My therapist told me to Look Inward and I thought he said

February 19, 2015 9:28 PM

Long time Parks and Recreation writer and recurring character, inventor of the Humblebrag, curator of the goofiest segment on Comedy Bang Bang, and very sexy drummer for the joke band Don't Stop Or We'll Die, Mr. Harris Wittels passed away today suddenly. He will be missed. (Many links extraordinarily NSFW)

He was recently on Pete Holme's podcast You Made It Weird talking about addiction and depression.

posted by Potomac Avenue (73 comments total)

He was only 30 years old. That's fucking crazy.


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posted by dogwalker at 9:33 PM on February 19, 2015 [1 favorite]

Oh dear. This is so very sad.

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posted by Hermione Granger at 9:35 PM on February 19, 2015

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posted by humanfont at 9:47 PM on February 19, 2015

Holy shit.
posted by mr_roboto at 9:58 PM on February 19, 2015

He wrote some really good P&R episodes:

- Ron & Jammy (2015) ... (written by)
- Prom (2014) ... (written by)
- Filibuster (2013) ... (written by)
- Women in Garbage (2013) ... (written by)
- Leslie vs. April (2012) ... (written by)
- Dave Returns (2012) ... (written by)
- The Treaty (2011) ... (written by)
- Road Trip (2011) ... (written by)
- Media Blitz (2011) ... (written by)
- 94 Meetings (2010) ... (written by)
- Tom's Divorce (2009) ... (written by)
- Practice Date (2009) ... (written by)
posted by Pope Guilty at 10:03 PM on February 19, 2015 [13 favorites]

So many great accomplishments in such a short time on the planet. I loved his coining of the "Humblebrag" term and the way it pointed out the obnoxiousness of trying to find a modest way of singing one's own praises.
posted by The Gooch at 10:03 PM on February 19, 2015 [7 favorites]

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posted by DaddyNewt at 10:18 PM on February 19, 2015

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posted by TangoCharlie at 10:21 PM on February 19, 2015

Oh man, this sucks. I hope some of the Earwolf and other comedy podcasts that he frequented find the appropriate way to honor his memory in the wake of this tragedy.

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posted by p3t3 at 10:26 PM on February 19, 2015

I was shocked when I heard this. Given the story he told on Pete Holmes's podcast about going to the park to buy heroin in the middle of the night, it was probably pretty foreseeable. He talked a lot on Analyze Phish about slipping in and out of rehab.

Such a likeable and congenial guy.

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posted by painquale at 10:35 PM on February 19, 2015 [2 favorites]

Oh no. I loved Harris's foam corner, and had no idea he was so involved in parks and rec, or that he was so very young. Incredibly sad.

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posted by Jon Mitchell at 11:06 PM on February 19, 2015

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posted by spinifex23 at 11:23 PM on February 19, 2015

Here's more good stuff of Harris on Parks and Rec.
posted by dogwalker at 11:40 PM on February 19, 2015 [2 favorites]

It's weird how hard this is hitting for just a dude from podcasts, but his comedic sensibility just clicked with me. His was a rare form of dry, deadpan anti-humor that seemed to be totally free of mean-spiritedness.
posted by anazgnos at 11:41 PM on February 19, 2015 [9 favorites]

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posted by naju at 11:45 PM on February 19, 2015

.................................................
Tears Corner
posted by kittensofthenight at 11:58 PM on February 19, 2015 [2 favorites]

I love Phish and I love hating Phish. Analyze Phish brilliantly touched both edges of this. Harris somehow reached this unreachable place. Episode #10 is brilliant and just so tragic.

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posted by vverse23 at 12:35 AM on February 20, 2015 [2 favorites]

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posted by Chichibio at 12:40 AM on February 20, 2015

My favorite song of Don't Stop or We'll Die, a perfect mix of sadness and comedy.
Central Park (In The Rain)
posted by kittensofthenight at 12:53 AM on February 20, 2015 [2 favorites]

Oh wow. Loved his work. Too, too young.

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posted by ominous_paws at 1:04 AM on February 20, 2015

I don't watch much TV, but I knew him from his spots on the Comedy Bang Bang podcast. Very funny, droll humor.

