'Tube Treats: RIP Richard Jeni

The casual fan of standup comedy has probably never heard of Richard Jeni. He wasn't really one of the better-known comics; he's had a career as long as Seinfeld, or Foxworthy, or Rock, but he's never quite reached their level of mainstream notoriety. But he was excellent. Being a bit of a student of the form, I've followed Rich's career for years. His special, "Platypus Man," is one of those specials that I've kept with me on VHS, part of a library that dates back to junior high (hey, you taped 90210, I taped HBO comedy specials). It's a good go-to when you need a laugh.

So you can imagine my surprise, and sadness, when I learned that Rich died earlier this week, of apparent suicide. Tragic. So as a tribute of sorts, and for those of you who weren't fortunate enough to see his material before, I found a couple of clips to put up and give you a sense for how good he was.

First, some older stuff:


And a more recent bit, from "A Big Steaming Pile of Me":


He will be missed.