Patrice O’Neal Dies at 41

New York-based stand-up comedian, actor and radio personality Patrice O’Neal died Monday after suffering complications from a stroke in October that was related to his diabetic condition. He was just 41.

His death was confirmed via the micro blogging site Twitter Tuesday by host Opie (Gregg Hughes) of the Opie and Anthony SiriusXM radio show, on which the stand-up comic was a regular guest. The message read: “Yes it’s true that our pal Patrice O’Neal has passed away. The funniest and best thinker i’ve ever known PERIOD. #devastated.”

O’Neal, a 6′ 5″, 300-plus-lb. native of Boston, was also an occasional actor having appeared on Late Night with Conan O’Brien and Late Show with David Letterman and the sitcoms Arrested Development and The Office.

O’Neal last performed publicly in the Comedy Central roast of Charlie Sheen, where other comedians made fun of his diabetes. He was well known for his humor which was often confrontational but funny.

O’Neal, who launched his career in the late ’90s, started out by heckling comics and proving he could do better, according to his Comedy Central bio. His idolizes were George Carlin and Richard Pryor.