Photo: Instagram
Rest in peace, J. Michael Mendel.
By Bernadette Giacomazzo — Written on Sep 27, 2019
There seems to be a lot of celebrity deaths going around Hollywood, and this one seems to be the latest — and one of the most tragic.
During his long and storied career, he managed to take home four Emmys and win the love and respect of fans the world over.
But now, he's gone.
So how did famed Rick & Morty and The Simpsons producer J. Michael Mendel die?
Let's look at what we know about this tragic passing.
1. He's best known for his work on Rick & Morty.
According to Yahoo, J. Michael Mendel was best known for his work on Rick & Morty. Though it has a cult following now — it even has its own table at New York Comic Con! — it wasn't well-received when it first debuted in 2013. Mendel, however, grew with the show and became beloved amongst its fandom.
2. J. Michael Mendel also worked on The Simpsons when it first premiered as a segment on The Tracy Ullman Show.
"Mendel worked on Fox's The Tracey Ullman Show, on which The Simpsons began its life as a recurring segment, before moving to the independent series. He helped to create 207 episodes of The Simpsons over his time on the show, winning Emmys in 1995, 1997 and 1997," reported CNN.
3. He leaves behind a wife and two children.
According to USA Today, J. Michael Mendel leaves behind a wife — who is an Emmy-award winning casting director — and two children.
4. Dan Harmon, the creator of Rick & Morty, paid tribute to J. Michael Mendel on his Instagram page.
"I can’t handle seeing his cropped photo in headlines with the word dead in them. I hate the phrase RIP it makes me picture styrofoam tombstones at a Halloween party. Rick and Morty has lost Mike Mendel, a man that deserves a better obituary and in my angry opinion, a better god. That opinion is a projection of my shame. I took Mike for granted. He was always needed and he was always there. He’s going to be needed tomorrow and he won’t be there. The wound will scar but there will be a hole through everything we do from now on. I have only angry things to say for now, that’s how valuable mike was. I can’t keep editing these words so here’s a kitten and I’m gonna take a nap," he wrote on his Instagram.
5. Other notable people paid tribute to J. Michael Mendel as well.
"My friend, partner, and line producer Mike Mendel passed away. I am devastated. My heart breaks for his family. I don’t know what I’m going to do without you by my side Mike. I’m destroyed," wrote Justin Roiland on his Twitter page, echoing the sentiments also shared by Adult Swim, who paid tribute to J. Michael Mendel on their Instagram.
6. J. Michael Mendel's cause of death is not yet known.
According to AOL, the cause of J. Michael Mendel's death is not yet known.
Our thoughts are with J. Michael Mendel's family during this difficult time.
Bernadette Giacomazzo is an editor, writer, and photographer whose work has appeared in People, Teen Vogue, Us Weekly, The Source, XXL, HipHopDX, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Post, and more. She is also the author of The Uprising series. For more information about Bernadette Giacomazzo, click here.