Who was Perry Kurtz? Comedian who participated in America's Got Talent, dies in hit and run incident at 73

Comedian Perry Kurtz has tragically died at 73 in an alleged hit-and-run accident in Tarzana, Los Angeles, on August 15, 2024. His death was confirmed by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s office.

The police specified more details about Perry’s death and stated that he was hit by a Honda Civic at 11:20 PM, and as soon as the authorities reached the scene, Kurtz was declared dead. TMZ also mentioned that the police had made an arrest, as they managed to locate the 18-year-old Nathon Jaimes from his residence.

Perry Kurtz's death was also confirmed by his manager, Dante Rusciolelli, who gave a statement to People Magazine and stated:

“Rest in peace, Perry Kurtz. Golden Artists Entertainment and myself are devastated by this news. Perry was not only a client, he’s been my friend since 1987. He has been a staple in the Los Angeles comedy community for decades and will be missed. Our prayers are with his family.”

Perry Kurtz was seen in season 8 of America’s Got Talent. As he auditioned with a rap, the judges hit the buzzer, and he was eliminated from the competition. Apart from this, he also made an appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden in 2018.

---

Perry Kurtz started his comedy journey in 1977: Details explored as the comedian passes away at 73

Perry Kurtz, the popular comedian who has been seen in many talent and comedy shows passed away at 73 after being hit by a car on Thursday. Social media users are now remembering his work, and are mourning the loss of the artist.

Kurtz’s first gig came in 1977 when he was part of a talent show at The Crazy Horse Saloon in New Jersey. Becoming an instant hit amongst the audience and the judges, Perry won a cash prize of $250.

In the show, he sang a parody of Eleanor Rigby. As he became insanely popular amongst the masses, from there he relocated to San Fransico, where he became a part of the Holy City Zoo Comedy Club.

Having spent over a decade in San Francisco, Perry moved to Los Angeles, where he started working at The Comedy Store in Hollywood in 1989. During that time, he also made an appearance at The Dangerfields in New York City.

While he stopped working at the shows for the past 6 years, he was active on YouTube, as he had thousands of followers who loved him for his work. Moreover, he also posted a video singing I’ll Always Remember Us This Way just five days prior to his death.

While the police addressed the death of the comedian in a statement claiming that the vehicle that had hit Perry was “located abandoned not far from the scene of the collision,” however, the cause of death remains unknown, as an autopsy and further investigation are pending.