Neil Mahoney, an Emmy-nominated editor for “Key & Peele” and “Drunk History,” among other comedy shows, has died. He was 43.
Actor and comedian Jonah Ray first announced the news on Instagram.”Ask anybody, they will tell you that Neil was the best guy,” Ray wrote. “He cared so much about his friends. He kept up with every friend he’d ever made.”
In an obituary for Mahoney published in the Los Angeles Times, Ray wrote that Mahoney fell asleep in his home in Echo Park on Jan. 7 and never woke up.
Born March 7, 1977 in Massachusetts and raised in Cape Cod, Mahoney graduated from Emerson College and scored a job in Los Angeles as an intern on Bob Odenkirk and David Cross’ “Mr. Show,” and then their film “Run Ronnie Run” in 2002. After spending time in D.C. working for the culture magazine While You Were Sleeping, Mahoney returned to L.A. to direct shorts for “Funny or Die.” Mahoney built a career as an esteemed editor, contributing his talents to comedy shows like “Drunk History,” “Funny or Die Presents,” “Portlandia” and “Key & Peele,” for which he was nominated for an outstanding editing Emmy in 2016.
Mahoney directed and edited the Upright Citizens Brigade short film “Freak Dance” in 2010, starring Amy Poehler, in addition to five other comedy originals for the troupe. Most recently, Mahoney worked as an editor for the TV series short “Royalties” and the show “That White People Shit.”
“Neil Daniel Mahoney was THE best friend: loyal, thoughtful, hilarious. The first to show up at your party, offer assistance, or congratulate you on anything,” Ray wrote in his tribute to Mahoney.
Survivors include his mother, Claudia, and sister, Megan. Donations in his memory can be made to L.A. Family Housing.