Patrice Oneal
Encyclopedia
Patrice Lumumba Malcolm Oneal (December 7, 1969 – November 29, 2011), usually credited as Patrice O'Neal, was an American stand-up comedian, radio personality, and actor. He was known for his cutting, often confrontational crowd work during which he often played couples against each other. Originally from Boston
, he was a resident of Jersey City, New Jersey
in his later years.
, on December 7, 1969. His parents, including his mother, Georgia, named him after Patrice Lumumba
, the leader of the Congolese independence movement. O'Neal was a star football player at West Roxbury High School. Ending his career with 3 letters in varsity football, and a state championship senior year. He attended Northeastern University on a public housing grant, majoring in Performing Arts.
, where he became a regular at the Comedy Cellar
, before relocating to Los Angeles
, in the hopes of finding greater fame. "I tap danced like you wouldn't believe... trying to get something," he said in a 2008 interview with Ron Bennington
. "I'm telling you, if I'd have had a gun back then, I would have shot myself." His inability to achieve success on other people's terms motivated him to prioritize his own integrity first. "At the end of the day I just want to know that I was true to myself." Later in his career, Patrice would walk away from successful shows like The Office, Arrested Development
, Web Junk 20
, and a writing position on the WWE. "I'm a professional bridge-burner," O'Neal stated in an interview.
Unwilling to yield to the demands of American club owners that he change his often confrontational act, O'Neal relocated to the United Kingdom
to work on his comedy there. He worked harder as an outsider and a foreigner to gain the respect of his peers. "It took about 5 months... for them to go 'Ok, this guy's not playing around,'" he told Bennington. It was also during this time that he caught the eye of British comedian Ricky Gervais
, still early in his stand-up career. Gervais frequently mentioned O'Neal as a favorite comic. He returned to the New York area in 2002 when he got the offer to do his first half-hour special for Showtime. Later that year he joined the cast of The Colin Quinn Show
and then Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn
. The following year, he recorded a Comedy Central Presents
special.
O'Neal had many guest appearances on television. His first television appearance was on The Apollo Comedy Hour where he performed his Malcolm XXL bit. From there, he moved on to appearances on Showtime at the Apollo
, FNight Videos, and a brief stint as a writer for the WWE. He appeared in guest-starring roles on MTV
’s Apt 2F, Assy McGee
, Ed, Z Rock, Yes Dear, Arrested Development
, Chappelle Show and The Office
. O'Neal was a regular on the Fox series The Jury, and he starred in the Comedy Central animated program Shorties Watching Shorties, along with Nick DiPaolo
. He supplied the voice of Harold Jenkins on Noggin’s animated program O'Grady High and was featured as Jesus
in Denis Leary
’s Searchlight. In 2005, O'Neal filmed a half-hour One Night Stand
special for HBO, and shortly thereafter became the first host of VH1
's Web Junk 20
. O'Neal left the show after two seasons, expressing concerns that the show's audience was too different from his own. In 2006 and 2007 he joined Opie and Anthony's Traveling Virus Comedy Tour
, playing large outdoor concert arenas across the country.
Since his move back to New York in 2002, O'Neal became a recognized radio personality as a regular guest and occasional co-host on the Opie and Anthony
program. Along with Bill Burr
and Robert Kelly
, he filled in as co-host for comedian Jim Norton
while he filmed Lucky Louie
. From 2006 to 2008, O'Neal hosted an call-in relationship advice show on XM Radio, which ended when the satellite network merged with rival Sirius. Initially promoted as Bitch Management, the show was titled The Black Philip Show, a reference to Dr. Phil. Dante Nero co-hosted, and a rotating cast of female comedians have played third mic. The show aired until the station suspended much of its Saturday night programming when they were unable to reconcile budget concerns with the new management following the merger. O'Neal had also appeared as a guest on other radio shows like Alex Jones
and The Howard Stern Show and numerous guest appearances on political talk shows on the Fox News channel.
