Comedian Gary Lising dies at 78

MANILA, Philippines – Comedian Gary Lising has died. He was 78.

His brother Pompeii G. Lising confirmed the news in a Facebook post on Saturday, June 1, saying “We lost our beloved Gary Lising, my eldest brother, today. Gary, thank you for all the laughs and love, we will miss you deeply. But I know that your jokes will make God laugh. Rest in Peace my dear brother.”

Pompeii did not share the cause of Lising’s death, but he was reportedly found dead in his condo on May 31 by his son Bugsy, according to the Inquirer. 

Lising has had a history of heart problems, and had two cardiac arrests – one in 2009 and another in 2012 – which required him to undergo angioplasty more than once.

Lising graduated with an Economics degree from Ateneo de Manila University, but became known as a comedian who specialized in “green” jokes.

He was part of the hit 1980s comedy gag show Champoy, together with his fellow comedians and Atenistas Subas Herrero and Noel Trinidad.

He also starred in films such as Run Barbi Run and Alyas Boy Tigas in the 90s. 

Lising also wrote a handful of comedy books. Some of these were: Golf, Erap and Other 4-Letter Words; Marcos In Red, Cory In Yellow, Ramos In Blue, Erap In Peach, Gloria In Excelsis; Golf, Erap, And Other 4 Letter Words; Cory Nary Attack; Everything you wanted to know about sex but were afraid to ask your children; and Confessions of a D.O.M (Delightful Old Man).

Early in his career, Lising worked in the US as part of pool of writers who wrote gags for the venerable American comedian Bob Hope.

He also owned the novelty story Gary Lising’s Joke Box in Robinson’s Galleria. – Rappler.com