“Sometimes you do have to throw caution to the wind and you really have to not be afraid to suck.”

American stand-up comedian, actor, and Broadway performer

John Paul Pinette was an American stand-up comedian, actor, and Broadway performer. He came to prominence through the comedy club circuit in the 1980s and also worked in film and television. He was known for a performance style that mixed stand-up with character impressions and song. His routines included voices and impersonations such as Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, Gollum, Marlon Brando, and Hervé Villechaize, along with regional accents, and he sometimes sang pieces like “Over the Rainbow,” “Will You Be There,” and “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina.”