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posted by zardoz at 1:05 AM on February 20, 2015

Deaths like this rarely make me sad, but podcasting is such an intimate medium and his presence brought me so much joy. I discovered Analyze Phish during a stressful time in my life last winter. My girlfriend was out of town and I had to do some boring yet difficult part time work and I was having a lot of trouble sleeping. Without the podcast (and his appearances on CBB - he provided a way in to what I had previously found to be an unbearable zaniness), I would've probably spent a lot of that time feeling anxious and unhealthily ruminating about the future. Instead, I spent a lot of time giggling quietly to myself.

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posted by raisindebt at 1:05 AM on February 20, 2015 [5 favorites]

RIP.
posted by Sticherbeast at 2:22 AM on February 20, 2015

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posted by calebegg at 3:25 AM on February 20, 2015

Dude a really good name for the Lifetime movie about this would be "2 Down 2 Clown"
/harris voice
posted by Potomac Avenue at 4:21 AM on February 20, 2015 [2 favorites]

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posted by drezdn at 4:31 AM on February 20, 2015

Christ, this is sad.
posted by kinetic at 4:41 AM on February 20, 2015 [1 favorite]

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posted by saladin at 4:55 AM on February 20, 2015

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posted by Going To Maine at 5:19 AM on February 20, 2015

One of my favorites on Comedy Bang Bang

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posted by mean cheez at 5:28 AM on February 20, 2015

Oh, man. This is hitting me weirdly hard too -- I think the comment above about podcasts being more intimate is on the money, as is the fact that Wittels just seemed like a super relatable guy. I loved his appearances on CBB, loved Analyze Phish, and got a stupid secret thrill from knowing who That Guy was on Parks and Rec when he'd pop up from time to time.

Rather than mourn, Patton Oswalt, Paul F Tompkins and Ben Shwartz are all retweeting their favourite Harris tweets right now. It's super sad but also pretty awesome.
posted by Shepherd at 5:43 AM on February 20, 2015 [4 favorites]

I think I'm just typing this here because I don't have another outlet.

I actually know nothing about Harris, but I'm friends with his sister. Every so often I'd catch wind of something going on with Harris' career as he rapidly accomplished rad shit and think, "Wow, really? Stephanie's brother, huh? That's exciting!"

My head is a mess of thoughts about death and celebrity and celebrity death and addiction around this, so I will simply say that I know for a fact he leaves behind a sister and 1-year-old nephew who glowed with love and pride for him.
posted by 2or3whiskeysodas at 5:51 AM on February 20, 2015 [21 favorites]

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posted by MCMikeNamara at 5:55 AM on February 20, 2015

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posted by Smart Dalek at 6:04 AM on February 20, 2015

I was a huge fan of his work on CBB and analyze phish. This is extremely sad news.
posted by DrLickies at 6:05 AM on February 20, 2015

"I'm still trying to figure out how to really just like, value my life," Wittels said in a November podcast interview. "I've done drugs recreationally since I was like, 12. And it's always been fun and it's always been my identity, hey, the drug guy."

Man. Just ugh.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 6:05 AM on February 20, 2015 [5 favorites]

He was recently on Pete Holme's podcast You Made It Weird talking about addiction and depression.

At about 12 minutes in they start talking about how everybody dies and it's really no big deal -- "like trying to hold onto running water", Harris says -- and it just freaked me the fuck out and I've had to stop listening. Maybe I'll get back to it when this feels a bit less raw.
posted by Shepherd at 6:10 AM on February 20, 2015 [3 favorites]

It gets even crazier than that, in that they talk at some length about the overdose that caused him to go to rehab last year.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 6:22 AM on February 20, 2015 [1 favorite]

I saw people retweeting funny old Harris tweets last night out of nowhere and was delighted for about thirty seconds, figuring he'd done something crazy clever or neat yesterday or won an award or something, and so it was a double-whammy when I figured out what was going on. I knew him from CBB and the couple of Analyze Phish episodes I'd heard, and made the Parks & Rec connection later on; basically every time he was on with Aukerman it was just kind of laid back wonderfulness.

