Parks and Recreation, Comedy Bang! Bang! say goodbye to Harris Wittels

NBC’s Parks and Recreation says goodbye tonight with a series finale that already would have been bittersweet to its cast, crew and viewers; made much more so with the death last week of one of its own, 30-year-old writer, co-executive producer and Pawnee Animal Control’s “Harris,” Harris Wittels.

The show will go dark tonight with a brief message to Wittels.

Cast members also have individual messages to and for Wittels. Aziz Ansari, who asked Wittels to work with him on several film screenplays and projects, offered a lengthy tribute to the young comedian and his incredible body of work.

Adam Scott reminded us to get help if we need it, before it’s too late.

Nick Offerman also offered a tribute to Wittels.

As it would happen, Wittels joined Scott and former Parks writer (current Brooklyn Nine-Nine regular) Chelsea Peretti for a special episode of Scott Aukerman’s Comedy Bang! Bang! podcast. Aukerman devoted his 10-minute intro to Episode 336, “Not Farts and Procreation 4,” to Wittels and his agonizing decision about whether to even release the episode. Aukerman’s wife and Peretti both urged him to, and one of his final conversations with Wittels reminded him of why we need to laugh, and why we need to hear him and his Foam Corner one final time.

Say hello to heaven for us, Harris.

Sean L. McCarthy

Editor and publisher since 2007, when he was named New York's Funniest Reporter. Former newspaper reporter at the New York Daily News, Boston Herald and smaller dailies and community papers across America. Loves comedy so much he founded this site.

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