Richard Jeni

Richard John Colangelo, better known by his stage name of Richard Jeni, was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1957. Jeni attended Hunter College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in comparative politics. Jeni first started receiving recognition as a comedian with appearances on The Tonight Show and his Showtime standup specials. In the 1990s, Jeni appeared in the sitcom Platypus Man and in the movie The Mask, as well as in several other films and commercials. In 2007, at age 49, Jeni was found by his girlfriend after committing suicide in his home using a handgun. Jeni had been recently diagnosed with severe depression. Jay Leno, Bill Maher, and other fellow comedians paid tribute to Jeni’s untimely death.