Living in the New York area, O'Neal performed at comedy clubs in the area, including headlining appearances at Comix comedy club
and Caroline's
. In February 2011, Comedy Central
aired his first hour-long special, Elephant in the Room. He eventually began a web series and podcast called The Patrice Oneal Show - Coming Soon! showing various episodes as of May 15, 2007. He performed with a five-person group—Bryan Kennedy, Dante Nero, Vondecarlo Brown, Harris Stanton and Wil Sylvince—touching on many fictional scenarios. The show was produced by For Your Imagination and can be found on O'Neal's website. He guest-starred in another For Your Imagination-produced show, called Break a Leg
, playing Adult-Sized Gary Coleman
. O'Neal voiced Jeffron James in Grand Theft Auto IV
, on an in-game radio show, Fizz!.
On September 19, 2011, Patrice was one of the many roasters at the Comedy Central Roast
of Charlie Sheen. This would be his final television appearance before his death two months later. O'Neal's final recorded interview was with Jay Mohr
on his "Mohr Stories" Podcast #17, uploaded October 27th, 2011, shortly after news of his stroke.
Not long after O'Neal's passing, BSeen media announced the release of a new album - the comedian's first - to be released in February 2012. It was recorded at the D.C. Improv.
that O'Neal had suffered a stroke a week earlier, on October 19. At 7:00 AM on November 29, 2011, he died due to complications from his stroke. O'Neal had struggled with diabetes and weight issues for several years. He was survived by his wife, Vondecarlo; mother, Georgia; stepdaughter, Aymilyon, and sister, Zinder.
, Bill Burr
, Colin Quinn
, Amy Schumer
, and Dave Attel, among others.
Always known as a comedian's comedian, O'Neal was one of the best loved acts by his peers. Many comics reacted via Twitter
. "The best comedian in the world has died," proclaimed Norm MacDonald
. Dave Attell
tweeted "Patrice O. was and is one of the best comics I have ever had the pleasure to watch perform." Ricky Gervais, a long time vocal fan of O'Neal's, said "One of my favourite stand up comedians. So sad. RIP,". Dennis Leary called him "one of the funniest men who ever walked this earth" and Bill Burr concurred, saying he was "the most purely funny human being I’ve ever met." Doug Stanhope
remembered O'Neal as "one of the best ever. Inspiring every time I heard him on anything." Dane Cook
, a fellow Boston native echoed "He was 1 of the best ever." Dozens of other comedians echoed similar sentiments on Twitter. Comedian Jon Stewart
paid his respects through his "Moment of Zen" bit, in his show The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, stating: "Sad News. Once again in comedy we lose somebody, who's too funny, too soon." This statement was followed by a clip of O'Neal's stand up special Elephant in the Room
.
Many entertainers outside of the comedy community reacted as well. Director Kevin Smith
said "I shared some air & some air time with the man on O&A
& he was always funny & thoughtful. He WILL be missed." Author Chuck Palahniuk
tweeted "We lost a great comedian yesterday." Rapper Talib Kweli
said "Super funny and I had the pleasure of meeting the man. We will miss you." The Roots
drummer Questlove mourned "so grateful I got to see Patrice Oneal do his last NYC gig. Man, this is so devastating. He truly was one of my favorite comics." Nick Cannon
called him "An amazing comedian and an even better person." Actor Charlie Sheen
paid his respects through his blog, saying: "The entertainment world as well as the world at large lost a brilliant man today. Patrice had that rare "light" around him and inside of him. I only knew him for the few days leading up the Roast. Yet I will forever be inspired by his nobility, his grace and his epic talent. My tears today are for the tremendous loss to his true friends and loving family."
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, he was a resident of Jersey City, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
in his later years.
Early life
O'Neal was born in Boston, MassachusettsMassachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, on December 7, 1969. His parents, including his mother, Georgia, named him after Patrice Lumumba
Patrice Lumumba
Patrice Émery Lumumba was a Congolese independence leader and the first legally elected Prime Minister of the Republic of the Congo after he helped win its independence from Belgium in June 1960. Only ten weeks later, Lumumba's government was deposed in a coup during the Congo Crisis...