I understood and appreciated the structural gag of the Whole Episode Of Nothing But Harris' Foam Corner being constantly interrupted by unexpected studio guests, but I really honestly was let down that they didn't literally spend an hour and change on that. Harris' half-baked also-ran tweets are what my jokey tweets wanted to be when they grew up, and the motherfucker is five years younger than me.
posted by cortex at 6:23 AM on February 20, 2015 [2 favorites]

I'm listening to him on Marc Maron's podcast right now, and apparently this was before things got very dark for him, and they're both being very cavalier about the drugs. And it's impossible to sort of split in two as I'm listening. There's the "He's young and curious and sure he's done a lot of drugs, but he doesn't do them so much any more, and he's so charming, of course you'd want to just sort of ride along in thrall to his funny stories!" side, but there's also the side that knows he's hurtling towards a cliff that he can't ever again turn away from, because he didn't, and now he never will have.

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posted by mcdeeder at 6:24 AM on February 20, 2015 [2 favorites]

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posted by Gelatin at 6:30 AM on February 20, 2015

I was a huge fan. I am so sad there won't be another Farts and Procreation episode of CBB, or an Analyze Phish, or a Harris's Foam Corner, and on and on.... From reading Twitter, it's clear that he was loved and appreciated by everyone he worked with. Such a loss.
posted by chowflap at 6:34 AM on February 20, 2015

They'll be shrooming in Branson tonight.
posted by Potomac Avenue at 6:46 AM on February 20, 2015 [1 favorite]

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posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 6:58 AM on February 20, 2015

He was the best. If I saw his name on any podcast it was automatically a must-listen. RIP.
posted by evisceratordeath at 7:23 AM on February 20, 2015

Listened to Marc Maron's repost of his interview with Wittels, whom I didn't know. He sounded like a very sweet guy. And I admire the spiritual lucidity of anyone who could come up with "Humblebrag" in spite of his struggles with addiction.

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posted by Sheydem-tants at 7:25 AM on February 20, 2015

I'm so sad to hear about this. I sought out Analyze Phish specifically to hear more of him after I heard him on CCBB. He seemed like a really kind and honest person. And so funny! What a sad loss.
posted by aka burlap at 7:43 AM on February 20, 2015

Analyze Phish is one of the funniest podcasts I've ever heard. Whether you like the band or not it's worth listening to. He and Aukerman were perfect together. It's a bit sad in retrospect though, since he was always very open about his drug use and during a couple of episodes he described in detail what he was currently on.

30. Fuck.
posted by bondcliff at 7:47 AM on February 20, 2015 [1 favorite]

He was must watch, must listen, must read. What a legacy he left us with. Thank you, Harris.
posted by Room 641-A at 7:52 AM on February 20, 2015 [1 favorite]

Stand up.
Creak.
Slam.
posted by Atom Eyes at 8:10 AM on February 20, 2015 [9 favorites]

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Harris was the best, the wayward genius little brother of the podcast family. I feel like I have so much to say but it's all stuff that anyone in this thread already knows and that is probably some sort of comfort, some definition of community.

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(picturing Harris convincing God of the greatness of Phish will at least get me through the morning.

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posted by Cosine at 8:26 AM on February 20, 2015

I've been going back through his tweets because I didn't know him.

Harris Wittels @twittels · Oct 30
Cavs could lose literally every game this season and still be the best team in the NBA.

Like most good comedy people, he has/had a good ear.
posted by Trochanter at 8:51 AM on February 20, 2015

I wonder if 2or3whiskeysodas shares my town, because "I actually know nothing about Harris, but I'm friends with his sister" describes my wife and I, too. I got the news through nerd-comedy types on my Twitter feed, but it was only later in the day that I clicked to the fact that Harris was Stephanie's brother.

