RIP PATRICE O'NEAL

"A lot of people walk out of my show. If I've got 250-300 people in the audience, 20 will walk out. I average about 20 walkouts, which is good. Because everybody else stays, and I love that. That's what comedy is. Not everybody should be laughing at everything at the same time. That's not even natural. "

Patrice O'Neal is a guy not enough people knew about, a comedian who was not just funny but smart and honest about life. He was a huge black dude, very overweight and tall and yet he didn't make any of his bit about his size, it was just about life and people. One of my favorite bits he did was about black women.

I've noted on here many times before the way news shows (especially Fox News) fixates on missing little white girls. O'Neal made a whole bit about it, mocking the coverage of news and police when a white girl goes missing versus a black girl.

The key part was how the audience all knew the name of Natalie Holloway, but didn't know the name of the Peruvian girl killed by the same man. And she'd only died a few weeks before the show. It was hilarious and biting at the same time.

He had a lot of physical problems, not the least of which was diabetes, and he died recently. Patrice O'Neal was a light spot of comedy in a pretty dreary field of lame hacks. Here's a bit from the Nick and Artie Show (which I recommend, but be ready to be offended and confronted with stuff you don't in many places). They discuss their friend and toast him: