Longtime MTV “Remote Control” host Ken Ober has passed away at the age of 52, the comedian’s representative confirmed to MTV News. The cause of his death was not available at press time.
Ober’s career began in the mid-1980s with a turn on the talent competition “Star Search” and in more recent years segued into behind-the-scenes production positions on comedy shows like “Mind of Mencia” and “The New Adventures of Old Christine.”
Starting in 1987, Ober hosted five seasons of “Remote Control,” which, along with “Club MTV” and “The Week In Rock,” was MTV’s first foray into series television. A quiz show that tested contestants’ pop-culture knowledge, the set bore a strong resemblance to a suburban home’s basement. Standing behind a makeshift lectern and next to a giant television screen that helped guide the show, Ober would ask questions about celebrities, movies, TV shows and music videos. Participants sat on colorful La-Z-Boy chairs with food and drinks on trays in front of them as they tried to answer the questions and avoid elimination. The show helped launch the careers of Adam Sandler, Denis Leary and Colin Quinn, who made various appearances on the show, acting out sketches that functioned as quiz questions.
After “Remote Control,” Ober went on to host other game shows, like “Smush” and “Make Me Laugh.” In the years since, Ober worked as a supervising producer on “Tough Crowd With Colin Quinn,” a consulting producer on “Old Christine” and a writer and producer on “Mencia.”
“Ken Ober was one of the sharpest, quickest, sweetest guys I ever met,” Sandler said in a statement to MTV News. “He was always a great friend and I will miss him very much.”
Ober’s agent, Mark Measures, confirmed the comedian’s passing but could provide no information as to the cause of his death. According to The New York Times, Ober’s manager, Lee Kernis, said the comedian was found dead on Sunday, a day after he complained to a friend about a headache and flu-like symptoms.
This is really depressing. How time flies. Had a D&D character in high school named Kari.
Greatest episode: The 1970s "long lost episode.
Dang that’s crazy. I’m heading into my late 30’s. Getting old enough that I feel I could drop dead anytime.
ping
One of my favorite shows in college.
I saw Ken Ober in person once. He’d come to my school because it won some kind of collegiate fundraising contest and filmed a segment close to my dorm building. He was rather short but he was funny, warm, and personable. The rest of the MTV crew were utter bastards, but he was cool.
R.I.P..
Not only did I work the first season on Remote Control as a question writer, I actually helped hire Ken. He did a great audition. FYI...Ben Stiller auditioned and was horrible.
So sorry to hear this. He was a nice guy.
Sounds like Wayne’s World was a ripoff of this show.
Ping list for the discussion of the politics and social (and sometimes nostalgic) aspects that directly effects Generation Reagan / Generation-X (Those born from 1965-1981) including all the spending previous generations are doing that Gen-X and Y will end up paying for.
Freep mail me to be added or dropped. See my home page for details and previous articles.
RIP. That’s too young to go.
I remember when this show was on MTV during my early teen years. That was back when they actually had music. This show was one of the few things that wasn’t music. I always changed the channel or turned off the TV when it came on. lol
Mr. Ober, who lived in Santa Monica, Calif., was 52. The cause of death was not immediately known.
Lee Kernis, a manager at Brillstein Entertainment Partners who represented Mr. Ober for more than 20 years, said that Mr. Ober was found dead on Sunday. He said that Mr. Ober was last heard from on Saturday night, when he spoke to a friend and complained of a headache and flu-like symptoms. Mr. Ober told the friend that he was going to take something and would see a doctor as soon as possible.
I used to like “Beat the Bishop”.