John Paul Pinette ( ) (March 23, 1964 – April 5, 2014) was an American stand-up comedian, actor, and Broadway theatre, Broadway performer. He toured the comedy club circuit beginning in the 1980s and appeared in cinema and on television. Besides stand-up, Pinette did impressions of Michael Jackson, Alvin and the Chipmunks, The Chipmunks, Elvis Presley, Gollum from ''The Lord of the Rings'', Hervé Villechaize (Tattoo from ''Fantasy Island''), an Ewok, actor Marlon Brando (notably Brando's role in ''The Godfather)'', as well as various ethnic accents. He occasionally sang in his stand-up routines; for example "Over the Rainbow" from ''The Wizard of Oz (1939 film), The Wizard of Oz'', "Will You Be There" from ''Free Willy'', and "Don't Cry for Me Argentina".

Early life

Pinette was born in Boston, Massachusetts, on March 23, 1964, the son of Robert Pinette Sr. and Louise Pitre (Petrie). His mother was of Acadian ancestry, with both her parents from the Canada, Canadian province of New Brunswick. He graduated from Malden Catholic High School in 1982. He graduated from the University of Massachusetts Lowell in 1986 with a degree in accounting.

Career

He started a six-month career in accounting but, on the advice of friends, left to pursue a career in comedy. An early break for Pinette was being asked to tour with Frank Sinatra. Pinette was a regular guest on ''The Tonight Show'' and ''The View (talk show), The View''. Pinette appeared in the films ''Duets (film), Duets'', ''Simon Sez'', ''The Last Godfather'', ''Dear God (film), Dear God'', and ''Junior (1994 film), Junior''. In 2004, Pinette played Bumpo in Artisan Entertainment's ''The Punisher (2004 film), The Punisher'', starring Thomas Jane and John Travolta. In 1991, he was a regular cast member on the reality show ''The Grudge Match'' as the referee on the series. He was a regular on the series ''Parker Lewis Can't Lose'' and, in 1998, played the carjacking victim in the The Finale (Seinfeld), final episode of the sitcom ''Seinfeld''. Pinette was named Stand-Up Comedian of the Year by the American Comedy Awards in 1999 and received a Gemini Awards, Gemini Award nomination for his televised performance at Montreal's Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in 2000. At the time of his death, he still held the record for the highest-selling one-person show in the history of Just for Laughs. In 2004, Pinette joined the touring cast of the Musical theatre, musical ''Hairspray (musical), Hairspray'' in the role of Edna Turnblad. He later went on to the Broadway theatre, Broadway production in 2005, and continued in the role until May 28, 2006. In his 2006 concert ''I'm Starvin'', he said it was the first musical theater production he had been in since high school. In 2004, Pinette's stand-up material was featured in Comedy Central's animated series ''Shorties Watchin' Shorties''. In 2007, Pinette performed at the 42nd annual The Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon, Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon. He performed at the Edinburgh Comedy Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 2008, and toured in cities in 2010 beginning in April. During this tour, Pinette recorded a Comedy Central special titled ''John Pinette: Still Hungry''. The taping took place at the The Vic Theatre, Vic Theatre in Chicago. The world premiere of ''Still Hungry'' was on July 29, 2011, on Comedy Central. Pinette was a host of the E4 Laughs at Edinburgh podcasts, showcasing comedians from the List of Edinburgh festivals, Edinburgh Festival in 2008. In 2012, Pinette was one of the comedy acts in Ron White's ''Comedy Salute to the Troops'' on CMT (U.S. TV channel), CMT. He was the host of ''All You Can Eat'', a TV series taking a humorous look at American cuisine. The show debuted on the H2 (TV network), H2 network in the United States in late June 2013.

Death

Pinette died on April 5, 2014, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, at the age of 50. Pinette's personal doctor signed off on his cause of death as pulmonary embolism. Pinette's funeral services were held near his home in Springfield, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, Springfield, Pennsylvania.

Discography

* ''Show Me the Buffet'' (CD, 1998) * ''I Say Nay Nay'' (DVD, 2005) * ''I'm Starvin'!'' (DVD, 2006) * ''Making Lite of Myself'' (CD, 2007) * ''Still Hungry (John Pinette album), Still Hungry'' (DVD/CD, 2011)

Filmography

* ''ALF (TV series), ALF'' - as Howie Anderson in Season 4 Episode 14, "Make 'em Laugh" (1990) * ''The Grudge Match'' (1991) - as himself, the Referee * ''Vinnie & Bobby'' (1992) - as William 'Bill' Melvin Belli * ''Revenge of the Nerds III: The Next Generation'' (1992) - as Trevor Gulf * ''Parker Lewis Can't Lose'' (1993) - as Coach Hank Kohler * ''Reckless Kelly'' (1993) - as Sam Delance * ''Junior (1994 film), Junior'' (1994) - as Clerk (position), Clerk * ''Revenge of the Nerds IV: Nerds in Love'' (1994) - as Trevor Gulf * ''Hart to Hart, Hart to Hart: Secrets of the Hart'' (1995) * ''High Tide (TV series), High Tide'' (1995) - Bob-O DiBella * ''Dear God (film), Dear God'' (1996) - as Junior * ''Seinfeld'' (1998) - as Howie in "The Finale (Seinfeld), The Finale" * ''Dr. Katz, Professional Therapist'' (1998) - as John * ''Simon Sez'' (1999) - as Micro * ''Duets (film), Duets'' (2000) - as Finale Singer * ''My 5 Wives'' (2000) - as Stewart * ''Do It for Uncle Manny'' (2002) - as Sammy Levine * ''Hairspray (musical), Hairspray'' (2004-2006) - as Edna Turnblad * ''Piece a' Cake'' (2003) - as Sammy * ''The Punisher (2004 film), The Punisher'' (2004) - as Nathaniel Bumpo, Bumpo * ''The Last Godfather'' (2010 film) - as Macho * ''All You Can Eat'' (2013 television series) - Host

References

External links

Official website
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Pinette, John 1964 births 2014 deaths 20th-century American comedians 21st-century American comedians Male actors from Boston American male comedians American people of Canadian descent American stand-up comedians American male television actors Deaths from pulmonary embolism Malden Catholic High School alumni University of Massachusetts Lowell alumni