drug overdose

Los Angeles comedian, 'Parks & Recreation' writer Harris Wittels, 30, dies in possible drug overdose

File: (L-R) "The Sarah Silverman Program" writer Harris Wittels, comedian Sarah Silverman, executive producer/head writer Dan Sterling and actress Laura Silverman, arrive at Comedy Central's Emmy Awards party at the STK restaurant Sept. 21, 2008 in Los Angeles.; Credit: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Mike Roe with Jennifer Velez

Harris Wittels, a comedy writer who worked on "Parks & Recreation," has died at 30, the Los Angeles Police Department's Jane Kim tells KPCC.

Wittels was discovered by his assistant around 12 p.m., Kim said, and was already dead. Kim said that Wittels' death was a possible overdose, but that the Coroner's Office would determine the cause of death. Wittels had attended drug rehab twice.

Comedy Central, where Wittels worked on "The Sarah Silverman Program" and "Secret Girlfriend," confirmed Wittels' death, as did the comedy show he appeared at Wednesday night.

Comedy Central tweet

Meltdown Show tweet

Wittels was also well known for his @Humblebrag Twitter account and later book, helping to popularize the idea online of the false modesty of bragging while trying not to look like you're bragging.

Wittels had spoken about his struggles with addiction in places including Pete Holmes's podcast "You Made It Weird" in a November episode.

"I just really stopped caring about my life," Wittels said on "You Made It Weird," explaining how he got into doing drugs. "I just really started to think, well, if I'm only here for 80 years, then who cares if I spend it high or not?"

Wittels received his first big break when Sarah Silverman saw him performing comedy and gave him a job writing for her Comedy Central show.

Wittels also wrote for HBO's "Eastbound & Down," several MTV awards shows and the American Music Awards. He had a recurring role on "Parks & Recreation" and was a regular guest on the "Comedy Bang Bang" podcast.

Comedians, actors and fans mourned Wittels' death online.

Harris Wittels Storify

See Wittels in a scene from "Parks & Recreation":

Wittels on Parks & Recreation

Listen to Wittels on "Comedy Bang Bang":

Wittels on Comedy Bang Bang

This story has been updated.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.




drug overdose

Sharp uptick in fatal on-the-job drug overdoses in Kentucky spurs hazard alert

Lexington, KY — Responding to an “alarming trend” of drug overdose deaths in the workplace statewide over a recent 18-month period, the Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center recently issued a hazard alert.




drug overdose

Study looks at reasons behind health care worker drug overdoses

New York — Registered nurses, social and other behavioral health workers, and people in health care support face a significantly higher risk of drug-overdose death, according to the results of a recent study.




drug overdose

Drug Overdose Rates in Colombia Increase by 356%

Drug overdoses involving illegal opioids, hallucinogens, stimulants, and sedative psychotropic medications rose by 356% in Colombia between 2010 and 2021.




drug overdose

Drug Overdose Rates in Colombia Increase by 356%

Drug overdoses involving illegal opioids, hallucinogens, stimulants, and sedative psychotropic medications rose by 356% in Colombia between 2010 and 2021.



  • Health & Medicine

drug overdose

Division Of Public Health Releases Information On 2020 Delaware Unintentional Drug Overdose Deaths

DOVER, DE (August 30, 2022) – The Division of Public Health (DPH) is releasing a 2020 State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System (SUDORS) fact sheet on all drug overdose deaths that occurred in Delaware. This snapshot contains fatality data abstracted from the state’s Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) collaborative. DPH collects and analyzes unintentional drug overdose […]




drug overdose

Suspected Drug Overdose Death Data Now Available on My Healthy Community

In collaboration with the Delaware Division of Forensic Science (DFS), the Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) announces the addition of suspected drug overdose death counts to the agency’s publicly available My Healthy Community (MHC) data dashboard. These data can be viewed on the Drug Overdose Deaths tab within the Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder section of MHC. […]



