Dying of laughter
How comedy stars are far less likely to reach old age
THEY make their living keeping us in stitches but being a top comedian is no laughing matter.
Not only are they generally likely to die before their time, but the statistics are even worse for the funnier man or woman of a comedy duo.
Late nights, smoky rooms, poor pay and low job security all seem to take their toll on stand-ups’ health, according to an Australian study.
And the tortured genius that sparks their wit may make them more vulnerable to mental health problems, alcoholism, drug abuse and suicide.
Robin Williams was just 63 when he took his own life in 2014. Heart attacks killed Rik Mayall at 56, Les Dawson at 62 and Tommy Cooper at 63. Among others to suffer untimely deaths were Caroline Aherne, 52 when she died this month, and Victoria Wood, who died in April aged 62.
Researchers analysed hundreds of entertainers and found that stand-up comedians in particular tend to die early.
Comic actors and performers also die younger on average. Examples include Marty Feldman, 48, Peter Sellers, 54, Peter Cook, 57, Willie Rushton, 59, and Mel Smith, 60.
Carry On stars Sid James and Kenneth Williams both died aged 62, while Hattie Jacques was 58. In a comedy duo, the funnier they are the younger they die – the straight man tends to live longer, it seems. Ernie Wise died at 73, outliving Eric Morecambe by 15 years, and Bernie Winters died aged 60 while his brother Mike lived to 86.
Researcher Simon Stewart, of the Australian Catholic University, Sydney, said: ‘It was a compelling case when you look at the foil against the funnier one.’ In many cases several years separated the two, with the ‘funnier’ person dying first.
‘It appears that for stand-up comedians, being at the very top may be no laughing matter,’ Professor Stewart said. The heart disease expert, who began his research after Robin Williams’ death, compared data on 200 stand-up comedians with information about 300 comic and dramatic actors.
All had appeared on 2015 lists of the funniest people or greatest actors of all time. The stand-ups that had died had an average life of only 67.1 years, compared with 68.9 for comic actors and 70.7 for dramatic actors, the International Journal of Cardiology reports.
And while actors lived longer the more successful they were, the best stand-ups had the shortest lives.
Stand-ups were more likely than the other entertainers to have died from drugs or suicide. Professor Stewart believes their lives are inherently unhealthy, with erratic hours, late nights and a culture of drinking and smoking.
The demands of the job may also take their toll. He said: ‘Years of working under pressure may exert a cumulative stress effect even once success has been achieved. In contrast, elite dramatic actors are more likely to have attained some degree of financial security, with attendant benefits to health and wellbeing.’
The pressure of playing the fool may also contribute. ‘Successful dramatic actors are often regarded as role models and expected to maintain a positive public image, with managers and “minders” invested in enforcing certain standards of behaviour that might exert a protective effect on health and longevity,’ Professor Stewart said. ‘This does not appear to apply to stand-up comedians, who are often expected to behave eccentrically.’
Personality may also play a role. ‘If you ask how they found themselves in comedy, in a lot of cases you find it’s a defence mechanism. They build a comedy persona against their inner demons.
‘The very thing that made them good at stand-up leaves them vulnerable to things like depression, mania and high-risk behaviour. Their persona on stage makes us laugh – but it is more likely to kill them.’