Goodbye, Laz

Jan 4th marked the end of Bob Lazarus’ 4 year fight with a leukemia that had beaten on him as bad as it could. The disease and the cure had its way with this man who stayed funny to the end. He had done a set three weeks before at a ceremony honoring Steven Wright, whom Bob had opened for for the last 15 years. From all reports, in his final time on stage, he killed.A handful of this beloved man’s friends, the biggest names in the Boston comedy scene had held a reunion as a benefit to raise money to help Laz with his hospital bills. But the shadow overtook him and, mercifully, the battle ended. Facebook and other social networks and newsgroups were full of it in the days that followed. The shock of losing this terrific guy everyone loved segued nicely into grief and sorrow. From there, the stories came out. And there were lots of them.Here’s the first one that came to my mind. He and I were driving back from Pure Platinum, a Boston Comedy Company gig in the lounge of a bowling alley in Portsmouth. I was telling him about about the comic I’d just met who said she was and old friend of his. He asked if she still had a thing for collecting animals.I told him she’d said she did, boasting a house with four dogs, three cats, two birds, assorted rodentia and most recently, a monkey she was letting roam free about the place. “I’d like to own a monkey,” Laz said, exhaling. “But I’d be afraid it would bite me on my dick.” After that, I offered to drive the rest of the way home.
He got the light far too soon. He did a lot for a lot of people. He did even more every time he threw that smile at them.
Life isn't fair sometimes.
This time, it really cheated.
So long, Laz.
See you next time.