Standup Comedian John Pinette Found Dead at Age 50

John Pinette was a standup comedian. He was best known for his self-depreciating jokes about his weight and his guest appearance in the finale of Seinfeld. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pinette was found dead at a Sheraton hotel in Pittsburgh, PA on Saturday, April 5th. He was in the middle of touring and was supposed to appear in California next. He was 50 years old.

No autopsy was performed, but his personal physician attributed his early death to heart and liver disease.

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John Pinette was no rookie to the stage. For the past sixteen years, Pinette has been in entertainment one way or another. Once he realized he could use his knack to make people laugh and turn it into a career, he left his job as an accountant and began touring Comedy Clubs around the country.

His caught his big break when he was asked to tour with Frank Sinatra and he's since become a regular guest on The Tonight Show and The View. Most recently, Pinette came off the theatrical stage and to the stand-up stage after wrapping up his starring role as 'Edna Turnblad' in the winning Broadway musical Hairspray.

His note-worthy accomplishments include being named Stand-Up Comedian of the Year by the American Comedy Awards in 1999 and he was also nominated for a Gemini Award for his television performance at The Montreal Comedy Festival in 2000. Pinette's acting career includes roles alongside Gwenyth Paltrow, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and John Travolta. He is experienced in both film and television and has been featured in programs such as Parker Lewis Can't Lose and starred as a car-jack victim in the final episode of Seinfeld.