Comedian Brody Stevens Dead by Suicide at 48: ‘Another Singular Force of Nature Gone’

Yet another comedian is dead of an apparent suicide.

Brody Stevens, a beloved stand-up comic who was born with the name Steven Brody and grew up in California’s San Fernando Valley—”818 ‘til I die” he was known to say—was reportedly found hanging in his home early Friday afternoon. He was 48 years old.

Best known for his irreverent, energetic stand-up style full of positive affirmations, Stevens spent years warming up the crowd for Chelsea Handler’s E! series Chelsea Lately. He liked to remind club audiences about his brief appearances in the first two Hangover movies. And with his friend Zach Galifianakis he co-created a documentary series based on his life called Brody Stevens: Enjoy It! that first appeared on HBO GO in 2012 before making an extended run on Comedy Central the following year.

On Enjoy It!, Stevens explored his own struggles with bipolar disorder, including a 2011 arrest and hospitalization prompted by an infamous Twitter rant in which he told followers he was off his medication and had a gun in his mouth.

In a statement to The Daily Beast, his reps wrote, “Brody was an inspiring voice who was a friend to many in the comedy community. He pushed creative boundaries and his passion for his work and his love of baseball were contagious. He was beloved by many and will be greatly missed. We respectfully ask for privacy at this time.”

Following the news of his death on Friday, there was an outpouring of love, disbelief and devastation from his fellow comedians on that platform. He was, in many ways, the ultimate comedian’s comedian—not necessarily well known to the broader public, but adored and deeply respected by the comedy community.