Harris Wittels, one of the producers behind NBC’s Parks and Recreation, was found dead at his Los Feliz home Thursday afternoon of a suspected drug overdose. He was 30.
The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed to Variety that Wittels was discovered around noon Thursday by his assistant. TMZ reports that drug paraphernalia was found in the house.
Wittels was open about his drug use in the past, and served two stints in rehab.
In addition to serving as a producer on Parks, Wittels also produced and wrote episodes of Eastbound and Down and The Sarah Silverman Program. He also performed stand-up comedy, his most recent show being Wednesday night at Los Angeles comedy club The Meltdown.
Wittels is also credited with popularizing the term “humblebrag,” and wrote a book about the subject.
Fellow comedians and co-workers expressed their shock on Twitter and other social media shortly after the news broke.
“He was my baby. I just keep thinking of superman flying backwards around the earth. I wish I could do that. I’m so mad at you Harris,” tweeted Sarah Silverman. “You should know that Harris was brilliant beyond compare. That his imagination was without limit. That he loved comedy more than anything.”
Comedians Seth Meyers, Dane Cook, Tom Segura, Kevin Nealon and others all mourned the producer on Twitter. Wittels’ name was trending on Twitter in Los Angeles Thursday evening.
Parks and Recreation is in its final season. The last episode airs next week on NBC.