New York Jets fanhood has often been the football rooting experience from Hell. They may have been the perfect team for Richard Lewis.
The comedian known for his self-deprecating, humorously dour repertoire died at the age of 76 this week, just over a year after he entered semi-retirement while battling Parkinson's disease. Lewis' death set waves of mourning in the comedy community but also left an impact on the sports world.
While mostly known for supporting the New York Knicks and Ohio State Buckeyes (being a Columbus alum), Lewis was also known for his love of the Jets, often remarking on the team's dreary state on Twitter/X.
Lewis, for instance, perhaps saw the downfall of this latest Jets season coming, humorously remarking that the team should've signed franchise legend Joe Namath as a backup quarterback before Aaron Rodgers made his doomed debut last September.
That wasn't the only bizarre acquisition Lewis had suggested, as he previously implied that the Jets would express interest in surrealist artist Salvador Dali during the 2015 draft.
A love of the Jets was one of many things that linked Lewis to fellow comedy legend and close friend Larry David. That connection was solidified on the ongoing HBO comedy series "Curb Your Enthusiasm," when the 2020 episode "The Ugly Section" saw the duo, portraying exaggerated versions of themselves, deal with the suicide of a mutual friend who supposedly killed himself over Gang Green's struggles.
The end of the episode sees Lewis robbed by a man wearing a Jets mask and the criminal's interference allows David to prove that his buddy is cheating during their golf outings.
Beyond the gridiron and hardwood, Lewis is often referred to as one of the most influential comedians of all time and is also known for his starring roles in the ABC sitcom "Anything but Love" and the Mel Brooks spook "Robin Hood: Men in Tights."
"Richard and I were born three days apart in the same hospital and for most of my life he's been like a brother to me," David wrote in a statement. "He had that rare combination of being the funniest person and also the sweetest. But today he made me sob and for that, I'll never forgive him.”
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