Emmy-winning ‘Daily Show’ Writer Kevin Bleyer Dies at 54 in Crash
WHO:
The Hollywood Reporter - Bleyer’s survivors include his wife, Nella; his father, Archie; his brother, Keith; his sister-in-law, Kelly; his nephew, Evan; and his niece, Lauren.
The Hollywood Reporter - Actor and screenwriter Danny Strong called Bleyer “a writer’s writer” and praised his talent and kindness.
Variety - Kevin Bleyer was a writer for “The Daily Show” and a winner of four Primetime Emmy Awards, a Peabody Award, and a Writers Guild Award.
Deadline - Kevin Bleyer was an Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning television writer whose credits included “The Daily Show” and “Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher.”
Deadline - Bleyer contributed speeches for President Barack Obama, including all of Obama’s addresses to the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinners.
WHAT:
The Hollywood Reporter - No one else was hurt in the crash.
The Hollywood Reporter - Bleyer wrote for Dennis Miller’s CNBC show during its 2004–05 season.
The Hollywood Reporter - Bleyer served as deputy chief speechwriter for New York Mayor Bill de Blasio.
The Hollywood Reporter - Bleyer co-authored “Earth: The Book” with Jon Stewart and others.
The Hollywood Reporter - “How to Sweet-Talk a Shark” recounted a humanitarian mission to North Korea to negotiate the release of hostage Kenneth Bae.
The Hollywood Reporter - Bleyer’s wife said he spent his life finding words to make people laugh, think and see the world differently, and described his humor, curiosity, mischief and tenderness.
The Hollywood Reporter - Bleyer worked on “Politically Incorrect” from 2000 until its cancellation in 2002, then joined “The Daily Show” in 2005 and remained a staff writer through 2013.
The Hollywood Reporter - He wrote for the 2006 and 2008 Oscars hosted by Jon Stewart, and shared writing Emmys in 2006, 2009, 2011 and 2012; he was nominated four other times.
The Hollywood Reporter - His other work included NBC’s “Today,” MSNBC’s “Ronan Farrow Daily,” a weekly column for The Daily Beast, and voice work for The Onion Radio News.
The Hollywood Reporter - Bleyer wrote for “The Right Stuff,” “Sleepy Hollow” and “Significant Others,” and created and executive produced pilots for Disney Television Animation, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and Showtime.
The Hollywood Reporter - He co-authored “Earth: The Book” (2010), wrote “Me the People” (2012), and co-authored “How to Sweet-Talk a Shark” (2013) with Bill Richardson.
The Hollywood Reporter - Bleyer executive produced “Studio 7,” described as Central Asia’s first political satire news show, and co-founded Pilot Media Initiatives. He later helped launch programs in North Macedonia, Nigeria, Moldova, Kenya, Jordan and Estonia.
The Hollywood Reporter - Donations in his memory can be made to the New York City chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association or the ASPCA.
Variety - Bleyer died at age 54 in a car accident.
Deadline - Bleyer was killed at age 54 in a car crash.
WHERE:
The Hollywood Reporter - Bleyer was born in Bethesda, Maryland, raised in Seattle, attended Stanford University and called New York City home for 20 years.
The Hollywood Reporter - He lived in Kyrgyzstan in 2013.
Variety - The accident occurred in Millrift, Pennsylvania, on a rural road where Bleyer had a country home.
Deadline - The crash occurred on a rural road.
WHY:
Variety - Bleyer’s family said the accident occurred on the rural road where he had a country home.
HOW:
The Hollywood Reporter - Bleyer began his career at New York’s Public Theater and Broadway’s Cort Theatre.
The Hollywood Reporter - Bleyer began his career as a dramaturg and assistant to Anna Deavere Smith, then worked in London for journalist David Brancaccio at Public Radio International’s Marketplace bureau.
(UPDATED October 28, 2026 05:00 UTC)
Kevin Bleyer, the Emmy- and Peabody-winning writer for “The Daily Show” and “Politically Incorrect,” died at 54 in a car crash on a rural road in Millrift, Pennsylvania; no one else was hurt. He also wrote speeches for President Barack Obama, including the president’s White House Correspondents’ Dinners, and co-authored books with Jon Stewart and Bill Richardson. Actor and screenwriter Danny Strong remembered Bleyer as “a writer’s writer,” praising his talent and kindness.
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(UPDATED October 28, 2026 04:02 UTC)
Kevin Bleyer, an Emmy- and Peabody Award-winning television writer known for “The Daily Show” and “Politically Incorrect,” died at 54 in a car crash on a rural road in Millrift, Pennsylvania, where he had a country home. He also contributed speeches for President Barack Obama, wrote for the Oscars and several television shows, and co-authored books including “Earth: The Book”; his career included four shared writing Emmys. Actor and screenwriter Danny Strong praised Bleyer as “a writer’s writer,” citing his talent and kindness, and his survivors include his wife, Nella, and other family members.
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(UPDATED October 27, 2026 21:11 UTC)
Kevin Bleyer, an award-winning television writer known for “The Daily Show” and “Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher,” has died at 54 in a car crash. The accident happened on a rural road in Millrift, Pennsylvania, near his country home. Bleyer also wrote speeches for President Barack Obama, including all of Obama’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner addresses.