Comic took over Fox's Late Show from Joan Rivers

American stand-up and TV host John Mulrooney has died suddenly at his home in New York state at the age of 67.

Mulrooney, who died on December 29, was best known for his work as one of the guest hosts Fox's The Late Show following Joan Rivers' departure in 1987, and for presenting Comic Strip Live from 1989 to 1990. 

No cause of death has been announced.

Born in Brooklyn on August 27, 1958, Mulrooney began his comedy career in the 1980s at Pips comedy club in Brooklyn. ’It was like being struck with lightning,' he later recalled. 'I suddenly knew why I was doing what I was doing. I just loved it and nothing was gonna stop me.'

He performed in most of America’s major comedy clubs and entertained the US troops in the Middle East. Later in life, he worked as a police officer in Coxsackie, the town where he lived, from 2010 to 2024.

Fellow comedian Andrew Dice Clay paid tribute on social media, recalling Mulrooney as someone who 'never gave up’.

 His official obituary says: ‘John Mulrooney will be remembered as much for being a loyal friend to countless people as for the laughter he brought to a multitude of strangers. His voice, his stories and his spirit will continue to echo in the lives of those he touched.’

Published: 2 Jan 2026