It's super weird watching famous people mourn a friend's brother on Twitter. Not bad, just kind of surreal.
posted by uberchet at 9:37 AM on February 20, 2015

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posted by zuhl at 9:51 AM on February 20, 2015

Harris calls in from heaven

(from an eardrop ep. from 2011)
posted by anazgnos at 10:03 AM on February 20, 2015 [4 favorites]

Fucking drugs, man.
posted by St. Hubbins at 10:50 AM on February 20, 2015

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posted by elr at 11:09 AM on February 20, 2015

here's what sarah silverman had to say last night :

He was my baby. I just keep thinking of superman flying backwards around the earth. I wish I could do that. I'm so mad at you Harris
You should know that Harris was brilliant beyond compare. That his imagination was without limit. That he loved comedy more than anything.
That his heart was big and he FELT hard. That he was someone who would reach out to tell you he was thinking of you for no particular reason
That he was honest even if it was gonna piss u off or make him look shitty. He told the truth. Even when it was ugly. Even when he lied.

amy poehler at an event last night : "tonight i lost a friend"

here's a big list of tweets from those who knew and loved him.

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posted by nadawi at 12:27 PM on February 20, 2015 [4 favorites]

I only knew about Harris from Shepherd's love of comedy podcasts and man, the more I hear, the more I am sad for everyone's loss. He sounds like he was a stand up guy.

Boooo-urns for addiction's shitty shitty tentacles.

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posted by Kitteh at 12:57 PM on February 20, 2015

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posted by andoatnp at 12:59 PM on February 20, 2015

I only knew of him from his appearances on Parks and Rec and I didn't even know he was a writer, but I loveloveloved every time the Animal Control dudes were on. They were just so spot-on as the goofy, well-meaning but totally incompetent stoner bros that you can't help but like because they're just so damn good-natured. I also loved that Harris wore a Phish t-shirt because it was just too perfect. And anyone who wrote for P&R is pretty much automatically a genius in my mind.

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posted by lunasol at 4:07 PM on February 20, 2015 [4 favorites]

Here are some thoughts and memories from Aziz Ansari.
posted by dogwalker at 6:39 PM on February 20, 2015 [4 favorites]

I am so sad there won't be another Farts and Procreation episode of CBB

It seems like they may actually have done one more, for what it's worth. Scott also tweeted earlier that he's going to talk about all this on the Monday episode, maybe as an uncharacteristically long preamble (or maybe a special "best-of").
posted by gerryblog at 6:50 PM on February 20, 2015 [2 favorites]

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posted by Cash4Lead at 7:23 PM on February 20, 2015

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posted by wiskunde at 5:36 AM on February 21, 2015

That Aziz Ansari piece is lovely.
posted by painquale at 10:45 AM on February 21, 2015 [1 favorite]

Comedy Bang Bang released Farts and Procreation 4, Harris's last podcast. Scott Aukerman's eulogy at the beginning is heartfelt.
posted by painquale at 12:30 AM on February 23, 2015 [2 favorites]

The montage at the end has just destroyed me.
posted by Shepherd at 9:54 AM on February 23, 2015

I knew Harris only briefly (I officiated his sister's wedding, maybe I saw you there @2or3whiskeysodas), but he was so kind, so honest, and so open with his love of comedy and his wonder of the world.

creak. slam. sit.

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posted by CharlesV42 at 11:05 AM on February 23, 2015

MOTHERFUCKERS JUST WANNA LAUGH

I'm so glad that Scott released Farts & Pro 4.
posted by mullacc at 6:12 PM on February 23, 2015

His sister posted her eulogy for Harris on Medium, and it breaks my goddamn heart.

But you oughta read it anyway.
posted by uberchet at 8:14 PM on March 3, 2015 [3 favorites]

here's what sarah silverman had to say last night

Late to the party, but Who Charted? created a Harris best-of episode and it includes a number of great anecdotes including his description of how a picture of his penis wearing a hairclip ended up in Sarah Silverman's book. You really get the sense of how fearless a comic he was.
posted by psoas at 11:46 AM on March 9, 2015

The new Aziz special -- in Madison Square Gardens, no less -- is not only an absolutely ironclad killer set... it's dedicated to Harris. Teared up a bit at that.
posted by Shepherd at 5:13 PM on March 9, 2015