10 Huge Losses for Comedy So Far in 2025
2025 has not been an easy year all around thus far but especially for comedy fans. Beloved performers have passed away, several noteworthy comedic shows ended and one comedy-centric theme park attraction closed. It all stacks up in the loss column, but we’re here to honor their contributions and legacies. So with that in mind, here are 2025’s biggest losses in comedy to-date and what made them hard to take.
The Closure of ‘Muppet Vision 3D’
While it may seem insensitive to include the closure of an amusement park attraction on a list with actual people who died, the closing of Muppet Vision 3D in Disney’s Hollywood Studios felt like losing Jim Henson again for Muppet fans.
Not only was the show housed in a wonderful recreation of the Muppet Theater seen in The Muppet Show, the 20-minute 3D show had great laughs from Bunsen and Beaker, Statler and Waldorf and especially Sam Eagle. It was also what Jim Henson was working on when he suddenly passed away in 1990. Tearing it down felt like erasing an important part of Henson’s legacy.
The Death of Lynne Marie Stewart
While Lynne Marie Stewart enjoyed a long career in comedy, she’s best known for two roles, both of which were hilariously horny.
The first was the vivacious Miss Yvonne on PeeWee’s Playhouse, where she served as a mock heartthrob for PeeWee.
More recently, she played Charlie’s mom, Bonnie Kelly, on It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Bonnie was a sweet, neurotic older woman who got tons of action and occasionally worked as a prostitute. Her recurring guest spots on the show were beloved by fans, and they were devastated when she passed. The Old Lady House will never feel the same.
The Death of Tony Slattery
Before Drew Carey hosted the American edition of Whose Line is it Anyway?, the show began in Britain with deadpan host Clive Anderson and some familiar and not-so-familiar faces to fans of the U.S. version.
Tony Slattery falls into the latter category, being mostly unknown in the US. However, the loss here is significant as he was utterly hilarious on the British Whose Line is it Anyway?
Often paired with American Mike McShane, Slattery shined by pushing the limits of the show’s standards and deliberately antagonizing Anderson. While Ryan Stiles and Colin Mochrie were the undisputed stars of the American version, Slattery and McShane provided them a north star for success.
The Death of George Lowe
George Lowe is exactly the kind of guy who is left off in-memoriam lists, but we’re here to rectify that. In 1994, Space Ghost: Coast to Coast began running late at night on the largely kid-oriented Cartoon Network. It took a long-forgotten Hanna-Barbera superhero and turned him into a doofus talk show host who interviewed a wide array of celebrities, only some of which seemed to be in on the joke.
In one of his last interviews, Lowe told Cracked how much of the show was free-form riffing with the celebrities, further cementing his contributions to the show’s success. Finally, it’s important to recognize that without George Lowe voicing Space Ghost: Coast to Coast there would be no Adult Swim at all - as SGCTC's absurdist viewpoint gave rise to an entire slate of likeminded programming.
The End of ‘The Righteous Gemstones’
Fortunately, Danny McBride’s brilliantly raunchy comedy about a family of reprehensible televangelists got to end on its own terms after four hilarious seasons.
Still, that doesn’t mean its absence won’t be felt, especially since the show featured what are easily the most absurd, laugh-out-loud funniest characters on TV.
The only thing that could soften the blow would be a spin-off starring Walton Goggins’ Uncle Baby Billy. It is now up to HBO to make Teenjus a reality.
The Cancellation of ‘Mid-Century Modern’
The cancellation of the Hulu series Mid-Century Modern is upsetting for one simple reason: Nathan Lane is a wonderful talent. His uncanny voice and delivery really do set him apart.
But, despite several at-bats in the sitcom genre, the guy only ever seems to strike out on TV, which is a real tragedy. Sure, he’s done amazing work on stage with plays like The Producers and on the big screen with movies like The Birdcage and Mouse Hunt, but here’s to hoping we get another weekly supply of Nathan Lane.
The Death of Loni Anderson
WKRP in Cincinnati fans mourned the loss of Loni Anderson earlier this year, who was best known for playing Jennifer Marlowe on the show.
Given the era — WKRP debuted in 1978 — Jennifer Marlowe easily could have fallen into the “dumb blonde” trope seen on lesser sitcoms like Three’s Company. Instead, Marlowe was smart, competent and quick-witted, often making others the butt of the joke. It was a role Anderson played perfectly and a big part of the reason why the show is still remembered fondly.
The Death of Ruth Buzzi
Way before Saturday Night Live, there was Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In. Edgy in its day, Laugh-In ran the gambit from political humor, sexual innuendo and pop culture parodies.
During its six-year run, the show saw many performers come and go. Ruth Buzzi remained for the entire duration, in no small part because of ridiculous characters like Gladys Ormphby, a drab, hairnet-wearing spinster who was prone to violence.
The show earned her a Golden Globe and made her a star, particularly in the 1970s and 1980s where she was a near-constant presence on television.
The End of Marc Maron’s ‘WTF’ Podcast
A stand-up comedian for decades before WTF, Maron had never truly broken through as a star when he turned to the then-new podcasting medium in 2009. While not always funny, Marc Maron’s WTF was a trailblazer and opened the door for every other comedian on Earth to start a podcast.
On WTF, Maron showed a talent for getting funny, raw, truthful, and meaningful conversations from people not really used to having them. To name just one, he’s the only interviewer to have a real, substantial conversation with the late Robin Williams. After 16 years of WTF, Maron finally decided to hang it up. His last guest was former president Barack Obama.
The Death of George Wendt
Often regarded as one of the greatest series finales ever, the last episode of Cheers left fans of the show with a feeling that even though we may not see them anymore, Sam, Cliff, Carla, Woody and Norm are still at Cheers every day, sipping away at endless beers and cracking jokes and insults. However, the death of George Wendt makes it a little harder to picture that.
For 275 episodes, Wendt played the lovable barfly Norm Peterson, the chronically unemployed, unhappily married loafer who was so beloved at Cheers that everyone in the place shouted his name when he entered.
There’s never been a better drinking buddy than Norm, and it’s impossible to imagine him being played by anyone other than George Wendt.
