Michael Lehrer Wiki, Biography
Famous comedian and second city alum Michael Lehrer recently passed away due to complications resulting from ALS on January 17. He was 44 years old at the time of death.
Comedian Chrissie Mayr paid tribute to him on Facebook by posting two pictures, with the first featuring her posing alongside Lehrer followed by a group photo on the set of Kill Tony. Chrissie wrote:
“Wow I am so shocked to hear about Michael Lehrer’s passing. I met him almost 3 years ago in LA but my God what a bright light. Incredibly funny, charismatic, joyful, just unforgettable. Rest In Peace buddy.”
Another comedian, Angie McMahon, expressed her grief by writing a lengthy post along with Lehrer’s picture and wrote that they first met when they were having dinner at Piper’s Alley and that Lehrer did ETC shows at the time. McMahon mentioned that Lehrer used her theater for rehearsals and that she met his son Colin when Michael came to visit them in the summer. She continued:
“We were both doing solo shows at IO one night and he wanted to go first so he could watch me. We bounced around and paced in the tiny green room for ever just doing bits and making each other laugh.”
McMahon ended the post by describing Lehrer as a talented, funny, and weird person. She added that she will always miss him.
Although Lehrer had ALS, he continued performing in a wheelchair for all these years. So far, no memorial plans have been made. A GoFundMe page has been launched to get financial help for his son Colin and has raised $15,900 so far.
Netizens pay tribute on Twitter
Michael Lehrer has gained recognition all these years as a flawless comedian. Twitter was flooded with tributes when people heard about his demise:
Michael Lehrer was well-known for his performances at various events
Michael was a member of a group called The Second City, which included members like Chris Witaske and Tawny Newsome. His appearance at the Just for Laughs Comedy Festival at the New Faces of Comedy show in Montreal received decent feedback from the audience.
He was the creator of some sketch revues like Sky’s The Limit and worked with The Second City Touring Company in various places. He then joined BTN’s Big Ten Tailgate and Sports Action Team. He also performed with the Brooklyn Brewery Comedy Tour, iO Chicago, and Chicago Underground Comedy.
After being diagnosed with the degenerative disease in 2017, he performed despite having issues with his voice and frequently appeared on the podcast Kill Tony from 2019 to 2022. Joe Rogan, one of the podcast presenters, stated on Instagram that Michael’s bravery in fighting the disease was impressive. Even though he had a lot of difficulty speaking on stage, the audience applauded him.
Although detailed information on his educational background is not available, he finished his graduation from Columbia College. He also performed with his friend Seth Weitberg in a few shows, and according to Weitberg, Michael appeared without his shirt while cracking jokes on most occasions.
His survivors include his girlfriend Colette, son Colin, brother Jon, sister Jennifer, father Mike, and stepmother Karen.