Former SNL Writer Dies From Apparent Suicide, Leaves Heartbreaking Note

Former Saturday Night Live writer and Kids in the Hall producer, 63-year-old Joe Bodolai, died in a Los Angeles hotel room sometime over the last couple of days, and police believe the death was a suicide. According to TMZ, Bodolai—who co-wrote the Wayne's World movie—had been staying at the hotel for over a week, and cleaning crews discovered his body yesterday. The site learned that police found a bottle of antifreeze and Gatorade in his room.

He also appears to have posted a suicide note on his blog, titled, "If This Was Your Last Day Alive What Would You Do?" The post includes a list of things he regrets ("my inability to conquer my alcoholism"), things he would have liked to have seen happen in his life ("living in Paris or New York again"), predictions for 2012 ("sales of Mayan Calendars up for 2012, drop for 2013"), and the things he is proud of (his time at SNL and "writing the first draft of Wayne’s World with Mike Myers"). At 3 a.m. on December 24th, he Tweeted a link to the post, adding, "Godbye." He then Tweeted a link to this video, and lastly, at 3:53 a.m., he wrote: "When people tell you to "dream" to make my life better I'd say 99.9% of them have never been beaten and robbed."

He ended his note: "I don’t need replies or comments or anything. I need to feel the good that I did and whatever good I have ever done for you is enough for me. May you all have the happy lives you deserve. Thank you all for being in my life. Love, Joe."

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By Jen Carlson in Arts & Entertainment on December 27, 2011 12:40 PM

Comments [rss]

spangledmidge

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Alex Trust

dear gothamist readers
if you're gonna spew, spew into this.

Charissa Kerr

Dreamweaver should play at the funeral.

Alex Trust

LOL

Nos Feratu

Former Saturday Night Live writer and Kids in the Hall producer, 63-year-old Joe Bodolai, died in a Los Angeles hotel room.....things he would have liked to have seen happen in his life ("living in Paris or New York again"),

I know that LA sucks, but geez, dude, that's no reason to snuff it.

pendejito

At least he didn't do it while speeding towards a toll booth on the Throgs Neck Bridge. Jesus. RIP.

virgilstarkwell

glad his way of ending his life meets with your approval.

ANGRYGOD11

Considering the number of murder-suicides in the news, this should not have your complete disapproval.

ANGRYGOD11

I knew nothing about this man, but with his successes: How was living in NY or Paris again beyond his grasp?

PrettyAmiable

I think he meant he just never got around to it.

ANGRYGOD11

If he wrote for SNL, he must have lived in NYC.

PrettyAmiable

You quoted the "again" part... obviously he lived there once. He never got around to doing it again. ...How did you misinterpret that?

splicernyc

Very sad.

jibbly

RIP

Party on, Joe.

Alex Trust

party on

virgilstarkwell

it's really sad to think about someone being in so much pain that suicide seems like a good (or the only) plan to them.

Hydrogenous Flatulence

Proof positive that comedians aren't always the jolliest people. RIP Joe.

Rocknrope

I think it's the exact opposite, actually. A majority of comedians are angry, jealous, spiteful, dysfunctional and hostile. They just have a knack for making the funny.

Do_Go_On

Man, so when are you going to develop the funny?

Hydrogenous Flatulence

Maybe. I don't think many comedians are hostile. The rest of what you said, yeah, but rarely hostile. And I think sometimes, because they are comedians, the perception of them as always being funny drives them towards negative emotions in an attempt to show people that they're not always the clown that people think they are.