  • Delaware Health and Social Services
  • Division of Public Health
  • DE Division of Public Health
  • Delaware Department of Health and Social Services
  • Delaware Overdose
  • drug overdose

drug overdose

Los Angeles comedian, 'Parks & Recreation' writer Harris Wittels, 30, dies in possible drug overdose

File: (L-R) "The Sarah Silverman Program" writer Harris Wittels, comedian Sarah Silverman, executive producer/head writer Dan Sterling and actress Laura Silverman, arrive at Comedy Central's Emmy Awards party at the STK restaurant Sept. 21, 2008 in Los Angeles.; Credit: Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Mike Roe with Jennifer Velez

Harris Wittels, a comedy writer who worked on "Parks & Recreation," has died at 30, the Los Angeles Police Department's Jane Kim tells KPCC.

Wittels was discovered by his assistant around 12 p.m., Kim said, and was already dead. Kim said that Wittels' death was a possible overdose, but that the Coroner's Office would determine the cause of death. Wittels had attended drug rehab twice.

Comedy Central, where Wittels worked on "The Sarah Silverman Program" and "Secret Girlfriend," confirmed Wittels' death, as did the comedy show he appeared at Wednesday night.

Comedy Central tweet

Meltdown Show tweet

Wittels was also well known for his @Humblebrag Twitter account and later book, helping to popularize the idea online of the false modesty of bragging while trying not to look like you're bragging.

Wittels had spoken about his struggles with addiction in places including Pete Holmes's podcast "You Made It Weird" in a November episode.

"I just really stopped caring about my life," Wittels said on "You Made It Weird," explaining how he got into doing drugs. "I just really started to think, well, if I'm only here for 80 years, then who cares if I spend it high or not?"

Wittels received his first big break when Sarah Silverman saw him performing comedy and gave him a job writing for her Comedy Central show.

Wittels also wrote for HBO's "Eastbound & Down," several MTV awards shows and the American Music Awards. He had a recurring role on "Parks & Recreation" and was a regular guest on the "Comedy Bang Bang" podcast.

Comedians, actors and fans mourned Wittels' death online.

Harris Wittels Storify

See Wittels in a scene from "Parks & Recreation":

Wittels on Parks & Recreation

Listen to Wittels on "Comedy Bang Bang":

Wittels on Comedy Bang Bang

This story has been updated.

This content is from Southern California Public Radio. View the original story at SCPR.org.




drug overdose

DPH Releases First Drug Overdose Mortality Surveillance Report

WILMINGTON  – For the first time, the Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) through the integration of 12 multi-agency datasets, has developed a demographic picture of the Delawareans who died from drug overdoses in 2017. DPH released the Drug Overdose Mortality Surveillance Report, Delaware, 2017, in Wilmington on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2019. In addition to […]




drug overdose

Wider Use of Naloxone Could Cut Deaths From Drug Overdoses: CDC

Title: Wider Use of Naloxone Could Cut Deaths From Drug Overdoses: CDC
Category: Health News
Created: 4/24/2015 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 4/27/2015 12:00:00 AM




drug overdose

Fentanyl Now Drives Drug Overdose Deaths in U.S.

Title: Fentanyl Now Drives Drug Overdose Deaths in U.S.
Category: Health News
Created: 5/1/2018 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 5/2/2018 12:00:00 AM




drug overdose

El Chapo cartel 'assassin' Empress of Anthrax died from a drug overdose and was NOT killed in a hit'

Claudia Ochoa Félix ,who allegedly led a gang tied to El Chapo's old Sinaloa Cartel, was not murdered and instead died of a drug overdose in Mexico last weekend.




drug overdose

The evolving consequences of OxyContin reforumulation on drug overdoses [electronic resource] / David Powell, Rosalie Liccardo Pacula

Cambridge, Mass. : National Bureau of Economic Research, 2020




drug overdose

Punjab: Man dies of ‘drug overdose’ at infamous village Daulewala