R.I.P. Erik Myers

Stand-up comedian Erik Myers died suddenly and tragically this morning when he was hit by a car near Amarillo, Texas.

Myers, 40, was en route to a weekend of gigs at Hyena’s Comedy Club in Dallas, where he was scheduled to perform tonight through Saturday. Hyena’s modified its page today: “Hyena’s Dallas will be closed tonight. Rest Easy Erik Myers…. One of the best.”

UPDATED: A tribute show will be held March 23, 2021, online. Tickets via Eventbrite.

Born on Leap Day of 1980, Myers grew up in Columbia, Md., graduating high school in 1998 and studying at Towson University. In 2005, he won the Funniest Person in Baltimore contest, then followed that up with 2011 Florida’s Funniest Comedian once he’d gone south to make his mark on the Florida comedy scene. He’d make the move to Hollywood, where he was a regular at the clubs, and also earned TV credits via Gotham City Live, Laughs, and Showtime’s Andrew Dice Clay Presents The Blue Show.

He put out an hour special in 2012-2013, Dopeless Romantic.

Here’s his bit about applying for work at Taco Bell, filmed at The Laugh Factory:

In 2017, he made this pilot for an animated series loosely based on his life, Court Ordered. Funny friends such as Sam Tripoli, Becky Robinson, Jay Davis, Stephanie Simbari, Craig Phillip Conant, Erin Darling, Theo Von, Pablo Francisco, Ian Edwards, Brad Williams, Jeff Dye, and Jamar Neighbors.

Myers released another special filmed at the Laugh Factory in 2019:

Myers just lost his father to cancer earlier this month.

But Myers was eager to keep working, and had gigs lined up all through February, from The Comedy Catch in Chattanooga, Tenn., Hyena’s in Fort Worth, the Improv in Tempe, Ariz., Loonees in Colorado Springs, and then this weekend in Dallas.

Comedians were quick to react with shock and sorrow.

https://twitter.com/RoninSamTripoli/status/1365039921866502147

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.

View all posts by Sean L. McCarthy →

6 thoughts on “R.I.P. Erik Myers

  1. MARCH 23, 2021 — TRIBUTE SHOW FOR ERIK MYERS
    Get tickets via Evenbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/erik-myers-virtual-benefit-comedy-show-tickets-144768934781

    Stand-up comedy show honoring the late comic Erik Myers – Sponsored by Comedy Gives Back & Rushtix
    About this Event: If there was one thing Erik loved to do, it was make people laugh! Join us Tuesday, March 23rd, 2021 @ 6pm PT/8pm CT/9pm ET for a star studded lineup of his closest friends and colleagues. Proceeds will go to Comedy Gives Back, The American Cancer Society (in honor of his father), and Erik’s family.

    Show Line-up (subject to change)
    Tehran (Host)
    Eric J Freedman
    Dustin Ybarra
    April Macie
    Adam Ray
    Bret Ernst
    Jeremy Piven
    Brad Williams

Comments are closed.