I received horrible news today when I found out that my friend, comedian John Pinette died Saturday of pulmonary embolism at 50 years old. He was an incredible stand up performer who could make any person under the sun laugh out loud and he will be missed.

A supervisor with the Allegheny County medical examiner's office said Mr. Pinette had been suffering liver and heart disease and that his death was due to natural causes. Mr. Pinette, a native of Boston, was known for his impressions and his self-deprecating pokes at his weight. He reportedly had to delay a series of performances last August to undergo treatment in a rehabilitation facility for prescription drug addiction.

He's best known for being the man that gets mugged in his car while the Seinfeld crowd stands by, mocking him as it happens in their series finale. He had his problems, but he was a good man with a heart of gold.

Pinette’s feature film credits include ’90s comedy films Reckless Kelly, Junior, and Simon Sez as well as Duets, The Punisher, Rio Sex Comedy, and Hyung-rae Shim’s The Last Godfather. On the small screen, Pinette was a regular on Parker Lewis Can’t Lose and appeared on Vinnie & Bobby, High Tide, and on the series finale of Seinfeld. His comedy special John Pinette: Still Hungry premiered on Comedy Central in 2011. At the time of his death the L.A.-based comedian was touring and developing his next stand-up special, titled John Pinette: They Call Me Slim.

I spent a week with him in Chicago for New Year's Eve in 2004 after I got back off the road from Australia and we had an absolute blast. He played six sold out shows at Zanies Comedy Club in four days. I went to every one and laughed just as much even after hearing his routine over and over again. I'm still processing his death, but I posted a video of a full show and I hope you'll check it out.

RIP, my friend.

Open thread below...