, the leader of the Congolese independence movement. O'Neal was a star football player at West Roxbury High School. Ending his career with 3 letters in varsity football, and a state championship senior year. He attended Northeastern University on a public housing grant, majoring in Performing Arts.
Career
O'Neal began his comedy career in his native Boston at an open mic at Estelle's Bar and Grill in October 1992. In the late 1990s, he moved to New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where he became a regular at the Comedy Cellar
Comedy Cellar
The Comedy Cellar is a comedy club in Manhattan, where many top New York comedians perform. It was founded in 1982 by then standup comedian, and current television writer/producer Bill Grundfest...
, before relocating to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, in the hopes of finding greater fame. "I tap danced like you wouldn't believe... trying to get something," he said in a 2008 interview with Ron Bennington
Ron Bennington
Ron Bennington born January 9th,1959, is an American radio personality and comedian. He is the primary voice of The Ron and Fez Show, and a stand-up comic...
. "I'm telling you, if I'd have had a gun back then, I would have shot myself." His inability to achieve success on other people's terms motivated him to prioritize his own integrity first. "At the end of the day I just want to know that I was true to myself." Later in his career, Patrice would walk away from successful shows like The Office, Arrested Development
Arrested Development
Arrested Development is an American television sitcom created by Mitchell Hurwitz for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The show's storyline centers on the Bluth family, a formerly wealthy, habitually dysfunctional family and is presented in a continuous format, incorporating hand-held camera work,...
, Web Junk 20
Web Junk 20
Web Junk 20 is an American television program in which Vh1 and iFilm collaborate to highlight the twenty funniest and most interesting clips collected from the Internet that week. The show is now hosted by comedian Aries Spears. Patrice O'Neal hosted the first two seasons, while Jim Breuer hosted...
, and a writing position on the WWE. "I'm a professional bridge-burner," O'Neal stated in an interview.
Unwilling to yield to the demands of American club owners that he change his often confrontational act, O'Neal relocated to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
to work on his comedy there. He worked harder as an outsider and a foreigner to gain the respect of his peers. "It took about 5 months... for them to go 'Ok, this guy's not playing around,'" he told Bennington. It was also during this time that he caught the eye of British comedian Ricky Gervais
Ricky Gervais
Ricky Dene Gervais is an English comedian, actor, director, radio presenter, producer, musician, and writer.Gervais achieved mainstream fame with his television series The Office and the subsequent series Extras, both of which he co-wrote and co-directed with friend and frequent collaborator...
, still early in his stand-up career. Gervais frequently mentioned O'Neal as a favorite comic. He returned to the New York area in 2002 when he got the offer to do his first half-hour special for Showtime. Later that year he joined the cast of The Colin Quinn Show
The Colin Quinn Show
The Colin Quinn Show was a three episode sketch variety show hosted by Colin Quinn in 2002....
and then Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn
Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn
Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn is a comedic talk show that aired on Comedy Central. The show featured roundtable discussions, inviting various guests of many views, mixing mostly comics/entertainers expressing themselves with journalists and political figures. Quinn's regular guests consisted mainly...
. The following year, he recorded a Comedy Central Presents
Comedy Central Presents
Comedy Central Presents is a half-hour long stand-up show that features various stand-up comedians in each episode.-DVDs:Starting in 2008, Comedy Central started releasing "Best of" compilation DVDs, with uncensored audio...
special.
O'Neal had many guest appearances on television. His first television appearance was on The Apollo Comedy Hour where he performed his Malcolm XXL bit. From there, he moved on to appearances on Showtime at the Apollo
Showtime at the Apollo
Showtime at the Apollo is a syndicated music television show, first broadcast on September 12, 1987 to May 24, 2008 with 1093 episodes, and is produced by the Apollo Theater...
, FNight Videos, and a brief stint as a writer for the WWE. He appeared in guest-starring roles on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
’s Apt 2F, Assy McGee
Assy McGee
Assy McGee is an animated sitcom featuring police detective Assy McGee, a parody of tough-guy cops, who is literally a walking pair of buttocks. Along with his partner Don Sanchez , the trigger-happy McGee solves crimes in a fictionalized Exeter, New Hampshire. Larry Murphy voices all of the main...
