Rik Mayall Has Died

I swear, I will eye-shank the shit out the heartless bastard who dares to make a ‘Drop Dead Fred Dropped Dead’ joke today. British comedian Rik Mayall, the beautiful imaginary insanity ginger of Drop Dead Fred, has flown up to Heaven in a taped jack-in-the-box this morning at the too-young age of 56. No cause of death has been given yet, so if this news is giving you a case of the sads like it gave me, let’s all imagine he died of chronic laughing or acute lovability.

Rik Mayall was probably most famous for Drop Dead Fred, but he’s also pretty well known for playing Rik the anarchist on The Young Ones, which is basically one of the best, most 80’s-looking TV shows you’ll ever see in your life. He also appeared in the Blackadder series, The New Statesman, and starred in Bottom (cut to a disappointed Michael K after he realizes Bottom is a British sitcom).

In 1998, Rik Mayall was seriously injured while riding an ATV (the trampoline of motorized vehicles) and he spent 5 days on life support. Doctors were about to pull the plug on Mayall, but he started showing signs of life, so they kept him alive and he joked:

“I beat Jesus Christ. He was dead for three days at Easter. When I crashed it was the day before Good Friday, Crap Thursday, and I was technically dead until Easter Monday – that’s five days. Jesus was nailed up on Friday and came to on Easter Day. I beat him 5-3.”

I hope it wasn’t awkward when Rik met Jesus this morning. Rest in peace, Rik Mayall.