A favorite The Daily Show writer who went on to write speeches for President Barack Obama has died following a car crash on a rural road near his home.
Videos by Wide Open Country
Kevin Bleyer's family released a statement announcing the writer's death after his car crash along a rural road in Millrift, Pennsylvania, where he owned a country home nearby.
"Kevin spent his life finding the perfect words to make people laugh, think, and see the world a little differently," the writer's wife, Nella Vera, said in the statement, via Deadline. " I was lucky enough to know the humor, curiosity, mischief, and tenderness behind those words—and to be loved by a man who made my own world more joyful, more adventurous, and infinitely more beautiful."
Actor Josh Gad, who worked with Bleyer on The Daily Show, paid tribute to the beloved writer on Instagram, calling him "a wordsmith, a political junkie and an all-star comedic mind."
"My heart and prayers go out to his wife, Nella, and their whole family," Gad added.
Kevin Bleyer Started Out as a Child Actor
The Maryland native began his career in showbiz as a child actor. According to Deadline, he appeared in commercials for products like Aim toothpaste. In 1985, he also appeared in the film Twice in a Lifetime, playing Gene Hackman's grandson.
He went on to graduate from Stanford University, cutting his teeth as a TV writer on Bill Maher's Politically Incorrect in 2000. Bleyer later found himself writing for CNBC's late-night talk show, Dennis Miller, in 2004. Eventually serving as one of the show's producers, he went on to write 66 episodes of the show through 2005.
Bleyer Lands His Signature Writing Job at 'The Daily Show'
After a 2005 stop writing for the Comedy Central series Sports Central, Bleyer's landed perhaps his signature writing job: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He would remain with the series until Stewart left the show in 2012, helping write a prolific 1,041 episodes. Bleyer won four Primetime Emmy Awards, a Peabody Award, and a Writers Guild Award for his time on The Daily Show.
Outside of TV, Bleyer enjoyed a strong career as a speechwriter and author. He helped write President Obama's speeches at the annual White House Correspondents' Dinners, along with several other high-profile politicians.
As an author, Bleyer penned Me the People: One Man's Selfless Quest to Rewrite the Constitution of the United States of America. He also co-wrote Earth: The Book and How to Sweet-Talk a Shark.
Kevin Bleyer was 54.