, Ed, Z Rock, Yes Dear, Arrested Development
Arrested Development
Arrested Development is an American television sitcom created by Mitchell Hurwitz for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The show's storyline centers on the Bluth family, a formerly wealthy, habitually dysfunctional family and is presented in a continuous format, incorporating hand-held camera work,...
, Chappelle Show and The Office
The Office
The Office is a popular mockumentary/situation comedy TV show that was first made in the UK and has now been re-made in many other countries, with overall viewership in the hundreds of millions worldwide. The original version of The Office was created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant. It...
. O'Neal was a regular on the Fox series The Jury, and he starred in the Comedy Central animated program Shorties Watching Shorties, along with Nick DiPaolo
Nick DiPaolo
Nicholas Rocco "Nick" DiPaolo is an American stand-up comedian, writer, actor and radio host formerly on 92.3 Free FM in New York City until May 24, 2007, when the station changed formats. He is also a frequent guest on the Opie and Anthony and Howard Stern radio shows...
. He supplied the voice of Harold Jenkins on Noggin’s animated program O'Grady High and was featured as Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
in Denis Leary
Denis Leary
Denis Colin Leary is an Irish-American actor, comedian, writer and director. Leary is known for his biting, fast paced comedic style and chain smoking...
’s Searchlight. In 2005, O'Neal filmed a half-hour One Night Stand
One Night Stand
One Night Stand is an HBO stand-up series that first aired on February 15, 1989. The half-hour series aired weekly and featured stand-up comedy specials from some of the top performing comedians. The series originally comprised 55 specials over the course of its four years on HBO...
special for HBO, and shortly thereafter became the first host of VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
's Web Junk 20
Web Junk 20
Web Junk 20 is an American television program in which Vh1 and iFilm collaborate to highlight the twenty funniest and most interesting clips collected from the Internet that week. The show is now hosted by comedian Aries Spears. Patrice O'Neal hosted the first two seasons, while Jim Breuer hosted...
. O'Neal left the show after two seasons, expressing concerns that the show's audience was too different from his own. In 2006 and 2007 he joined Opie and Anthony's Traveling Virus Comedy Tour
Opie and Anthony's Traveling Virus Comedy Tour
The Opie and Anthony Traveling Virus is the comedy event of 2006, a concert tour starring comedians featured on the Opie and Anthony show on XM Satellite Radio and CBS Radio...
, playing large outdoor concert arenas across the country.
Since his move back to New York in 2002, O'Neal became a recognized radio personality as a regular guest and occasional co-host on the Opie and Anthony
Opie and Anthony
Opie and Anthony are the hosts of The Opie & Anthony Show, a talk radio program airing in the United States and Canada on XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio. Since the merger of the two satellite companies, this is now called Sirius/XM...
program. Along with Bill Burr
Bill Burr
William "Bill" Burr is an American stand-up comedian, radio host and actor.-Life and career:Burr was born in Canton, Massachusetts. His father was a dentist, and Bill worked as a hygienist for a short time. He began stand-up at age 23 after attending Emerson College. In 1995, he moved to New...
and Robert Kelly
Robert Kelly
-Media:* Robert Kelker-Kelly , American soap opera actor* Robert Kelly , American standup comedian* Robert Kelly , American poet...
, he filled in as co-host for comedian Jim Norton
Jim Norton (comedian)
James Joseph "Jim" Norton, Jr. is an American stand-up comedian, radio personality, author, and actor. He is an on-air personality, often dubbed the 'third mic' on The Opie and Anthony Show, which airs on Sirius XM Radio...
while he filmed Lucky Louie
Lucky Louie
Lucky Louie is an American television sitcom created by Louis C.K., that aired for one season on HBO in 2006. In addition to being the creator, writer and executive producer of the series, C.K. stars as the eponymous Louie, a part-time mechanic...
