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Artist
Patrice O'Neal
12+ albums
comedystand-upgeniusAllStand Up
about
Patrice Malcolm O'Neal (December 7, 1969 – November 29, 2011) was an American stand-up comedian, actor, and radio host. He grew up in Boston and developed an interest in stand-up comedy at a young age, first performing in 1992 when his act mainly focused on conversations with his audience. O'Neal became known for his conversational style, deconstructive analysis, and often confrontational point of view in his stand-up routines. His profile rose through appearances on Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn and, from 2002, XM Radio's Opie and Anthony. He hosted The Black Phillip Show on radio from 2006 to 2008. In 2010, O'Neal released his first and only hour-length special, Elephant in the Room for Comedy Central, an uncut version of which was released on CD and DVD. O'Neal died of a stroke resulting from his type 2 diabetes on November 29, 2011, at the age of 41. O'Neal began his comedy career in Boston at an open mic at Estelle's Bar and Grill in October 1992. In the late 1990s, he moved to New York City, where he became a regular at the Comedy Cellar, before relocating to Los Angeles, in the hopes of finding greater fame. Frustrated by his lack of success in Los Angeles, O'Neal relocated to the United Kingdom to work on his comedy there. He worked harder as an outsider and a foreigner to gain the respect of his peers, and after some months he became a fixture in the UK clubs. He returned to the New York area in 2002 when he got the offer to do his first half-hour special for Showt
