Sometimes a quick joke hides a heavy heart. Sadly, there have been several notable comedian suicides that have shocked the world.
Many of these comedians who committed suicide did so after suffering from depression for many years or psychological problems. The unexpected deaths of these notable stand-ups have led to increased awareness of the seriousness of the mental illness, at a terrible price.
READ MORE: The problem is beyond entertainment – Kofi Asamoah
Who are some of the famous comedians who committed suicide? In 2014, Robin Williams committed suicide by hanging at the age of 63.
The comedian had suffered from depression throughout much of his adult life. In 1977, at the age of 22, Freddie Prinze committed suicide by shooting himself in the head. He had a history of depression and was going through a divorce at the time of his death. Other famous comics who committed suicide include Tony Hancock, Richard Jeni, and Max Linder.
Are you surprised that so many comic actors have committed suicide?
However, there is a course for alarm about recent happenings to award-winning Ghanaian actor and a comedian Benson Nana Yaw Oduro Boateng aka Funny Face.
The comedian has dropped a lot of videos to vent his spleen on colleagues Kalybos, Bismark The Joke, Kwadwo Nkansah Lilwin, and his alleged girlfriend Sandra Ababio.
READ MORE: Music industry will still thrive without Shatta, Stonebwoy or Sark – Fredyma
According to him, these people have formed a clique to run him down and tarnish the image he has created for himself over the years in the entertainment industry.
In the heat of all his attacks on social media, many Ghanaians have suspected that there is more to his anger than he was letting out in the videos and the captions he adds to them.
Many have asserted that current situation with Funny Face is not one of his usual jokes hence a serious matter that needs the help of a mental health expert, one of them is Ghanaian filmmaker, writer, and CEO of KOFAS Media Kofi Asamoah.
Mind you, Funny Face, and his ex-wife, Elizabeth Nana Adjoa Ntim ended their marriage in a very distasteful back in 2016 after it lasted for two years (from 2014-2016).
Funny Face has also sacked his baby mama with whom he has a set of twins named Ella and Bella accusing her of releasing information to his enemies.
Based on that others are saying Funny Face might be suffering from paranoia.
Paranoia is a mental condition characterized by delusions of persecution, unwarranted jealousy, or exaggerated self-importance, typically worked into an organized system. It may be an aspect of chronic personality disorder, of drug abuse, or of a serious condition such as schizophrenia in which the person loses touch with reality.
So is Funny Face losing touch with reality hence blaming everyone around him or he is simply suffering from psychological or clinical depression?
Take a look at this list of comedians whom the world thinks everything was alright with them until they committed suicide.
READ MORE: Going to church to ask God for a husband is stupidity – Nana Tornado
Brody Stevens – On February 22, 2019, Brody Stevens took his life by apparent hanging. The comedian and actor had been taking care of his mother in Palm Springs, California, and had stopped taking the medication he had been prescribed for depression.
Robin Williams– In 2014, Robin Williams committed suicide by hanging at the age of 63. The comedian had suffered from depression throughout much of his adult life.
Freddie Prinze – Freddie Prinze committed suicide by shooting himself in the head in 1977. He was 22. The comedian had a history of depression and was going through a divorce at the time of his death. His son, Freddie Prinze, Jr., was less than a year old.
Charles Rocket – In 2005, Charles Rocket (born Charles Adams Claverie) committed suicide by slitting his throat at the age of 56.
Tony Hancock – In 1968, 44-year-old Tony Hancock committed suicide by overdose. “Nobody will ever know I existed. Nothing to leave behind me. Nothing to pass on. Nobody to mourn me. That’s the bitterest blow of all,” he wrote in his suicide note.
Ray Combs – In 1996, Ray Combs committed suicide by hanging at the age of 40. The Family Feud host had a lot of debt at the time of his death.
Richard Jeni – Richard Jeni (born Richard John Colangelo) fatally shot himself in 2007, at the age of 49. Earlier that year, he had been “diagnosed with severe clinical depression coupled with bouts of psychotic paranoia.”
Simon Brint – In 2011, Simon Brint committed suicide at the age of 60. His friends and family notified the public via social media.
Michael Roof – Michael Roof committed suicide by hanging himself in 2009, at the age of 32. He had stated on MySpace that he was suffering from social disorder and various mental illnesses.
By: Joseph Nii Ankrah