. From 2006 to 2008, O'Neal hosted an call-in relationship advice show on XM Radio, which ended when the satellite network merged with rival Sirius. Initially promoted as Bitch Management, the show was titled The Black Philip Show, a reference to Dr. Phil. Dante Nero co-hosted, and a rotating cast of female comedians have played third mic. The show aired until the station suspended much of its Saturday night programming when they were unable to reconcile budget concerns with the new management following the merger. O'Neal had also appeared as a guest on other radio shows like Alex Jones
Alex Jones
Alex or Alexander Jones may refer to:*Alex Jones , U.S. radio host and filmmaker*Alex Jones , Major League Baseball pitcher from 1889 to 1903...
and The Howard Stern Show and numerous guest appearances on political talk shows on the Fox News channel.
Living in the New York area, O'Neal performed at comedy clubs in the area, including headlining appearances at Comix comedy club
Comix comedy club
Opened in September 2006 by business partners Harlan Halper and Michael Palitz, Comix was a venue for stand-up comedy located in The Meatpacking District in New York City on 14th Street and 9th Avenue...
and Caroline's
Caroline's
Carolines on Broadway is a venue for stand-up comedy located in Times Square in New York City on Broadway between 49th and 50th Street. It is one of the most established, famous, and recognized stand-up comedy clubs in the United States. Its marketing slogan is "America's Premiere Comedy...
. In February 2011, Comedy Central
Comedy Central
Comedy Central is an American cable television and satellite television channel that carries comedy programming, both original and syndicated....
aired his first hour-long special, Elephant in the Room. He eventually began a web series and podcast called The Patrice Oneal Show - Coming Soon! showing various episodes as of May 15, 2007. He performed with a five-person group—Bryan Kennedy, Dante Nero, Vondecarlo Brown, Harris Stanton and Wil Sylvince—touching on many fictional scenarios. The show was produced by For Your Imagination and can be found on O'Neal's website. He guest-starred in another For Your Imagination-produced show, called Break a Leg
Break a Leg (sitcom)
Break a Leg is an independently-created internet sitcom. The show is filmed in the handheld, one-camera style associated with mockumentaries such as The Office....
, playing Adult-Sized Gary Coleman
Gary Coleman
Gary Wayne Coleman was an American actor, known for his childhood role as Arnold Jackson in the American sitcom Diff'rent Strokes and for his small stature as an adult. He was described in the 1980s as "one of television's most promising stars". After a successful childhood acting career, Coleman...
. O'Neal voiced Jeffron James in Grand Theft Auto IV
Grand Theft Auto IV
Grand Theft Auto IV is a 2008 open world action video game published by Rockstar Games, and developed by British games developer Rockstar North. It has been released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 video game consoles, and for the Windows operating system...
, on an in-game radio show, Fizz!.
On September 19, 2011, Patrice was one of the many roasters at the Comedy Central Roast
Comedy Central Roast
The Comedy Central Roasts are a series of celebrity roast specials which air on the Comedy Central cable network.-History:Between 1998 and 2001, Comedy Central produced and televised the annual roasts of the New York Friars' Club. After the original five-year agreement expired, the network began...
of Charlie Sheen. This would be his final television appearance before his death two months later. O'Neal's final recorded interview was with Jay Mohr
Jay Mohr
Jay Mohr is an American actor and stand up comedian. He is known for his role as Professor Rick Payne in the TV series Ghost Whisperer, the title role in the CBS sitcom Gary Unmarried, which ran from 2008 to 2010, and the back-stabbing sports agent Bob Sugar in Jerry Maguire.-Early life:Mohr was...
on his "Mohr Stories" Podcast #17, uploaded October 27th, 2011, shortly after news of his stroke.
Not long after O'Neal's passing, BSeen media announced the release of a new album - the comedian's first - to be released in February 2012. It was recorded at the D.C. Improv.
