The Bronx-born comic, who was HIV positive and began his comedy career about a decade ago after overcoming drug addiction and the death of his wife, had begun to gain national mainstream success after finishing fourth out of thousands in the most recent season of "Last Comic Standing." He was also scheduled to perform his new one-man show "A Cherry Tree in the Bronx" this Wednesday at the Barrow Street Theater in NYC.
News of DeStefano's death was confirmed to Punchline by a friend of the family.
DeStefano showcased his brutally honest approach to comedy earlier this year when he debuted his one-man show "Drugs, Disease and Death: A Comedy" at The Producers' Club in New York. ("A Cherry Tree in the Bronx" was to be a further exploration of this similar work-in-progress.)
He opened up about his Catholic upbringing in the Bronx, his heroin addiction that began at age 15, and how a career as a drug counselor eventually led to comedy when he discovered that audiences liked to laugh at him. DeStefano's humor was inspired by his desire to share the truth of his experiences with others, in an effort to help those who might be struggling and who could relate, or just needed a laugh.
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