American comedian Richard Lewis, known for exploring his neuroses in frantic, stream-of-consciousness diatribes while dressed in all-black, leading to his nickname "The Prince of Pain," died at his home in Los Angeles on the evening of Tuesday, February 27, 2024. Lewis, who revealed he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2023, was 76.
A regular performer in clubs and on late-night TV for decades, Lewis also played Marty Gold, the romantic co-lead opposite Jamie Lee Curtis, in the ABC series "Anything But Love" and the reliably neurotic Prince John in "Mel Brooks' Robin Hood: Men In Tights." He re-introduced himself to a new generation opposite Larry David in HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm," kvetching regularly.
Comedy Central named Lewis one of the top 50 stand-up comedians of all time and he earned a berth in GQ magazine's list of the "20th Century's Most Influential Humorists." He lent his humor to charity causes, including Comic Relief and Comedy Gives Back.
Unlike contemporary Robin Williams, Lewis allowed audiences into his world and melancholy, pouring his torment and pain onto the stage. Fans favorably compared him to the ground-breaking comedian Lenny Bruce. "I take great pains not to be mean-spirited," Lewis told The Palm Beach Post in 2007. "I don't like to take real handicaps that people have to overcome with no hope in sight. I steer clear of that. That's not funny to me. Tragedy is funny to other humorists, but it's not to me unless you can make a point that's helpful."
After getting sober from drugs and alcohol in 1994, Lewis put out his 2008 memoir, The Other Great Depression – a collection of fearless, essay-style riffs on his life – and Reflections from Hell. He is survived by his wife, Joyce Lapinsky.