Standup comedian John Mulrooney, who briefly hosted “The Late Show” in 1987, has died. He was 67.
Mulrooney died “suddenly” on Dec. 29, 2025, at his home in Coxsackie, New York, the Times Union reported. A cause of death was not shared.
“I’m just stunned,” Mulrooney’s coworker Steve Van Zandt told the outlet. “To talk to somebody less than two weeks ago, and he had mentioned what he was doing for Christmas, and he was looking forward to 2026 because he had a pretty full calendar … It’s all so unexpected. It’s still sinking in.”
Throughout his career as a standup comedian, Mulrooney made appearances at The Improvisation, The World Famous Comedy Store and The Laugh Factory. He briefly helmed Fox’s “The Late Show” in 1987 after Joan Rivers’ exit.
Mulrooney went on to host Fox’s weekly standup comedy showcase “Comic Strip: Live” and regularly guest hosted “The Pat Sajak Show.”
Mulrooney also had a long career in radio, debuting “Mulrooney in the Morning” on iHeartRadio in 2014. He embarked on an unexpected new career path in 2011 when he became a rookie for the Coxsackie Police Department at age 52.
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Adam Sandler praised Mulrooney’s talents during a 2024 episode of “The Joe Rogan Experience,” calling him a tough comedic act to follow.
“I remember Mulrooney would just destroy a room,” Sandler said. “He was so loose and would dominate the room, and then they’d bring you up, and you’re like, ‘Oh, goodness gracious.’”
Mulrooney’s obituary notes that he will “be remembered as much for being a loyal friend to countless people as for the laughter he brought to a multitude of strangers.”
The tribute continues, “His voice, his stories and his spirit will continue to echo in the lives of those he touched.”
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.nj.com ’
