Patrice O’Neal DEAD at 41

Patrice O’Neal DEAD at 41
ComedianPatrice O’Neal, 41, who helped roast actor Charlie Sheen in September,died yesterday of complications from a stroke he suffered last month. He died at a hospital in New York, according to his manager Jonathan Brandstein.

O’Neal grew up in Boston and kicked off his career in stand-up comedy there. He appeared on late-night TV withConan O’Brien and David Letterman, and was also a frequent guest on the Opie & Anthony radio show on Sirius XM.

His performance in September was one of the highlights of the Comedy Central roast of Sheen, who had been given the ax from the CBS showTwo and a Half Men.

Sheen said in a tweet yesterday, “The entertainment world as well as the world at large lost a brilliant man.”

O’Neal had also done half-hour specials on Showtime and HBO and appeared in the TV series Arrested Development,Chappelle’s Show, and The Office. He also hosted VH1′s Web Junk 20.

O’Neal, who weighed about 300 pounds and had diabetes, suffered a stroke October 19.