Loading...
Throughout the history of comedy, many comedians have lost themselves to the art’s darker side, through addiction, suicide, depression and self-destruction. Dark Side of Comedy explores these stories, shining a new light on comedy’s darkest corners.
2023
Robin Williams’ suicide shocked the world. While he was one of the most successful comedians ever, he was struggling privately with crushing health and psychological issues.
Sam Kinison revolutionized comedy with a vulgar, sexist act, but his appetite for cocaine and chaos would lead to a dramatic downfall at the height of his massive success.
Joan Rivers' insults made her a comedy icon, but the pressures of a male-dominated industry led to eating disorders, self-loathing, and a deadly addiction to plastic surgery.
Carlos Mencia was one of the biggest comics in America until accusations of joke theft led to one of the most dramatic downfalls in comedy history.
Phil Hartman was a beloved SNL and Simpsons cast member, but his squeaky clean image was at odds with a toxic marriage that descended into a tragic murder-suicide.
Tracy Morgan survived drug-dealing, hyper-competitive SNL, and substance abuse. But a brutal car accident and two-week coma made him finally confront his childhood demons.
Family Matters was one of the most wholesome sitcoms of the 90s, but the success of the show led to issues for many cast members who are still dealing with trauma and addiction.
Ellen DeGeneres revolutionized TV with a unique brand of positive humor, but behind the scenes a massive controversy was brewing--one that would tarnish her image forever.
On SNL and beyond, Norm MacDonald was legendary for his fearless comedy. But his controversial persona concealed a serious gambling problem and a secret that he took to his grave.
Gilda Radner was SNL's first female star. But her pioneering success was plagued by trauma, eating disorders, heartbreak and cancer, all of which she turned into comedy material.
2022
Struggling with addiction and a dangerously low self-image, Chris Farley’s old friends at Saturday Night Live conspired to help save the falling star.
In the late 80s Andrew Dice Clay was one of the biggest comedians on the planet. His controversial brand of comedy found a huge base with white men in America... but at what cost?
Brash, bold, and hilariously funny, Roseanne Barr made a name speaking her mind. And that very same impulse may have cost her her career.
Artie Lange enjoyed mainstream success as a comedian on TV and radio, but his addiction to heroin, coupled with childhood traumas, threatened to thwart his ambition... and his life.
Richard Pryor confronted America with brutal honesty like no other comic. But while he fought for a voice on stage, he was losing his own battle to drugs and family trauma.
Dustin Diamond found fame as a lovable geek on Saved By The Bell. But when it ended, Dustin was lost, descending into one tragic chapter after another.
How comedian Greg Giraldo's career, and life, is sabotaged by a toxic mix of addiction and self-loathing.
How Brett Butler gained everything, only to lose it all.
A working class Peurto Rican kid, Freddie Prinze exploded onto the comedy scene but his overnight fame came to an abrupt end.
How Maria Bamford channels her mental illness into comedy, and encourages others to do the same.
Dave Foley
Self - Narrator (voice)
