Portland’s comedy community was devastated to learn Friday that Nariko Ott has died. He was 46.
Ott’s colleagues and contemporaries began offering testimonials on Friday afternoon, many calling him a mentor and supportive presence in the city’s comedy scene. Kickstand Comedy postponed Saturday night’s Comedy in the Park wrap party until September 26, writing: “We are shocked and saddened by the sudden loss of a beloved member of the Portland stand-up community. At this time it feels appropriate to give ourselves and each other space to process and grieve.”
Ott was a co-host of the “comedians vs. the news” monthly show Topic Thunder at the Siren Theater, where he and Adam Pasi delivered consistently fresh material onstage and invited guest comedians to weigh in on an ever-changing tide of current affairs.
“He was a comedian who could do political humor really well, and that’s rare,” said the Mercury’s Editor-in-Chief Steven Humphrey. The Mercury is a sponsor of the show…