
| But he was best known as a stand-up comedian, regularly playing to sold-out crowds at Hollywood's Laugh Factory. | But he was best known as a stand-up comedian, regularly playing to sold-out crowds at Hollywood's Laugh Factory. |
| 'Tons of material' | 'Tons of material' |
| Born in Brooklyn, New York, he first came to attention in 1990 with a 30-minute showcase, Richard Jeni: The Boy From New York, on the US Showtime channel. | Born in Brooklyn, New York, he first came to attention in 1990 with a 30-minute showcase, Richard Jeni: The Boy From New York, on the US Showtime channel. |
| He became a regular guest on The Tonight Show during Johnny Carson's reign as host and continued to appear after Jay Leno took over. | He became a regular guest on The Tonight Show during Johnny Carson's reign as host and continued to appear after Jay Leno took over. |
| Several of his comedy routines were captured for television, with 1992's Platypus Man winning a Cable ACE award for best stand-up comedy special and inspiring a short-lived TV series of the same name. | Several of his comedy routines were captured for television, with 1992's Platypus Man winning a Cable ACE award for best stand-up comedy special and inspiring a short-lived TV series of the same name. |
| Frazer Smith, a fellow comedian who often opened for Jeni, said younger acts looked up to him. | Frazer Smith, a fellow comedian who often opened for Jeni, said younger acts looked up to him. |
| "He was probably one of the best stand-up comedians in the last 50 years," said Smith. "He had tons and tons of material." | "He was probably one of the best stand-up comedians in the last 50 years," said Smith. "He had tons and tons of material." |