Johnathan Szeles was a comedian and stage magician known as The Amazing Johnathan, a longtime headliner in Las Vegas.
- Died: February 22, 2022 (Who else died on February 22?)
- Details of death: Died at his home in Las Vegas of heart disease at the age of 63.
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“The Freddy Krueger of Comedy”
Szeles got his start performing magic on the streets of San Francisco before getting a break with several TV appearances. He was featured on TV shows including “Late Night with David Letterman” and “Comic Strip Live,” and he had comedy specials on Comedy Central. He appeared on an episode on “The Weird Al Show” and hosted the short-lived game show “Ruckus.” In 2001, Szeles began headlining in Las Vegas at venues including the Golden Nugget and the Sahara. He became known for his chaotic and often gruesome comedy-magic act, with stunts including pretending to eat his own eyeball and skewer his tongue. Szeles was diagnosed with cardiomyopathy in 2007, and when doctors estimated he had a year to live in 2014, he broke the news in front of a live comedy audience. While defying that diagnosis, he continued to perform sporadically in recent years. Szeles was profiled in the documentaries “The Amazing Johnathan Documentary” and “Always Amazing: The True Story of the Life Death and Return of Amazing Johnathan.”
Tributes to Johnathan Szeles
Full obituary: Las Vegas Review-Journal
