Sam Kinison, the comedian known for his screaming stand-up act and politically incorrect humor, died on April 10, 1992, in a car crash near Laughlin, Nevada. He was 38 years old. The fatal accident occurred just six days after he married his longtime girlfriend, Malika Souiri, in Las Vegas. The couple had been honeymooning in Hawaii and returned to California before driving to a scheduled performance in Laughlin.
Kinison was a passenger in his 1989 Pontiac Trans Am when a pickup truck driven by a 17-year-old crossed the center line and struck the vehicle head-on. The comedian was thrown from the car and died at the scene from internal injuries. He was not wearing a seat belt. According to witnesses, after the collision Kinison got out of the car, appeared to speak to someone who was not there, said “I don’t want to die,” then returned to the vehicle and said “okay, okay, okay” before losing consciousness.
He was pronounced dead shortly after. Born in Yakima, Washington, on December 8, 1953, Kinison spent most of his childhood in Peoria, Illinois, where his father worked as a preacher. At the age of three, Kinison was hit by a truck and suffered brain damage. His parents divorced when he was 12, and he and his younger brother stayed with their mother while his older brothers lived with their father.
Kinison was a troublemaker in school and was sent to a Bible training center in upstate New York when he was 15. Following his father’s death a few years later, Kinison decided to become a Pentecostal preacher, following in the footsteps of his older brothers. He married at 21, but the marriage did not last. In 1977, Kinison decided to try stand-up comedy, and a few years later Rodney Dangerfield saw his act and encouraged him to pursue it seriously.
By 1980, Kinison had moved to Los Angeles, where he became a regular at The Comedy Store. He became friends with Jim Carrey and Robin Williams during that time. His second marriage, to Terry Mars, ended after two years. Kinison’s big break came when Dangerfield gave him a spot on his HBO Comedy Showcase in 1985.
His wild, screaming rants about subjects like marriage and world hunger made him popular, leading to appearances on “Late Night with David Letterman,” “Saturday Night Live,” and “The Howard Stern Show. ” He also appeared in films, including “Back to School” with Dangerfield. His sometimes controversial act offended some audiences, and protesters occasionally appeared at his shows. Kinison also released music videos for “Mississippi Queen” and “Wild Thing.
” He is buried at Memorial Park Cemetery in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His comedy career remains remembered for its aggressive, confrontational style, which divided audiences between devoted fans and strong critics.
