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Patrice O'Neal, a stand-up comedian who boisterously took on controversial topics like race, AIDS and his own struggle with diabetes, died on Tuesday. He was 41 and lived in New Jersey. He died in a hospital in the New ...
Patrice O?Neal, a stand-up comedian who boisterously took on controversial topics like race, AIDS and his own struggle with diabetes, died on Tuesday. He was 41 and lived in New Jersey.
?See, I?ve got to lose weight now to stay alive, and that?s not enough motivation for me,? Mr. O?Neal said in one of his television specials on Comedy Central.
At 6 feet 4 inches and about 300 pounds, Mr. O?Neal commanded the stage with not only his bulk but also his penchant for flashy clothing and chains, and his confrontational style. He was loud and unpredictable, frequently veering away from prepared material with a curse-laden segue.
Mr. O?Neal?s reputation for brash honesty led many to call him a comic?s comic. He could alienate audiences and celebrities alike, both of whom he mocked relentlessly.
Mr. O?Neal appeared in television comedies such as ?Arrested Development? and a handful of movies, including the Spike Lee drama ?The 25th Hour? (2002), and released a stand-up album and DVD, ?Elephant in the Room? (2011).
Patrice Lumumba Malcolm O?Neal (he was named after the Congolese independence leader Patrice Lumumba, and his last name has often been spelled Oneal) was born on Dec. 7, 1969, in Boston. He began performing at open mic nights there, and by the late 1990s he was working clubs in Los Angeles and New York City.
He landed a guest appearance on the MTV comedy ?Apt. 2F? in 1997 and worked briefly as a writer for World Wrestling Entertainment before he had his first stand-up special on Comedy Central and was seen on the short-lived sketch series ?The Colin Quinn show.?