Patrice O'Neal Was Probably Funnier Than Your Favorite Comedian (New Doc 'Killing Is Easy' Shows Why)
Written by Zachary Franck
Patrice O’Neal: Killing Is Easy, the new documentary about the late comic’s life, aired on Comedy Central this past Friday, February 19th. Although a lot of comedians have expressed their distaste for the network in recent years, many applauded the quality of this production. It was incredibly well-done and showcased the truthfulness of Patrice’s life and creativity. A group of his closest friends, some of them now superstars, poured their hearts into the film and made sure it represented his legacy properly.
His comedy was deep and often bordered philosophy (some of the best comedy usually does), touching on racial issues and the relationship between men and women – but he was always aiming for laughs, not applause breaks. Patrice was the pure embodiment of standup comedy, he wasn’t interested in the charades on the sidelines. As talented as he was, he often shot himself in the foot with his unwillingness to play the game of plastic smiles and empty words. It’s no secret that Patrice O’Neal loathed the industry and this documentary showed that on more than one occasion.
Originally hailing from Boston, he evolved into the force that everyone in New York City. Once he moved there in 1998 and started to get spots, his fellow comedians realized that he was uniquely gifted. Bill Burr and Dane Cook were two of his earliest friends in comedy, the three of them came up together in Boston and grew closer in New York. It’s clear that each of them had their own special relationship with Patrice, their love shines through whenever they talk about him on screen. Kevin Hart started going to NYC in 1999 and the two of them quickly became close, he tells some hilarious stories throughout the documentary. The NYC comedy renaissance of 1995-2005 was flat out special – doing spots at The Comedy Cellar was like swimming through shark-infested waters. Patrice O’Neal stood out amongst some of the greatest to ever do it and is often praised by his peers to this day.
In 2002, he started to gain more notoriety through his appearances on Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn and the notorious XM radio show, Opie & Anthony. Still, he would not bend or break for Hollywood which led to a multitude of missed opportunites. He was at his best when he was surrounded by his friends in New York City. The scenes in this documentary with Bill Burr, Jim Norton, Robert Kelly, Rich Voss, and Keith Robinson sitting around their legendary table at The Comedy Cellar, reminiscing and laughing about Patrice are priceless.
As the years went by and more bridges in the industry got burned, he reached a plateau. A stand-up comedian of his caliber was more deserving of a one hour special than most. It is arguably the most important piece of a stand-ups career, as his manager Jonathan Brandstein says in the doc. It often makes or breaks a comedian and Patrice knew that. In 2010, he filmed Elephant In The Room for Comedy Central. He knocked it out of the park and his career was about to take off into the stratosphere. If you really know stand-up comedy, you know that it’s one of the greatest specials ever made. If you’re not familiar with it, go watch it.
Unfortunately, Patrice O’Neal had a massive stroke and died nine months later. He never got to fully experience the fruits of his labor. Bill Burr and the rest of his friends have done a benefit show for his family every single year since he died. They’ve kept his memory, and his legacy, carved in stone. Patrice O’Neal was a flawed man with a tortured soul which gave him an individual perspective on the human condition that was real and relatable. He lit up rooms with sharp veracity, making people laugh at things that they’d never find funny otherwise. He was a truth seeker that used his sense of humor to navigate the many layers of his existence while taking others along for the ride. This documentary is a vital reminder of the authenticity and brilliance of one of the funniest and smartest comics to ever step foot on stage.
Rest In Peace Patrice O’Neal
12/7/69 - 11/29/11
