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Standup comedian Kevin Rooney hasdied. He was 71.
The Emmy winner, who worked onJay Leno’s first comedy specialJay Leno and the American DreamandThe Dennis Miller Show,passed away on July 9 at his home after a long battle with diabetes and end-stage renal failure, according toDeadline.
After meeting at The Improv in New York City in the 1980s, Rooney began writing Leno’s “what’s my beef?” segments forLate Night with David Lettermanand later worked on his 1986 comedy special, the outlet reported.
“He was the greatest muse a comedian could ever have,” Leno said in a statement toThe Hollywood Reporter. “I got so much material just through conversations with Kevin. The first time I saw him, I thought, ‘Oh boy, this guy is really good.’ It’s a real voice. There’s no gimmicks. He didn’t have a catch phrase. There wasn’t a funny look.”
“When times were rough, they throw out the catch phrase or funny look. Kevin didn’t have any of that. I don’t know anybody who thought they were better than Kevin Rooney,” he continued. “When Kevin took the stage, we’d all step inside. Me,[Jerry] Seinfeld, Larry Miller. At the end of the night, we’d all say, ‘Rooney’s story was really funny.’ We were all genuinely happy when he had success.”
Leno added that Rooney will be remembered for his one-of-a-kind voice.
“He was a guy who earned it, a unique voice,” Leno shared. “Never derivative of anyone else. It was that classic New England sarcastic voice. But there was a humanity behind it. Even when he said the most sarcastic thing. He will be greatly missed.”
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Rooney was also a writer for HBO’sThe Dennis Miller Showwhich earned him two consecutive Emmys in 1994 and 1995.
Rooney also brought his writing talents to sitcoms includingGolden Girlsspin-offThe Golden Palace,The Naked Truth,Boston Common,My Wife and Kids,Brothersand’til Death.
He performed standup on shows including late-night talks shows includingThe Tonight ShowandLate Night with David Letterman.
Rooney joined the cast of Rob Reiner’sWhen Harry Met Sallyto play Ira.
The comedian also became a mentor for up-and-coming stars includingJudd Apatow.
“Kevin was the sweetest man, but he loved to rant - and when he did, no one was funnier,” Apatow shared in a statement. “He won two Emmys for writing epic rants for Dennis Miller’s talk shows. He was not a famous man, but comedy people knew him well and mourn him as one of the best of all time.”
On July 9, Apatow also paid tribute to the late comedian onTwitter, writing, “So sad to hear about Kevin Rooney. He was hilariously funny. His material was so smart and biting.”
He added, “He wrote a lot of great material for Dennis Miller and Jay Leno. When I first started he was so kind and taught me so much about stand up and writing. A legendary person. RIP.”
source: people.com