Illness and death
On October 26, 2011, it was announced on The Opie and Anthony ShowOpie and Anthony
Opie and Anthony are the hosts of The Opie & Anthony Show, a talk radio program airing in the United States and Canada on XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio. Since the merger of the two satellite companies, this is now called Sirius/XM...
that O'Neal had suffered a stroke a week earlier, on October 19. At 7:00 AM on November 29, 2011, he died due to complications from his stroke. O'Neal had struggled with diabetes and weight issues for several years. He was survived by his wife, Vondecarlo; mother, Georgia; stepdaughter, Aymilyon, and sister, Zinder.
Reactions and tributes
On November 30th, a dozen comedians gathered to eulogize O'Neal on The Opie and Anthony Show, a radio program that O'Neal had appeared on over 100 times. These comedians included Louis CK, Joe RoganJoe Rogan
Joseph James "Joe" Rogan is an American comedian, video blogger, actor, writer, podcaster, and martial artist. He is best known for his work on NewsRadio, his work as color commentator for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and his hosting work on Fear Factor.-Acting:In 1994, Rogan co-starred on...
, Bill Burr
Bill Burr
William "Bill" Burr is an American stand-up comedian, radio host and actor.-Life and career:Burr was born in Canton, Massachusetts. His father was a dentist, and Bill worked as a hygienist for a short time. He began stand-up at age 23 after attending Emerson College. In 1995, he moved to New...
, Colin Quinn
Colin Quinn
Colin Edward Quinn is an American stand-up comedian and writer best known for his five years in the cast of Saturday Night Live, as the sidekick/announcer of MTV's late 1980s gameshow Remote Control and as host of Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn on Comedy Central from 2002–2004.-Early years:Quinn was...
, Amy Schumer
Amy Schumer
Amy Beth Schumer is an American stand-up comedian. She placed fourth on NBC's Last Comic Standing Season 5, and she placed second on Comedy Central's Reality Bites Back.-Life and career:...
, and Dave Attel, among others.
Always known as a comedian's comedian, O'Neal was one of the best loved acts by his peers. Many comics reacted via Twitter
Twitter
Twitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...
. "The best comedian in the world has died," proclaimed Norm MacDonald
Norm MacDonald
Norman Gene "Norm" Macdonald is a Canadian stand-up comedian, writer and actor. He is best known for his five seasons as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, which included anchoring Weekend Update for three years...
. Dave Attell
Dave Attell
Dave Attell is an American stand-up comedian and the host of Comedy Central's Insomniac with Dave Attell and The Gong Show with Dave Attell.-Stand-up beginning:...
tweeted "Patrice O. was and is one of the best comics I have ever had the pleasure to watch perform." Ricky Gervais, a long time vocal fan of O'Neal's, said "One of my favourite stand up comedians. So sad. RIP,". Dennis Leary called him "one of the funniest men who ever walked this earth" and Bill Burr concurred, saying he was "the most purely funny human being I’ve ever met." Doug Stanhope
Doug Stanhope
Douglas Gene "Doug" Stanhope is an American stand-up comedian, actor, and author known for his abrasive comedy routines.-Life and career:Stanhope quit high school after his freshman year...
remembered O'Neal as "one of the best ever. Inspiring every time I heard him on anything." Dane Cook
Dane Cook
Dane Jeffrey Cook is an American stand-up comedian and film actor. He has released five comedy albums: Harmful If Swallowed; Retaliation; Vicious Circle; Rough Around The Edges: Live From Madison Square Garden; and Isolated Incident. In 2006, Retaliation became the highest charting comedy album...
, a fellow Boston native echoed "He was 1 of the best ever." Dozens of other comedians echoed similar sentiments on Twitter. Comedian Jon Stewart
Jon Stewart
Jon Stewart is an American political satirist, writer, television host, actor, media critic and stand-up comedian...
paid his respects through his "Moment of Zen" bit, in his show The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, stating: "Sad News. Once again in comedy we lose somebody, who's too funny, too soon." This statement was followed by a clip of O'Neal's stand up special Elephant in the Room
Elephant in the Room (Patrice O'Neal)
Elephant in the Room is a stand up special by comedian Patrice O'Neal, released by Comedy Central. "Elephant in the Room" DVD was released by Comedy Central on February 22nd 2011. It is the comedian's only "hour-length" special and his first to be released on DVD or CD...
