It was incredibly upsetting to learn of the passing of Jerry Stiller. The actor and comedian died at the age of 92, reportedly of natural causes. His life is one worth celebrating.
Jerry got his start by being half of the comedy duo Stiller and Meara. It worked out especially well, as the "Meara" in question was his wife, Ann Meara. Both of them were part of an improv group that, back in the day, was known as the Compass Players. These days, comedy fans would recognize it better as The Second City.
Anne, unfortunately, died at the age of 85 back in 2015. But her career was just as impressive as her husband's. In her later years, she was known best for playing Veronica Olchin in The King of Queens. Sex and the City fans might also recognize her as Mary Brady.
Jerry Stiller was also in the public eye for years. Fans of Seinfeld know him best as playing George Costanza's father. The role morphed into one of the most popular on the series. Without Jerry Stiller leading the character, there may have never been a Festivus.
The good news is that according to his son, Jerry died of natural causes. While this virus has led to what seems like an upswing in celebrity deaths, it was clearly Jerry's time.
Ben Stiller and his sister, Amy, were reportedly able to spend some final time with Jerry before his death. In our world today, not having that opportunity has become a big fear to all. With the virus so easily spread, many of us have been separated from our families. That wasn't the case for Jerry.
"He was just slowing down a lot, and he was dealing with a lot of issues," Ben said on a call with The New Yorker. "And so the last week or two were tougher for him. But he went peacefully, and he had a sense of humor, for sure, until the end. I hesitate to call it a sense of humor. He was just funny, and so he was always himself."
"He was almost ninety-three, and I think his body was kind of at that point where it was time," he added. It's a good thing to remember — while Jerry passed away at a difficult time for the world, he led a very good, long life. And it wasn't the virus' fault that he's no longer here.
Ben and his sister always seemed to have a strong relationship with their parents. And it's apparent that their talents have something to do with genetics. Obviously, Ben's been in countless movies — and even had his own sketch comedy show for some time. Amy is a comedian.
"I remember watching them onstage and seeing them perform and get laughs, and do their act. I remember, as a kid, enjoying watching that and thinking, Oh, this is kind of cool that everybody thinks my parents are funny. And it was exciting," Ben admitted. "My sister and I really enjoyed watching them perform. But, as parents, they're always your parents."
Ben also shared a great technique of his father's that any comedian-in-training would love to hear. More or less, you always want to have a notebook nearby. "My dad really liked to perform and do comedy more than my mom," he said. "It came to her very easily, but it was always work for her to put herself out there like that. My dad was always working at it and thinking about things. If something came to him, like, 'Oh, that's funny' — he was always writing stuff down."
Ben also admitted that Jerry was always a little bit of a softie. "I went to this camp in Maine, called Hidden Valley," he recollected. "And I hated it at first, and he came up there because I got homesick. He's a very sensitive guy, a very loving dad. My mom would be kind of like, 'No, Jerry, he's got to figure out how to be on his own.' And my dad was like, 'No, I want to go up there and be with him.'"
"And, so, he came up for a couple of days and then left," he said. "And I got acclimated, and I remember I met a girl that I liked, and all of a sudden I didn't want him to come back. And then he came back to see the play." That moment was big for both Jerry and Ben.
"I remember him watching the play. And I sang some song in it, and I remember him having this big smile," Ben continued. "It wasn't a laugh, but it was him just appreciating seeing his kid performing. I think he just loved seeing his kids act, and do their thing."
Ben has even credited Seinfeld for being a really good thing for his father. In a way, it brought him back into the spotlight for a little bit and introduced him to a completely new set of fans. The show was a game changer for most of the people on the cast, but it was especially kind toward Jerry.
"I think Seinfeld really changed his life, because he was at a point in his career where the phone wasn't really ringing," Ben said. "And he and my mom had really stopped working together. So, for someone who's thrived on work and thrived on being funny and having an interaction with an audience, it really changed everything for him."
Fans and colleagues everywhere couldn't help but pay their respects. It seems like Jerry Stiller wasn't just honored and admired in his own home — he was also a big hit on every set he came in contact with. Some of the kindest words of sympathy came from his dear friends in the industry. "Very sorry to hear about the passing of Jerry Stiller," Ed Asner stated on Twitter. "He was a mensch. A damned funny mensch."
Even Pee-Wee Herman, known out of character as Paul Reubens, had nothing but kind words to say about him. "When I was shooting Mystery Men with Ben Stiller, his parents visited the set and I couldn't stop gushing to them about what a fan I was," he wrote on his website. "They were both extremely sweet people, in addition to being brilliant, amazing, wholly original and dazzlingly talented. I learned so much about comedy from both of them and will always be thankful for their gifts."
Jerry Stiller was the real deal. Without his influence, so many actors and comedians would be worse off. While his death was upsetting to hear about, his life is one that's truly worth celebrating. Jerry was a class act, and he was always dedicated to his craft.
