Richard Jeni facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Richard Jeni |
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| Birth name | Richard John Colangelo |
| Born | April 14, 1957 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Died | March 10, 2007 (aged 49) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Medium | Improv, stand up |
| Nationality | United States |
| Years active | 1982–2007 |
| Genres | Comedy |
| Notable works and roles | Charlie Schumaker in The Mask Himself in Platypus Man |
Richard John Colangelo (born April 14, 1957 – died March 10, 2007) was an American stand-up comedian and actor. He was much better known by his stage name Richard Jeni. He was famous for his energetic comedy style and his many appearances on TV shows.
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Early Life and Education
Richard Jeni grew up in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, as part of an Italian-American family. He went to Hunter College and graduated with high honors. He earned a bachelor's degree in comparative politics. This means he studied how different governments and political systems around the world work.
After college, Richard first tried working in public relations. However, he soon discovered his true passion. In 1982, he tried an open-mic night in Brooklyn. This is where new comedians can perform for a small audience. He loved it so much that he decided to become a stand-up comedian.
Richard Jeni's Comedy Career
Richard Jeni quickly became well-known for his comedy. He had several stand-up specials on the Showtime channel. He also appeared very often on The Tonight Show. He first performed on The Tonight Show in 1988 with Johnny Carson. Later, he appeared many times on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. In fact, he was on the show more than any other stand-up comedian!
In 1989, Richard Jeni won an award called Comedy USA's Best Nightclub Comedian. Comedy club owners and other comedians voted for him. His first Showtime special, Richard Jeni: The Boy From New York City, also won a CableACE Award. This award recognized excellence in cable television.
HBO Specials and Acting Roles
Richard Jeni's popularity grew even more when HBO picked up his first special in 1992. It was called Richard Jeni: Platypus Man. This show was very popular, and he made two more specials for HBO. He even won another CableACE Award for one of his HBO shows.
Besides stand-up, Richard Jeni also acted. He starred in a TV show called Platypus Man in 1995. He also appeared in the movie The Mask with Jim Carrey. In The Mask, he played the character Charlie Schumaker. Richard also wrote the theme song for his TV series, which was called "I'm A Platypus Man."
He appeared in other films too, like Dad's Week Off, An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn, and Chasing Robert. He was also in commercials for products like Certs and Arby's. He even won a Clio Award for his writing and performing in an ad campaign for the American Dairy Association.
In 2004, Comedy Central made a list of the 100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time. Richard Jeni was ranked #57 on this important list.
See also
In Spanish: Richard Jeni para niños