.
Many entertainers outside of the comedy community reacted as well. Director Kevin Smith
Kevin Smith
Kevin Patrick Smith is an American screenwriter, actor, film producer, and director, as well as a popular comic book writer, author, comedian/raconteur, and internet radio personality best recognized by viewers as Silent Bob...
said "I shared some air & some air time with the man on O&A
Opie and Anthony
Opie and Anthony are the hosts of The Opie & Anthony Show, a talk radio program airing in the United States and Canada on XM Satellite Radio and Sirius Satellite Radio. Since the merger of the two satellite companies, this is now called Sirius/XM...
& he was always funny & thoughtful. He WILL be missed." Author Chuck Palahniuk
Chuck Palahniuk
Charles Michael "Chuck" Palahniuk is an American transgressional fiction novelist and freelance journalist. He is best known for the award-winning novel Fight Club, which was later made into a film directed by David Fincher and starring Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, and Helena Bonham Carter...
tweeted "We lost a great comedian yesterday." Rapper Talib Kweli
Talib Kweli
Talib Kweli Greene , better known as Talib Kweli, is an American hip-hop artist and poet from Brooklyn, New York. His first name in Arabic means "student" or "seeker" ; his in Swahili means "true"...
said "Super funny and I had the pleasure of meeting the man. We will miss you." The Roots
The Roots
The Roots is an American hip hop/neo soul band formed in 1987 by Tariq "Black Thought" Trotter and Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are famed for beginning with a jazzy, eclectic approach to hip hop which still includes live instrumentals...
drummer Questlove mourned "so grateful I got to see Patrice Oneal do his last NYC gig. Man, this is so devastating. He truly was one of my favorite comics." Nick Cannon
Nick Cannon
Nicholas Scott "Nick" Cannon is an American actor, comedian, rapper, entrepreneur, record producer, radio, and television personality. On television, Cannon began as a teenage sketch comedian on All That before going on to host The Nick Cannon Show, Wild 'N Out, and America's Got Talent...
called him "An amazing comedian and an even better person." Actor Charlie Sheen
Charlie Sheen
Carlos Irwin Estevez , better known by his stage name Charlie Sheen, is an American film and television actor. He is the youngest son of actor Martin Sheen....
paid his respects through his blog, saying: "The entertainment world as well as the world at large lost a brilliant man today. Patrice had that rare "light" around him and inside of him. I only knew him for the few days leading up the Roast. Yet I will forever be inspired by his nobility, his grace and his epic talent. My tears today are for the tremendous loss to his true friends and loving family."
Television
| Year(s) | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | The Colin Quinn Show The Colin Quinn Show The Colin Quinn Show was a three episode sketch variety show hosted by Colin Quinn in 2002.... |
Various | |
| 2002 | Contest Searchlight Contest Searchlight Contest Searchlight was a four-episode fictional comedy television series that aired in 2002 on the Comedy Central network. It was a documentary-style parody or mockumentary of the HBO network's non-fictional series Project Greenlight.... |
Himself | |
| 2002 | Chappelle's Show Chappelle's Show Chappelle's Show is an American sketch comedy television series created by comedian Dave Chappelle and Neal Brennan, with Chappelle hosting the show as well as starring in various skits. Chappelle, Brennan and Michele Armour were the show's executive producers. The series premiered on January 22,... |
Pit Bull | 1 Episode |
| 2003 | Yes, Dear Yes, Dear Yes, Dear is a television sitcom that aired from October 2, 2000, to February 15, 2006, on CBS. It starred Anthony Clark, Jean Louisa Kelly, Mike O'Malley and Liza Snyder.... |
Tow Truck Driver | 1 Episode |
