The death of Richard Jeni was a shock. He took his own life, and according to a statement by his family on his Website, he was diagnosed with severe clinical depression coupled with bouts of psychotic paranoia.
Over the years I had a chance to interview him several times for stories, the last in 2005. As with most comedians, he was intense and deadly serious when talking about his career.
I always liked his intelligent style of humor. While doing an interview is not like talking with somebody you really know, because that person is selling himself and is therefore on his best behavior, some nuggets of truth can be found in the answers.
Here, for example, is what Jeni said about what he does to relax when he’s not working:

I don't go out a lot at all. I don't go out after the show to bars, and during the day I do a lot of this [interviews]. It's ironic. Most people who become comedians do so because they don't really work well and play well with others. They are loners and a little quirky most of them. Then if you are successful, you wind up running a corporation with managers, lawyers, agents and a publicity department. To keep the whole Richard Jeni circus going you are on the phone all day.