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Richard Jeni: October 31, 1962 – March 10, 2007

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"If you have a choice of selling shoes to ladies or giving birth to a flaming porcupine... look into that second career..."
Richard Jeni - Comedian.

I've noticed as of late that can measure the passing my life by remembering Comedians who have died. I can tell you exaclty what I was doing when Sam Kinison died, Richard Pyror, John Belushi, Gilda Radner, Michael O'Donoghue or Phil Hartman and I'm sure 10 years from now I'll remember what I was doing when I heard Richard Jeni died.

Death is one thing, but suicide? I don't get it. Dying is easy and inevitable, so what's the rush? I always thought it was a shame to waste what life you have when so many were begging for more. How many people in the Intensive Care Units in hospitals around the world cry out for just another hour, another day or to hold on just long enough to hold the hand of their loved ones? For someone to consider suicide just seems so damn angry to me. Its like eating a four course meal in front of a homeless man and laughing at him for what he doesnt have.

I've never understood the process of thinking that would lead you to want to commit suicide, ritual or otherwise. Everytime I see it happen, I understand it even less than I did the time before. I understand cancer, sickness, disease or even "old age", but I do not get suicide.

I don't think I ever will.

It's when I see something like this happen that I'm reminded that for some people, life on earth is a life spent in a very lonely place that is awash in a universe of irrationality.

Posted @ March 11, 2007 07:13 PM | Current Affairs

Comments

Irrationality?
Well, maybe for you and me, but not for all.

I had a car mechanic- Great guy, fun to be around. Might even have been able to be a professional comedian if he had tried. He had headaches. When they'd come on, they caused him disabling pain. They came pretty frequently, and no matter how hard they tried, no one could do anything that would alleviate his pain.

Two years ago, after battling with a headache for several days, he decided a trip to the backyard with his .357 was in order.

I miss his skills, and I miss visiting with him when he was pain free.
But I understand his decision, and I'm not sure I'd agree it was irrational.

Posted by: Greybeard at March 12, 2007 08:11 PM

I just spent waaaay to much time writing a comment on this and was denied due to "questionable content". I sure wish I knew what was "questionable" about it. Fortunatly I saved it to clipboard and will probably write a post using it if I ever start my blog back up.
Goodnight gang and
RIP Mr Jeni

Posted by: TBinSTL at March 14, 2007 01:08 AM