Shocked by the sudden and untimely death of Harris Wittels, the co-executive producer of NBC’s “Parks and Recreation”, the Hollywood fraternity today paid glowing tributes to him. The 30 year old who was found dead at his Los Angeles home Thursday is said to have struggled with addiction and died of a drug overdose.
The 30 year old, credited with coining the term ‘humblebrag’, was found at noon by his assistant at his home in the 2200 block of North Hobart Boulevard, Los Angeles police said. Though the exact cause of death will be known only after conducting an autopsy, police suspect it to be a case of drug overdose.
Wittel’s autopsy will likely be done over the weekend, said Los Angeles County coroner’s spokesman Ed Winter. If toxicology testing is done, which Winter said was likely in this case, it might take six to eight weeks to know what caused the tragic death.
Comedian and actress Amy Poehler was among the first ones to express grief over Wittels’ death, calling him a friend, only a few hours after his death.
Poehler used her appearance at the Variety charity event, unite4humanity, to pay tribute to her friend and former coworker saying, “Today, I lost a friend. I lost a dear, young friend in my life who was struggling with addiction. I’m sharing it with you because life and death live so close together, and we walk that fine line every day.”
“When things happen in our lives, we turn to the people that we love. And we lean on people, in a hope that will ease our pain,” she said, while accepting the Unity Award for her work with NGO Worldwide Orphans.
Poehler stars in “Parks and Recreation,” whose seventh and final season concludes Feb. 24. Wittels was also a writer and played an animal control staffer known as “Harris.”
“Parks and Rec” castmate Rob Lowe also addressed Wittels’ alleged addiction.
“Goddammit. Addiction takes another. Goodbye Harris Wittels, you were so funny and so sweet. It’s a pleasure to have known you. #ParksandRec,” he tweeted.
Wittels grew up in Houston and later moved to Los Angeles to start his career in comedy.
Wittels, who wrote a book titled Humblebrag: The Art of False Modesty in 2012, was also seen as a guest on podcasts like Comedy Bang! Bang! and You Made It Weird.
