Staten Island, NY — The city’s comedy scene has tragically lost one of its own: Jimmy Cantonelli, a comedian from Staten Island, who succumbed to pneumonia last Thursday morning. He was surrounded by family and close friends, who claim that just before he passed, he “saw the light”, and assumed he had about one to two minutes left of being alive.
“Jimmy was one of a kind,” reminisced Goldy Vargas, longtime friend of Cantonelli and owner of Slap-Me-Silly’s Comedy Club in Brooklyn. “Always respectful, arrived for shows early and never went over his time. It didn’t surprise me at all when I heard he saw the light we will all see before succumbing to Death’s embrace, and checked out exactly 90 seconds later. That’s just the kind of guy he was.”
In addition to a traditional memorial service, there will also be a showcase dedicated to Cantonelli’s memory, featuring talent from all over New York City. Many of the comedians on the lineup credit the late comic as an early influence.
“If you’ve been in the New York club circuit long enough, you’ve heard of Jimmy Cantonelli,” remarked Johnny Cortovelli, one of the comics slated to perform on the showcase. “He was the guy who just knew exactly when to shut up and leave. And nobody could give a nod to the host like Jimmy. His jokes were alright, but that nod was top-notch. I’ll bet he nodded like that to the Grim Reaper himself.”
While Cantonelli’s family declined to comment, they will be announcing a funeral date very soon, and were able to confirm the rumor that the deceased comic’s final words were, “That’s my time, you guys have been great!”
By Tyler Dark.
The Bringer 