Greg Giraldo, dead at 44

[Acebot44]

RIP

Comedian Greg Giraldo died Wednesday (September 29) at age 44 from a reportedly accidental prescription-drug overdose. Giraldo had been hospitalized in New Brunswick, New Jersey after he overdosed on prescription pills last weekend. According to TMZ, the overdose was not a suicide attempt.

Giraldo reportedly collapsed Saturday evening in his hotel room in New Jersey, where he was performing at a club. He was discovered by friends after he failed to show up for his scheduled performance. He was rushed to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick.

Jim Norton confirmed the news via Twitter, including a picture with his fellow comedian: "Greg Giraldo passed away today. This is the last photo of us together, taken June 28 at Noam's wedding. RIP buddy."

A source close to Giraldo told TMZ: "Greg passed away today at the hospital in New Brunswick as a result of an accidental overdose. His family was by his side."

The Giraldo family's plans for a memorial service will reportedly be made public when they become available.

Giraldo was best known for his celebrity roast appearances and was a frequent guest on "The Late Show With David Letterman," "Late Night With Conan O'Brian" and "The Howard Stern Show." He had also been a judge on NBC's "Last Comic Standing" and appeared as a panelist on Jerry Seinfeld's "The Marriage Ref."

Before Giraldo became a comic, he worked as a lawyer. He was a graduate of Columbia University and attended Harvard Law School.

A few of Giraldo's noteworthy Comedy Central Roast subjects included: Chevy Chase, Pam Anderson, William Shatner, Jeff Foxworthy, Flavor Flav, Bob Saget, Joan Rivers, Larry the Cable Guy and David Hasselhoff.

[Typhoid]

I thought it was a joke when I saw it earlier, to be honest.

For a guy who rarely did anything other than roasts, and get made fun of for being on every roast - I thought he was a funny guy.

[Angrist]

So is an overdose always drugs drugs or can it be medicines too?

[ZebraRampage]

Originally Posted by Angrist

So is an overdose always drugs drugs or can it be medicines too?

You can overdose on medicine too. Drugs are drugs, whether they're medicinal or something illegal or whatever they're technically called.

[Professor S]

He had a long history of substance abuse. While these might have been prescription medicine, but with his history he should not have been given anything that could kill him in an overdose, which more than likely were narcotics.

There are too many people who are dying from "prescribed medications". There really needs to be a crackdown on these doctors who appear to be legal drug dealers.