“Parks and Recreation” Executive Producer Dead at 30
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Amy Graves/WireImage(LOS ANGELES) — An executive producer of Parks and Recreation died Thursday, possibly from a drug overdose.
The Los Angeles Times reports Harris Wittels, 30, was found in his home in L.A. Police suspect he died from a drug overdose, but the county coroner’s office will determine the cause of death.
The comedian and writer also worked on the comedies Eastbound & Down and The Sarah Silverman Program.
Parks and Recreation star Amy Poehler remembered Wittels at a Variety event Thursday night in L.A. “Today, I lost a friend,” said Poehler. “I lost a dear, young friend in my life who was struggling with addiction.”
Poehler was being recognized at Variety’s second annual unite4humanity event. She received the trade paper’s Unity Award for her work with the Worldwide Orphans Foundation and underprivileged children.
Poehler said she was sharing the sad news with those in attendance “because life and death live so close together, and we walk that fine line everyday.”
“When things happen in our lives, we turn to the people that we love…and we lean on people, in a hope that we will ease our pain. So, I don’t really feel like telling any jokes. I’m kind of sad…” she added.
Sarah Silverman tweeted on Thursday night, “He was my baby. I just keep thinking of superman flying backwards around the earth. I wish I could do that. I’m so mad at you Harris.”
She wrote, “You should know that Harris was brilliant beyond compare. That his imagination was without limit. That he loved comedy more than anything. That his heart was big and he FELT hard. That he was someone who would reach out to tell you he was thinking of you for no particular reason.”
The official Twitter account for Comedy Central wrote, “RIP and thank you, Harris Wittels.” Seth Meyers, Billy Eichner, Kevin Nealon and other comedians also commented on Wittels’ death on Twitter.
The series finale of Parks and Recreation airs next Tuesday on NBC.
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