An IMDb mixup Tuesday fueled confusion about the tragic death of 32-year-old Kevin Barnett, a standup comedian who wrote for shows like “Broad City” and co-created the Fox sitcom “Rel.”
Credits for Barnett (above, left) on the site were combined with those of another writer named Kevin Barnett (above, right), who worked on the 2016 Adam Sandler comedy “The Do-Over,” two Farrelly Brothers movies, 2007’s “The Heartbreak Kid” and 2011’s “Hall Pass.”
Reps for IMDb did not respond to requests for comment.
“The news reports are confusing two different Kevin Barnetts,” said lawyer Cindy Farrelly Gesner, who represents the still-living Barnett, who is also associated with several upcoming film projects with his writing partner, Chris Pappas, including the David Spade comedy “The Wrong Missy.”
The Barnett who co-created “Rel” died while on vacation in Mexico. He appeared as a series regular on MTV2’s “Guy Code” and wrote for Comedy Central’s “Broad City,” Fox’s “Unhitched,” Adult Swim’s “The Eric Andre Show” and the Fox/FX animated comedy “Lucas Bros Moving Co.”
“Our hearts are broken, as are those of everyone at ‘REL,’ at the news of Kevin Barnett’s passing,” Twentieth Century Fox Television and Fox Broadcasting Company said in a statement. “He was an incredibly funny, wildly talented man who had so much more to do and so many more stories to tell. We send our thoughts and prayers to his friends and family during this difficult time.”
Last Podcast Network, which hosts Barnett’s “The Roundtable of Gentlemen” show, wrote in a statement posted on its website Tuesday: “The joy he brought to our lives is the greatest gift we have ever received. Remind your friends you love them because you never know when you’ll see them again. We love you KB.”