Camilla Jessen
Comedy world mourns John Mulrooney.
John Mulrooney, the stand-up comedian, radio host and former late-night television presenter, has died at the age of 67.
Friends and fans have described him as “an excellent radio man and an even better stand-up comic.”
According to the Albany Times Union, Mulrooney died at his home in Coxsackie, New York, on December 29, 2025.
His cause of death was not immediately available, and those close to him said his passing was unexpected.
From Brooklyn to TV
Born and raised in Brooklyn, Mulrooney emerged from New York’s highly competitive comedy scene in the early 1980s. He performed at clubs such as Dangerfield’s and Sheepshead Bay before gaining wider recognition at The Improv and The Laugh Factory in Los Angeles.
By the late 1980s, he was a regular presence on television.
In 1987, Mulrooney briefly replaced Joan Rivers as host of The Late Show. He later appeared on programmes including Comic Strip Live, Comedy Tonight, An Evening at the Improv and Star Search. He also competed on The New Hollywood Squares, guest-starred on Ellen and The Good Life, and hosted shows such as King of the Mountain and The Pat Sajak Show.
He created and starred in the short-lived Comedy Central sitcom Midtown North.
A radio reinvention
After returning to New York, Mulrooney reinvented himself in radio.
He hosted The John and Abbey Show on 105.1 “The Buzz” and later co-hosted Wolf and Mulrooney in the Morning on WPYX with Bob “The Wolf” Wohlfeld. He continued working in radio at WPDH and iHeartRadio, becoming a familiar voice across the East Coast.
Mulrooney continued performing stand-up well into recent years, sharing the stage in May 2025 with Colin Quinn and Aidan O’Kelley at the Craic Comedy Fest in Astoria.
Tributes followed news of his death, including from Adam Sandler, who recalled on Joe Rogan’s podcast how Mulrooney would “destroy a room” with his comedy.
Outside entertainment, Mulrooney served as a police officer from 2010 to 2024 and frequently performed at police and fire department fundraisers.
Sources: Albany Times Union; Newsner