| 2003 | Ed Ed (TV series) Ed is an NBC television program co-produced by David Letterman's Worldwide Pants Incorporated, NBC Productions, and Viacom Productions that aired from 2000 to 2004.... |
Andre Stangel | Uncredited |
| 2003 | Arrested Development | T-Bone | 1 Episode |
| 2004 | The Jury The Jury (TV series) The Jury is an American legal drama television series that was broadcast by the Fox Network in 2004. Each week, in the same New York City courtroom, a new 12-person jury deliberates over a criminal case... |
Adam Walker | Recurring |
| 2004 | Shorties Watchin' Shorties Shorties Watchin' Shorties Shorties Watchin' Shorties was a television show broadcast on Comedy Central that is now on DVD. The show is made up of various short animated clips with audio from comedians' stand up routines. It also features two "shorties," a pair of babies voiced by Nick DiPaolo and Patrice O'Neal who watch... |
Baby Patrice | Voice |
| 2004-2006 | O'Grady O'Grady O'Grady is an animated television show created by Tom Snyder and Carl Adams and developed for TV by co-star Holly Schlesinger. It used to air on The N in the US, on MTV in Latin America, Nickelodeon in the United Kingdom and on 2x2 in Russia. It stars Melissa Bardin Galsky and H... |
Harold | Voice |
| 2005-2007 | The Office | Lonny | 3 Episodes |
| 2006 | Web Junk 20 Web Junk 20 Web Junk 20 is an American television program in which Vh1 and iFilm collaborate to highlight the twenty funniest and most interesting clips collected from the Internet that week. The show is now hosted by comedian Aries Spears. Patrice O'Neal hosted the first two seasons, while Jim Breuer hosted... |
Host | 2 Seasons |
| 2008 | Assy McGee Assy McGee Assy McGee is an animated sitcom featuring police detective Assy McGee, a parody of tough-guy cops, who is literally a walking pair of buttocks. Along with his partner Don Sanchez , the trigger-happy McGee solves crimes in a fictionalized Exeter, New Hampshire. Larry Murphy voices all of the main... |
Blind Anthony | Voice |
| 2008 | Z Rock Z Rock (TV series) Z Rock is an American television series, which airs on the IFC in the United States.The show is a semi-scripted comedy and is based on the double life of a Brooklyn band, ZO2. By night, they are a hard rock band but to pay the bills, they are the Z Brothers by day, playing kiddie parties... |
Guest Star | |
| 2011 | Roast of Charlie Sheen | Himself |
Film
| Year(s) | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 25th Hour 25th Hour 25th Hour is a 2002 American drama film directed by Spike Lee and is based on the novel The 25th Hour written by David Benioff, who also wrote the screenplay. The film stars Edward Norton, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Barry Pepper, Rosario Dawson, Anna Paquin, and Brian Cox... |
Khari | |
| 2003 | Head of State Head of State (film) Head of State is a 2003 comedy film directed, written by, and starring Chris Rock and also co-starring Bernie Mac. The film's title refers to that function of the President of the United States, the other two functions being head of government and commander in chief.-Plot:Mays Gilliam is an... |
Warren | |
| 2003 | In the Cut In the Cut In the Cut is a 2003 American erotic thriller and mystery film, written and directed by Jane Campion and starring Meg Ryan, Mark Ruffalo and Jennifer Jason Leigh. Campion's screenplay is an adaption of the novel of the same name by Susanna Moore... |
Hector | |
| 2006 | Scary Movie 4 Scary Movie 4 Scary Movie 4 is the fourth film of the Scary Movie franchise, directed by David Zucker, written by Jim Abrahams, Craig Mazin and Pat Proft, and produced by Craig Mazin and Robert K. Weiss. It is distributed by The Weinstein Company via its Dimension Films unit in the U.S. and Television, and... |
Rasheed | Uncredited |
| 2010 | Furry Vengeance Furry Vengeance Furry Vengeance is a 2010 American comedy film directed by Roger Kumble. It stars Brendan Fraser, Matt Prokop, and Brooke Shields.-Plot:It all started when a prairie dog screams after Riggs' car passes by it and throwing a cigar, not minding about the environment... |
Gus |