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  • Wally

    Nov. 16, 2009 10:07 p.m. Wally UberDork

    http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1626376/20091116/story.jhtml

    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.

    "His body was discovered in his home on Sunday," Mark Measures, Ober's talent agent, told TVGuide.com. "The last person to have spoken to him was on Saturday morning. No foul play is suspected, no suicide, it looks like natural causes, just no one knows the exact cause yet."

    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.

  • David S. Wallens

    Nov. 19, 2009 12:35 p.m. David S. Wallens Editorial Director

    Yeah, bummer. That's back from when MTV mattered.

  • poopshovel

    Nov. 19, 2009 12:46 p.m. poopshovel UltraDork

    Back when Happy Gilmore was Studboy. Damn that show was awesome.

  • John Brown

    Nov. 19, 2009 1:00 p.m. John Brown MegaDork

    Rumors are that he passed from H1N1.

  • pinchvalve

    Nov. 19, 2009 1:35 p.m. pinchvalve UltraDork

    In case you couldn't remember what he looked like either.

  • Appleseed

    Nov. 19, 2009 11:51 p.m. Appleseed Dork

    That show started the downward spiral that MTV became. First show that had nothing to do with music. Now I dare you to find any music on MTV. Ungh!

    Fun show, though.

  • NYG95GA

    Nov. 20, 2009 12:39 a.m. NYG95GA SuperDork

    There's still an MTV?

    News to me. I thought it died a long time ago.

  • littleturquoiseb

    Nov. 20, 2009 7:21 a.m. littleturquoiseb HalfDork

    Reminds me of my favorite Remote control game "Dead or Canadian!" ...

    RIP Ken!

 

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